nationalobserver--2020-07-11--Islanders want BC Ferries to follow order that lets residents board before tourists

Quadra Island resident Sarah Johnston says the return to two-sailing wait-times means the 20-minute crossing to Campbell River is now often a four-hour journey or more for essential goods or medical appointments .
Gruelling sailing waits in B.C .
's Discovery Islands have surged again , as the province relaxes guidelines on non-essential travel as part of its COVID-19 reopening plan .
B.C .
islanders are feeling trapped and calling for action on a Covid-19 measure that allows residents to board ferries first as the summer tourist season heats up .
But BC Ferries is not acting on a temporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boarding , and which the Ministry of Transport confirms is in place .
For ferry-dependent communities such as Quadra and Cortes , located off Vancouver Island 's northeast coast — and for a score of other coastal communities in British Columbia — ferries are often the sole practical lifeline to work , school or medical appointments .
And for neighbouring Cortes Island residents negotiating a two-ferry journey , the waits are even longer .
“ If this is what we ’ re seeing in a summer with travel restrictions , imagine what will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s crazy , ” Johnston said of the ferry traffic that regularly spills out of the parking lot and holding lanes , and up the hill from the terminal into Quadra 's road ways .
“ I ’ m sure part of the resistance is , if they did it under the order and it succeeded , what reason would they have not to continue into the future , ” she said .
She ’ d like to see a “ get out of jail free ” pass issued to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essential or unavoidable travel .
“ I don ’ t see why it ’ s that big an issue , ” Johnston said , adding that preferred boarding measures wouldn ’ t have to be for every occasion or sailing .
Johnston has asked about the priority boarding option at the ticket booth in Campbell River on several occasions .
Attendants provided a variety of explanations why it wasn ’ t being offered , such as inadequate staffing levels and logistical issues , such as insufficient holding areas in smaller terminals , Johnston @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer island residents preferred boarding currently allowed under Ministerial Order ( MO84 ) due to the COVID-19 crisis .
They did their best to avoid rush hours , but medical appointments typically fell into peak travelling periods , she said .
“ He wasn ’ t able to sit in a car comfortably for long periods of time , and that made it really hard.
” “ Last summer I was dealing with numerous medical appointments with my dad who was suffering from a serious medical condition , ” Johnston said .
Johnston @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peak hours , but some issues make travelling during busy sailings unavoidable .
“ It wasn ’ t an issue in the beginning of the pandemic , because our traffic had completely fallen off , ” Marshall stated in an email Tuesday .
BC Ferries spokesperson Deborah Marshall confirmed that residents and essential goods and workers are temporarily being given priority on sailings during the state of emergency due to the pandemic .
“ Now that traffic is coming back and the province has lifted 'non-essential ' travel ( guidelines ) it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Marshall did not clarify why priority boarding wasn ’ t being offered to Discovery Island residents , as it has been on other routes such as the Sunshine Coast .
The BC Ferries website states customers will be asked at check-in if they qualify for priority boarding .
The website also recommends people make reservations if they want to ensure priority on a specific sailing .
However , reservations aren ’ t available on smaller routes serving Quadra and Cortes islands and other island communities in the inside passage between the mainland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director Jim Abram said it is clear islanders should be getting preferential boarding .
“ The ministerial order is very clear that residents have priority loading as long as we ’ re in a state of emergency , ” Abram said .
Workarounds are likely possible to logistical issues , he said .
“ We have really good people working at the booth , and they are always careful about loading properly , ” he said .
“ They are very creative and can probably find ways to hold ( vehicles ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ urgent medical emergencies and Cortes residents already get preferential boarding to Campbell River twice a week on a morning sailing , Abram noted .
It shouldn ’ t be out of the question to make similar arrangements for Quadra residents , he added .
Residents regularly using the ferries ultimately pay more toward operational costs , Abram said .
“ We pay taxes , but we also pay a healthly fare towards the operation , ” he said .
“ We ’ re being double dinged as residents.
” High-season traffic makes it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , appointments or attend business , he added .
“ It is almost impossible to use the ferry system when it is completely clogged with non-residents , ” Abram said , noting the current focus on staycations has brought more and larger vehicles with campers , boats and RVs to the island .
“ We have accommodated and welcomed tourists , and we still do , but the situation just happens to have changed… we are in a worldwide pandemic.
” Noba Anderson , Cortes Island regional director , said calls for priority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but many islanders have been requesting the service for years .
“ We ’ ve always been told ( by BC Ferries ) a customer , is a customer , is a customer , ” Anderson said .
“ It would be a very interesting trial to see if they can do it , and if they can , it would be important to have a more in-depth conversation about whether it can be implemented moving forward.
” But not all residents agree with the notion of preferred boarding .
Quadra resident and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everybody feels they have a justifiable reason to get on the ferry before someone else .
Everyone who chooses to live on the islands knows ferry waits in summer have been an issue for decades , he added .
“ ( It ’ s like ) someone building a tree house and then demanding someone else supply the ladder , ” Arnold said .
He suggested residents are best served by adapting practical measures , such as leaving a second , cheap car across the water and walking on board .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consolidate errands as much as possible , and the number one rule is to go and get back early , ” Arnold said .
He also thinks it would be a logistical nightmare for attendants at the smaller terminals to organize priority boarding .
Quadra resident Alan Atkinson was one of many travellers stranded in a long vehicle backup that snaked its way out of the Quathiaski Cove ferry terminal on Thursday .
But he still feels first come , first served is the fairest option .
“ We ’ re all paying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Atkinson said .
He noted he was heading to Campbell River to shop , but could have come for a less crowded sailing .
“ I don ’ t necessarily have to be here right now , ” he said .
Transportation Minister and local MLA Claire Trevena also confirmed that the ministerial order was in place .
The province has the expectation the order be acted on , but operational issues fall to BC Ferries , Trevena said Friday .
“ We ’ d hope BC Ferries would be respecting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the implementation is on the ground , ” she said .
BC Ferries must balance both commercial and public interests when making operational decisions , Trevena said .
Priority boarding is a temporary measure under the order , and caution needs to be exercised to avoid pitting residents against tourists , especially given many coastal economies such as Quadra are reliant on tourism , she added .
“ We want to avoid getting a battle about that , ” Trevena said .
“ We know coastal communities are reliant on BC Ferries , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a government are committed to system that serves B.C .
residents , but that also includes every B.C .
business .
”

“If this is what we’re seeing in a summer with travel restrictions, imagine what will it be like in the future.”
“It’s crazy,” Johnston said of the ferry traffic that regularly spills out of the parking lot and holding lanes, and up the hill from the terminal into Quadra's road ways.
Quadra Island resident Sarah Johnston says the return to two-sailing wait-times means the 20-minute crossing to Campbell River is now often a four-hour journey or more for essential goods or medical appointments.
Gruelling sailing waits in B.C.'s Discovery Islands have surged again, as the province relaxes guidelines on non-essential travel as part of its COVID-19 reopening plan.
B.C. islanders are feeling trapped and calling for action on a Covid-19 measure that allows residents to board ferries first as the summer tourist season heats up.
But BC Ferries is not acting on a temporary emergency ministerial order that permits residents priority boarding, and which the Ministry of Transport confirms is in place.
For ferry-dependent communities such as Quadra and Cortes, located off Vancouver Island's northeast coast — and for a score of other coastal communities in British Columbia — ferries are often the sole practical lifeline to work, school or medical appointments.
And for neighbouring Cortes Island residents negotiating a two-ferry journey, the waits are even longer.
Johnston wants BC Ferries to offer island residents preferred boarding currently allowed under Ministerial Order (MO84) due to the COVID-19 crisis.
They did their best to avoid rush hours, but medical appointments typically fell into peak travelling periods, she said.
“He wasn’t able to sit in a car comfortably for long periods of time, and that made it really hard.”
“Last summer I was dealing with numerous medical appointments with my dad who was suffering from a serious medical condition,” Johnston said.
Johnston said she typically takes measures to avoid peak hours, but some issues make travelling during busy sailings unavoidable.
She’d like to see a “get out of jail free” pass issued to residents on a once weekly basis for essential or unavoidable travel.
“I don’t see why it’s that big an issue,” Johnston said, adding that preferred boarding measures wouldn’t have to be for every occasion or sailing.
Johnston has asked about the priority boarding option at the ticket booth in Campbell River on several occasions. Attendants provided a variety of explanations why it wasn’t being offered, such as inadequate staffing levels and logistical issues, such as insufficient holding areas in smaller terminals, Johnston said.
“I’m sure part of the resistance is, if they did it under the order and it succeeded, what reason would they have not to continue into the future,” she said.
'It is becoming an issue on many routes'
BC Ferries spokesperson Deborah Marshall confirmed that residents and essential goods and workers are temporarily being given priority on sailings during the state of emergency due to the pandemic.
“It wasn’t an issue in the beginning of the pandemic, because our traffic had completely fallen off,” Marshall stated in an email Tuesday.
“Now that traffic is coming back and the province has lifted 'non-essential' travel (guidelines) it is becoming an issue on many routes.”
But Marshall did not clarify why priority boarding wasn’t being offered to Discovery Island residents, as it has been on other routes such as the Sunshine Coast.
The BC Ferries website states customers will be asked at check-in if they qualify for priority boarding. The website also recommends people make reservations if they want to ensure priority on a specific sailing.
However, reservations aren’t available on smaller routes serving Quadra and Cortes islands and other island communities in the inside passage between the mainland and Vancouver Island.
'We’re being double dinged as residents'
Quadra Island regional director Jim Abram said it is clear islanders should be getting preferential boarding.
“The ministerial order is very clear that residents have priority loading as long as we’re in a state of emergency,” Abram said.
Workarounds are likely possible to logistical issues, he said.
“We have really good people working at the booth, and they are always careful about loading properly,” he said.
“They are very creative and can probably find ways to hold (vehicles).”
Quadra Island regional director Jim Abram wants BC Ferries to act on the ministerial order to allow residents preferred boarding. File photo: Rochelle Baker
Priority boarding exists for those with urgent medical emergencies and Cortes residents already get preferential boarding to Campbell River twice a week on a morning sailing, Abram noted.
It shouldn’t be out of the question to make similar arrangements for Quadra residents, he added.
Residents regularly using the ferries ultimately pay more toward operational costs, Abram said.
“We pay taxes, but we also pay a healthly fare towards the operation,” he said. “We’re being double dinged as residents.”
High-season traffic makes it difficult for residents to get to work, appointments or attend business, he added.
“It is almost impossible to use the ferry system when it is completely clogged with non-residents,” Abram said, noting the current focus on staycations has brought more and larger vehicles with campers, boats and RVs to the island.
“We have accommodated and welcomed tourists, and we still do, but the situation just happens to have changed… we are in a worldwide pandemic.”
Noba Anderson, Cortes Island regional director, said calls for priority boarding aren’t necessarily universal, but many islanders have been requesting the service for years.
“We’ve always been told (by BC Ferries) a customer, is a customer, is a customer,” Anderson said.
“It would be a very interesting trial to see if they can do it, and if they can, it would be important to have a more in-depth conversation about whether it can be implemented moving forward.”
Is preferential boarding equitable?
But not all residents agree with the notion of preferred boarding.
Quadra resident and retired BC Ferries captain John Arnold said everybody feels they have a justifiable reason to get on the ferry before someone else.
Everyone who chooses to live on the islands knows ferry waits in summer have been an issue for decades, he added.
“(It’s like) someone building a tree house and then demanding someone else supply the ladder,” Arnold said.
He suggested residents are best served by adapting practical measures, such as leaving a second, cheap car across the water and walking on board.
“I only go when I have to, consolidate errands as much as possible, and the number one rule is to go and get back early,” Arnold said.
He also thinks it would be a logistical nightmare for attendants at the smaller terminals to organize priority boarding.
Quadra resident Alan Atkinson was one of many travellers stranded in a long vehicle backup that snaked its way out of the Quathiaski Cove ferry terminal on Thursday.
But he still feels first come, first served is the fairest option.
“We’re all paying the same taxes for the system,” Atkinson said.
He noted he was heading to Campbell River to shop, but could have come for a less crowded sailing.
“I don’t necessarily have to be here right now,” he said.
BC Ferries travellers leaving Quadra Island faced multiple sailing waits on Thursday, as Covid-19 travel restrictions lift and summer tourism in Discovery Islands resumes. Photo: Rochelle Baker.
Pitting residents against tourists
Transportation Minister and local MLA Claire Trevena also confirmed that the ministerial order was in place.
The province has the expectation the order be acted on, but operational issues fall to BC Ferries, Trevena said Friday.
“We’d hope BC Ferries would be respecting the order, but there is always what the implementation is on the ground,” she said.
BC Ferries must balance both commercial and public interests when making operational decisions, Trevena said.
Priority boarding is a temporary measure under the order, and caution needs to be exercised to avoid pitting residents against tourists, especially given many coastal economies such as Quadra are reliant on tourism, she added.
“We want to avoid getting a battle about that,” Trevena said.
“We know coastal communities are reliant on BC Ferries,” she said.
“We as a government are committed to system that serves B.C. residents, but that also includes every B.C. business.”
Rochelle Baker/Local Journalism Initiative/Canada's National Observer
[Editor’s Note: UPDATE: Following the publication of this National Observer story, BC Ferries updated its website around the issue of preferred boarding for residents. The company states it will make “all reasonable efforts to get essential goods and residents on the sailing.” BC Ferries stated this does not guarantee residents travel on the next sailing, or that customers with reservations would be bumped. The company also said it is not an enforcement agency, and cannot check customers’ identification for proof of residency, as it would cause long waits outside the terminal during busy periods. It also asked customers to practice honesty, kindness, and patience with BC Ferries employees who are adjusting to a new normal during the pandemic.]


nationalobserver--2020-07-11--Sex misconduct allegations shake Quebec arts scene

Quebec 's arts scene is being rocked by a wave of sexual assault and harassment allegations against well-known figures in the province 's entertainment industry .
Mostly anonymous allegations are being posted to an Instagram page that has garnered more than 49,000 followers and is focused on prominent Quebecers , including musicians , concert promoters and comedians .
The page , which is less than a week old , contains more than 80 posts .
One of the biggest names to fall is David Desrosiers , bassist for Montreal rock band Simple Plan , who said Thursday he is leaving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the social network of predatory behaviour against his female fans .
The accuser posted Wednesday that Desrosiers started making inappropriate `` jokes '' with her when she was a minor , and they had consensual sex after she came of age .
She alleged he invited others for group sex without asking and threatened and demeaned her .
Desrosiers wrote on Instagram that allegations `` have led me to acknowledge that some of the interactions I have had with women have caused them harm . ''
In a statement on Instagram , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affected as well as fans who are disappointed by the `` regretful situation . ''
• Rep. Adam Schiff could n't resist : `` We may all be moving to Canada soon '' • Cronyism , patronage and destruction of democratic rights mark Kenney 's rule by decree • They wanted to buy a forest to save it from loggers .
The world chipped in .
Maripier Morin , a major TV personality in Quebec , has apologized publicly and La Presse reported she has put her career on pause after singer Safia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8 — with a copy on her personal page as well — accusations that Morin uttered racist statements in her presence and bit her on the thigh in 2018 .
Nolin wrote that Morin made a derogatory comment after learning she was of Arab descent .
Nolin said Morin also made racist comments about a Black bartender .
`` After that , she bit me on the thigh so hard that I had an enormous bruise for two weeks , '' Nolin said .
According to multiple media reports , Morin apologized on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the night in question and called her actions `` reprehensible '' without going into details .
By Friday , however , Morin had removed the posts from her Instagram page , which is followed by almost 550,000 people .
Bell Media said Friday it has dropped all the shows it carried on its streaming networks featuring Morin .
Company spokesman Patrick Tremblay said in an email : `` We respect the decision by Maripier Morin to put her professional activities on pause .
For that reason , we are pulling all the shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , VRAK and Crave . ''
Quebec 's arts scene is being rocked by a wave of sexual assault and harassment allegations against well-known figures in the province 's entertainment industry .
Quebec singer-songwriter Bernard Adamus was dropped from his label following an anonymous post to the Instagram page accusing him of improprieties .
Adamus replied Thursday on his Instagram that he had been vulgar , arrogant and drunk too many times in his life , and he apologized to all the women he 's hurt .
ADISQ , the association representing Quebec @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday saying that its board of directors has decided to exclude Adamus from nominations for its annual awards .
The statement said the industry is made up of `` honest , professional and devoted artists and workers , and it is essential not to let the reprehensible actions of certain individuals tarnish the entire sector . ''
The Montreal police confirmed Friday the force `` is aware '' of the Instagram page and the accusations .
`` However , in order to conduct an investigation , there needs to be an official complaint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police said in an email .
The police did not say if they had received any official complaints tied to the accusations on the Instagram page .

Quebec's arts scene is being rocked by a wave of sexual assault and harassment allegations against well-known figures in the province's entertainment industry. Mostly anonymous allegations are being posted to an Instagram page that has garnered more than 49,000 followers and is focused on prominent Quebecers, including musicians, concert promoters and comedians. The page, which is less than a week old, contains more than 80 posts. One of the biggest names to fall is David Desrosiers, bassist for Montreal rock band Simple Plan, who said Thursday he is leaving the group after he was anonymously accused on the social network of predatory behaviour against his female fans. The accuser posted Wednesday that Desrosiers started making inappropriate "jokes" with her when she was a minor, and they had consensual sex after she came of age. She alleged he invited others for group sex without asking and threatened and demeaned her. Desrosiers wrote on Instagram that allegations "have led me to acknowledge that some of the interactions I have had with women have caused them harm." In a statement on Instagram, Simple Plan also apologized to the women affected as well as fans who are disappointed by the "regretful situation."
Maripier Morin, a major TV personality in Quebec, has apologized publicly and La Presse reported she has put her career on pause after singer Safia Nolin posted to the Instagram page July 8 — with a copy on her personal page as well — accusations that Morin uttered racist statements in her presence and bit her on the thigh in 2018. Nolin wrote that Morin made a derogatory comment after learning she was of Arab descent. Nolin said Morin also made racist comments about a Black bartender. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "After that, she bit me on the thigh so hard that I had an enormous bruise for two weeks," Nolin said.
According to multiple media reports, Morin apologized on her Instagram page, said she remembered the night in question and called her actions "reprehensible" without going into details. By Friday, however, Morin had removed the posts from her Instagram page, which is followed by almost 550,000 people. Quebec's arts scene is being rocked by a wave of sexual assault and harassment allegations against well-known figures in the province's entertainment industry. Bell Media said Friday it has dropped all the shows it carried on its streaming networks featuring Morin. Company spokesman Patrick Tremblay said in an email: "We respect the decision by Maripier Morin to put her professional activities on pause. For that reason, we are pulling all the shows that feature her from our platforms Z, VRAK and Crave." Quebec singer-songwriter Bernard Adamus was dropped from his label following an anonymous post to the Instagram page accusing him of improprieties. Adamus replied Thursday on his Instagram that he had been vulgar, arrogant and drunk too many times in his life, and he apologized to all the women he's hurt.
ADISQ, the association representing Quebec's music industry, issued a statement Friday saying that its board of directors has decided to exclude Adamus from nominations for its annual awards. The statement said the industry is made up of "honest, professional and devoted artists and workers, and it is essential not to let the reprehensible actions of certain individuals tarnish the entire sector." The Montreal police confirmed Friday the force "is aware" of the Instagram page and the accusations. "However, in order to conduct an investigation, there needs to be an official complaint filed," a spokesperson for the police said in an email.


nationalobserver--2020-07-11--They claim Cargill failed to take COVID-19 precautions

A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Cargill Ltd. that claims the meat-packing company failed to take reasonable precautions to protect its workers in Alberta during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Cargill 's beef plant near High River , south of Calgary , employs about 2,200 people .
It shut down for two weeks in April because of an outbreak that affected 350 staff .
It reopened after bringing in safety measures that included temperature testing , physical distancing , cleaning and sanitizing .
Eventually nearly half of the workers contracted the virus and two employees died .
The lawsuit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge , was filed by Guardian Law Group and seeks damages for the harm done to family members , friends and other people who were in close contact with Cargill employees who contracted the novel coronavirus .
• Rep. Adam Schiff could n't resist : `` We may all be moving to Canada soon '' • Cronyism , patronage and destruction of democratic rights mark Kenney 's rule by decree • They wanted to buy a forest to save it from loggers .
The world chipped in .
The plaintiffs do not include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by labour and worker compensation laws .
The statement of claim alleges that despite warnings and guidelines issued by the Alberta government , Cargill Ltd. failed to take `` reasonable precautions '' at the beginning of the outbreak to limit its spread .
`` This is a sophisticated facility and a company well-versed in proper safety procedures .
That 's why it 's so shocking to see them fall so far below the standard of acceptable behaviour that we expect from employers in this situation , '' said Mathew Farrell of Guardian Law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsibility to the community to take reasonable measures to limit the spread of this disease , and where they fail to do so , we will hold them to account for the harms that result . ''
The allegations have not been proven in court .
Cargill did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
The High River plant is back at full operation and processes about 4,500 head of cattle a day — more than one-third of Canada 's beef-packing capacity .
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Cargill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take reasonable precautions to protect its workers in Alberta during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Cargill Ltd. is a subsidiary of U.S.-based Cargill Inc. , one of the largest privately owned corporations in the United States by revenue .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10 , 2020

A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Cargill Ltd. that claims the meat-packing company failed to take reasonable precautions to protect its workers in Alberta during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cargill's beef plant near High River, south of Calgary, employs about 2,200 people. It shut down for two weeks in April because of an outbreak that affected 350 staff.
It reopened after bringing in safety measures that included temperature testing, physical distancing, cleaning and sanitizing.
Eventually nearly half of the workers contracted the virus and two employees died.
The lawsuit, which needs to be approved by a judge, was filed by Guardian Law Group and seeks damages for the harm done to family members, friends and other people who were in close contact with Cargill employees who contracted the novel coronavirus.


nationalobserver--2020-07-11--Canadian economy closing in on a million new jobs

Nearly one million more Canadians had jobs in June than a month earlier , Statistics Canada says , as businesses forced to close by the pandemic began to reopen and the country continued to recoup the steep losses over March and April .
Statistics Canada 's labour force survey released Friday showed 953,000 jobs were added last month , including 488,000 full-time and 465,000 part-time positions .
The unemployment rate fell to 12.3 per cent after hitting a record-high of 13.7 per cent in May .
As in May , even though more people found jobs , more people were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force grew by about 786,000 after a gain of 491,000 in May , bringing it to within 443,000 of its pre-pandemic level .
Statistics Canada said the unemployment rate would have been 16.3 per cent had it included in unemployment counts those who wanted to work , but did not look for a job .
Job gains were made in every province , including by 378,000 in Ontario , marking the first increase since the COVID-19 shutdown , Statistics Canada said .
It did n't include any gains in Toronto as restrictions in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Rep. Adam Schiff could n't resist : `` We may all be moving to Canada soon '' • Cronyism , patronage and destruction of democratic rights mark Kenney 's rule by decree • They wanted to buy a forest to save it from loggers .
The world chipped in .
Despite the good news , economist Jim Stanford said there remains a historic crisis in the job market with high unemployment and hundreds of thousands who have left the labour force altogether .
Also , gains nationally were not shared equally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and low-wage workers still slower to rebound , which Stanford said could be problematic if those jobs do n't ever come back .
`` I worry about a coming second round of layoffs motivated not by health restrictions , but by companies deciding their businesses are going to be permanently smaller .
So that would be qualitatively different and in a way worse , '' said Stanford , director of the Centre for Future Work in Vancouver .
`` We are n't remotely out of the woods yet , but this was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three million jobs were lost over March and April due to the pandemic , and 2.5 million more had their hours and earnings slashed .
By last month , some 3.1 million were affected by the pandemic , including 1.4 million who were n't at work due to COVID-19 .
Brendon Bernard , an economist at Indeed Canada , said recapturing jobs at the same pace in the coming months will be tougher .
Nearly one million more Canadians had jobs in June than a month earlier , Statistics Canada says , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began to reopen and the country continued to recoup the steep losses over March and April .
`` A lot of areas of the economy still are n't running at full capacity , '' Bernard said .
`` So while doors may be open and customers might be coming in , business has n't come back to normal . ''
Despite the overall improvement , the oil and gas industry continues to struggle .
The PetroLMI Division of Energy Safety Canada says direct oil and gas employment fell by more than 6,700 positions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 70 per cent of the net job losses in Alberta .
Compared with a year earlier , employment in the oil and employment sector was down 17 per cent .
The overall job losses were unprecedented in speed and depth compared with previous recessions , Statistics Canada said , and the rebound to date sharper than previous downturns .
Ottawa 's response has been equally unprecedented : a deficit of at least $ 343.2 billion this fiscal year as the Trudeau Liberals dole out some $ 230 billion in emergency aid .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canadians aged 15 to 69 reported receiving some form of federal aid since mid-March , Statistics Canada said .
Meanwhile , the proportion of households reporting difficulty paying the bills dropped to 20.1 per cent in June from 22.5 per cent in May .
`` Without the federal government being there to support Canadian workers , Canadian businesses and the Canadian provinces and territories , we would be in a bigger mess in this country right now , '' Hassan Yussuff , president of the Canadian Labour Congress said in an interview this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal government believe the worst of the economic pain from the pandemic is behind the country , but Canada will face high unemployment and low growth until 2021 .
In a statement , federal Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough touted the overall jobs numbers as a sign the government 's plan was working , before adding many Canadians still `` face real challenges during this time . ''
She and other ministers are now reshaping programs so fewer workers stay on the $ 80-billion emergency benefit , and more get tied to jobs through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We understand the need for those emergency programs .
We also understand as we reopen and recover , we have to move away from emergency programs and into stimulus and recovery , '' said Leah Nord , senior director of workforce strategies for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce .
She said there are other issues to resolve around health and safety in the workplace , transit , and child care to help more Canadians get back to work .
In provinces where daycares reopened for children five and under , employment levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June , but not for mothers .
Similarly , mothers with children under 18 were more likely than fathers to work less than half their usual hours in June , Statistics Canada said .
Job gains have come at a faster clip for men .
Their unemployment rate hit 12.1 per cent in June compared to 12.7 per cent for women .
And the underutilization rate — which counts those who are unemployed , those who want a job but did n't look for one , and those working less than half their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 25.5 per cent for men .
Economist Armine Yalnizyan said the numbers underscore the need to provide child care as well as options for schooling in the fall so mothers can work .
The alternative , she said , could pull back any economic gains .
`` It means that even if there are jobs , some women wo n't be able to take them because there 's no way they can leave their kids , '' said Yalnizyan , a fellow on the future of workers at the Atkinson Foundation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential for an economic depression instead of talking about paces of recovery and pivoting to building to better . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10 , 2020 .

Nearly one million more Canadians had jobs in June than a month earlier, Statistics Canada says, as businesses forced to close by the pandemic began to reopen and the country continued to recoup the steep losses over March and April. Statistics Canada's labour force survey released Friday showed 953,000 jobs were added last month, including 488,000 full-time and 465,000 part-time positions. The unemployment rate fell to 12.3 per cent after hitting a record-high of 13.7 per cent in May. As in May, even though more people found jobs, more people were also looking for work as the labour force grew by about 786,000 after a gain of 491,000 in May, bringing it to within 443,000 of its pre-pandemic level. Statistics Canada said the unemployment rate would have been 16.3 per cent had it included in unemployment counts those who wanted to work, but did not look for a job. Job gains were made in every province, including by 378,000 in Ontario, marking the first increase since the COVID-19 shutdown, Statistics Canada said. It didn't include any gains in Toronto as restrictions in that city loosened after the survey week.
Despite the good news, economist Jim Stanford said there remains a historic crisis in the job market with high unemployment and hundreds of thousands who have left the labour force altogether. Also, gains nationally were not shared equally among groups, with women, youth and low-wage workers still slower to rebound, which Stanford said could be problematic if those jobs don't ever come back. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "I worry about a coming second round of layoffs motivated not by health restrictions, but by companies deciding their businesses are going to be permanently smaller. So that would be qualitatively different and in a way worse," said Stanford, director of the Centre for Future Work in Vancouver.
"We aren't remotely out of the woods yet, but this was a really encouraging step forward." Nearly one million more Canadians had jobs in June than a month earlier, Statistics Canada says, as businesses forced to close by the pandemic began to reopen and the country continued to recoup the steep losses over March and April. Some three million jobs were lost over March and April due to the pandemic, and 2.5 million more had their hours and earnings slashed. By last month, some 3.1 million were affected by the pandemic, including 1.4 million who weren't at work due to COVID-19. Brendon Bernard, an economist at Indeed Canada, said recapturing jobs at the same pace in the coming months will be tougher. "A lot of areas of the economy still aren't running at full capacity," Bernard said. "So while doors may be open and customers might be coming in, business hasn't come back to normal." Despite the overall improvement, the oil and gas industry continues to struggle.
The PetroLMI Division of Energy Safety Canada says direct oil and gas employment fell by more than 6,700 positions in June compared with May, with about 70 per cent of the net job losses in Alberta. Compared with a year earlier, employment in the oil and employment sector was down 17 per cent. The overall job losses were unprecedented in speed and depth compared with previous recessions, Statistics Canada said, and the rebound to date sharper than previous downturns.


nationalobserver--2020-07-11--Rep. Adam Schiff couldn't resist: "We may all be moving to Canada soon"

A Canadian cabinet minister was among the guests waiting in the virtual wings of a recent Zoom panel when the moderator posed one last question to the chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee , promising the discussion would `` move to Canada '' next .
Rep. Adam Schiff could n't resist : `` We may all be moving to Canada soon , '' he deadpanned .
But as a resurgent COVID-19 ravages the U.S. , fuelled by cavalier openings in states like Florida and Texas and a White House determined to resurrect the economy at all costs , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lower half has more Canadians than ever ignoring America 's increasingly persistent knock .
An online poll by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies released this week found a whopping 86 per cent of respondents in Canada opposed to letting U.S. tourists north of the border , compared with 11 per cent who supported it .
An Abacus Data poll out Friday found much the same thing .
And when Rep. Brian Higgins , a New York Democrat , updated his bipartisan call for a plan to reopen the border , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and outright anger belied Canada 's reputation as a bastion of civility , replete with memes of building walls , slamming doors and Bugs Bunny taking a handsaw to the 49th parallel .
• Cronyism , patronage and destruction of democratic rights mark Kenney 's rule by decree • They wanted to buy a forest to save it from loggers .
The world chipped in .
• Islanders want BC Ferries to follow order that lets residents board before tourists Higgins took it all in stride .
`` I do n't blame them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the congressman said Friday of the Canadian reaction .
`` I have an obligation to be honest , and I have an obligation to always keep trying .
And if anything , what I hope will come from all of this is an appreciation for the tale of two neighbouring countries ' response to COVID-19 : America 's has been deplorable , and the Canadian response has been fast , strong and united . ''
When the outbreak first took hold in North America in March , Canada and the U.S. agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel while allowing the movement of goods and essential workers to continue .
That initial 30-day agreement has been extended three times now , and will surely be extended again before its next July 21 expiry date .
Since March , the U.S. has seen more than 3 million cases and 133,000 deaths , and the crisis is accelerating in states across the union .
Florida is breaking records daily for new COVID-19 cases and deaths .
In Arizona and Texas , one in four tests is coming back positive .
Further north @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing fresh spikes in their active caseloads .
Hospitals are again rapidly nearing capacity .
In their letter last week to acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and Canada 's Public Safety Minister Bill Blair , Higgins and 27 other members of Congress , Democrat and Republican alike , urged the two countries to stop kicking the can down the road and draft a detailed plan for the gradual reopening of the border .
`` The continual 30-day extensions without a plan for how restrictions will be modified prolongs uncertainty for both communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each new expiration , '' they wrote .
`` We are asking that the United States and Canada immediately craft a comprehensive framework for phased reopening of the border based on objective metrics and accounting for the varied circumstances across border regions . ''
That does n't mean throwing open the border to Americans , Higgins said .
But it could mean redefining essential travel to include foreign property owners and people with business interests or family members on the other side , provided they wear masks and practice physical distancing .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a situation where the health of you and your family is dependent on your fellow citizens to do the right thing , '' he said .
`` A phased opening could expand the category of 'essential traveller , ' but ( include ) certifying some way that you are adhering to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 's protocol as it relates to stopping the spread of COVID-19 . ''
Ontario Premier Doug Ford , a pro-trade conservative and longtime champion of Canada-U.S. ties , has been among those urging zero tolerance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. has passed — a position spokeswoman Ivana Yelich reiterated Friday .
`` The premier has been clear : the border must remain closed to non-essential travel until the U.S. has made significant progress in containing COVID-19 , '' Yelich said .
`` The recent spike in the number of COVID cases in the U.S. is very concerning .
As such , the premier will continue to support restrictions at the U.S. border beyond the July 21 deadline . ''
The worsening public health situation in the U.S. has not diminished the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face-to-face meetings or technical on-site visits , to the health of Canada 's economy , said Mark Agnew , director of international policy with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce .
Despite the best efforts of both countries , the current border measures have been confusing for some , causing stress and delays even for those who have work permits that allow them to cross , Agnew said .
`` It would be helpful for the government to set out the circumstances under which border measures will start to normalize , to enable companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenges the U.S. outbreak now poses for the federal Liberal government in Canada , it 's past time to start thinking about how to ease the border restrictions , said Laurie Trautman , director of the Border Policy Research Institute at Western Washington University in Bellingham , Wash. `` There is an immediate need to be more thoughtful and strategic about how our countries go about doing that , '' Trautman said , floating the idea of wider family exemptions and allowing homeowners to visit their foreign properties .
In northern Washington state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the challenge of protecting vacant homes owned by Canadians , she added .
`` Grandparents should be able to see their grandkids , '' Trautman said .
`` Exempting these two groups from the restrictions would not ‘ open up the floodgates ’ and seem reasonable and empathetic to me . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10 , 2020 .

A Canadian cabinet minister was among the guests waiting in the virtual wings of a recent Zoom panel when the moderator posed one last question to the chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, promising the discussion would "move to Canada" next. Rep. Adam Schiff couldn't resist: "We may all be moving to Canada soon," he deadpanned. But as a resurgent COVID-19 ravages the U.S., fuelled by cavalier openings in states like Florida and Texas and a White House determined to resurrect the economy at all costs, the red-alert status spreading across the continent's lower half has more Canadians than ever ignoring America's increasingly persistent knock. An online poll by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies released this week found a whopping 86 per cent of respondents in Canada opposed to letting U.S. tourists north of the border, compared with 11 per cent who supported it. An Abacus Data poll out Friday found much the same thing. And when Rep. Brian Higgins, a New York Democrat, updated his bipartisan call for a plan to reopen the border, the ensuing Twitter barrage of sarcasm, satire and outright anger belied Canada's reputation as a bastion of civility, replete with memes of building walls, slamming doors and Bugs Bunny taking a handsaw to the 49th parallel.
Higgins took it all in stride. "I don't blame them for wanting us out of there," the congressman said Friday of the Canadian reaction. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "I have an obligation to be honest, and I have an obligation to always keep trying. And if anything, what I hope will come from all of this is an appreciation for the tale of two neighbouring countries' response to COVID-19: America's has been deplorable, and the Canadian response has been fast, strong and united."
When the outbreak first took hold in North America in March, Canada and the U.S. agreed to close their shared border to discretionary travel while allowing the movement of goods and essential workers to continue. That initial 30-day agreement has been extended three times now, and will surely be extended again before its next July 21 expiry date. Since March, the U.S. has seen more than 3 million cases and 133,000 deaths, and the crisis is accelerating in states across the union. Florida is breaking records daily for new COVID-19 cases and deaths. In Arizona and Texas, one in four tests is coming back positive. Further north, states like Wisconsin and Michigan are seeing fresh spikes in their active caseloads. Hospitals are again rapidly nearing capacity. In their letter last week to acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and Canada's Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, Higgins and 27 other members of Congress, Democrat and Republican alike, urged the two countries to stop kicking the can down the road and draft a detailed plan for the gradual reopening of the border. "The continual 30-day extensions without a plan for how restrictions will be modified prolongs uncertainty for both communities and creates unnecessary tension as we approach each new expiration," they wrote. "We are asking that the United States and Canada immediately craft a comprehensive framework for phased reopening of the border based on objective metrics and accounting for the varied circumstances across border regions."
That doesn't mean throwing open the border to Americans, Higgins said. But it could mean redefining essential travel to include foreign property owners and people with business interests or family members on the other side, provided they wear masks and practice physical distancing. "Never in our lifetime have we had a situation where the health of you and your family is dependent on your fellow citizens to do the right thing," he said. "A phased opening could expand the category of 'essential traveller,' but (include) certifying some way that you are adhering to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's protocol as it relates to stopping the spread of COVID-19."


nationalobserver--2020-07-11--Fort McMurray wildfire's impact on rivers astonishes scientists

Four years after its flames guttered out , the record-breaking Fort McMurray wildfire continues to astound — this time with its lasting impact on an extensive river system .
`` It 's actually stunning that we were able to observe an effect at that large scale , '' said Uldis Silins , a University of Alberta professor and co-author of a recently published study on how the 2016 blaze affected the Athabasca River .
In May 2016 , the fire swept through nearly 6,000 square kilometres of boreal forest in northern Alberta .
Fort McMurray lost 2,400 buildings , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
With damage estimates of $ 10 billion , it was the most expensive natural disaster in Canadian history .
Almost immediately after the city was safely cleared , Silins and his colleagues were flown in as part of an emergency reaction team to assess the threat to Fort McMurray 's water supply .
• Rep. Adam Schiff could n't resist : `` We may all be moving to Canada soon '' • Cronyism , patronage and destruction of democratic rights mark Kenney 's rule by decree • They wanted to buy a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The world chipped in .
Previous research has looked at how wildfires affect headwater streams in the mountains .
But nobody had looked at their impacts on a large , slow , boreal river winding through wetlands .
`` The extent to which the fire would impact water was highly uncertain , '' said Silins .
For seven months , the team sampled and tested the Athabasca and several tributaries upstream of Fort McMurray .
The Athabasca is huge — nearly a kilometre across in many places — and it drains nearly one-quarter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turbid , full of organic material .
The scientists were amazed when , every time it rained , they were able to detect significant increases in ash , potassium , nitrogen , calcium and heavy metals such as lead even within the river 's normal load .
`` It 's a very , very large watershed , '' Silins said .
`` We really were not expecting to see any impact at that scale . ''
Four years after its flames guttered out , the record-breaking Fort McMurray wildfire continues to astound — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an extensive river system .
Those impacts are magnified because tributary water does n't mix evenly with the Athabasca 's main flow .
`` You 've got a river the colour of chocolate milk and these small tributaries during certain events — a good rain , for example — look like hot fudge , '' said co-author Monica Emelko of the University of Waterloo .
`` That hot-fudge sauce does n't necessarily mix in .
That plume that extended for a very long distance , hugging the riverbank , is likely what was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plant in Fort McMurray . ''
The fire residue also makes it harder to manage bacteria in the city 's reservoir .
Emelko said the city 's water has remained safe — it 's just harder and more expensive to make it so .
City officials have said treatment costs increased 50 per cent after the fire .
`` There is a very clear signature of the wildfire on drinking water supply and treatment in Fort McMurray , '' Emelko said .
`` The community is paying a continued cost because of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire impacts on watersheds quickly dissipate .
Studies on several Alberta fires in the foothills and the Rocky Mountains , however , show that has n't been the case .
Scientists believe the lingering presence of fire-related material could be related to the province 's geology being rich in fine-grained sediments .
`` There , we have certainly seen a long persistence of those fire effects — far longer than has been reported in most other regions worldwide , '' Silins said .
Climate and forest scientists have long suggested that huge fires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beast '' in Fort McMurray are going to become more common as warmer temperatures dry forests out and extend the burning season .
`` As climates have shifted , and we 're very clearly seeing a shift in wildfire behaviour , we 're going to see these kinds of impacts on water more and more often , '' said Silins .
`` Fires are impacting a far broader range of ecosystem values and human values than we thought .
This is something we 're going to have deal with on a far more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Canadian Press was first published July 10 , 2020

Four years after its flames guttered out, the record-breaking Fort McMurray wildfire continues to astound — this time with its lasting impact on an extensive river system. "It's actually stunning that we were able to observe an effect at that large scale," said Uldis Silins, a University of Alberta professor and co-author of a recently published study on how the 2016 blaze affected the Athabasca River. In May 2016, the fire swept through nearly 6,000 square kilometres of boreal forest in northern Alberta. Fort McMurray lost 2,400 buildings, and 88,000 people were forced from their homes. With damage estimates of $10 billion, it was the most expensive natural disaster in Canadian history. Almost immediately after the city was safely cleared, Silins and his colleagues were flown in as part of an emergency reaction team to assess the threat to Fort McMurray's water supply.
Previous research has looked at how wildfires affect headwater streams in the mountains. But nobody had looked at their impacts on a large, slow, boreal river winding through wetlands. "The extent to which the fire would impact water was highly uncertain," said Silins. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions For seven months, the team sampled and tested the Athabasca and several tributaries upstream of Fort McMurray.
The Athabasca is huge — nearly a kilometre across in many places — and it drains nearly one-quarter of Alberta. It's tea-coloured and turbid, full of organic material. Four years after its flames guttered out, the record-breaking Fort McMurray wildfire continues to astound — this time with its lasting impact on an extensive river system. The scientists were amazed when, every time it rained, they were able to detect significant increases in ash, potassium, nitrogen, calcium and heavy metals such as lead even within the river's normal load. "It's a very, very large watershed," Silins said. "We really were not expecting to see any impact at that scale." Those impacts are magnified because tributary water doesn't mix evenly with the Athabasca's main flow. "You've got a river the colour of chocolate milk and these small tributaries during certain events — a good rain, for example — look like hot fudge," said co-author Monica Emelko of the University of Waterloo.
"That hot-fudge sauce doesn't necessarily mix in. That plume that extended for a very long distance, hugging the riverbank, is likely what was making its way into the water treatment plant in Fort McMurray." The fire residue also makes it harder to manage bacteria in the city's reservoir. Emelko said the city's water has remained safe — it's just harder and more expensive to make it so. City officials have said treatment costs increased 50 per cent after the fire.


nationalobserver--2020-07-12--The pipeline setbacks reveal the perils of rushed agency approvals

This story was originally published by Slate and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration On Monday , federal courts dealt major setbacks to the controversial Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines .
The two decisions came directly on the heels of an announcement that energy utilities were abandoning another high-profile project : the Atlantic Coast Pipeline , which would have crossed beneath the Appalachian Trail .
Together , these developments amount to a stunning victory for environmental advocates and tribes who have long challenged these projects in court , and are just the latest roadblocks to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” agenda , which has sought to expedite fossil fuel projects in an era of climate change .
But , how , exactly did this all come to pass , and back-to-back-to-back at that ?
The Dakota Access decision encapsulates how longstanding laws like NEPA—while at times unfairly criticized as requiring cumbersome “ red tape ” —are sometimes all that prevents ill-conceived or risky projects from jeopardizing vital public resources like clean drinking water .
The government erred by rushing through the NEPA process , forgoing the careful environmental review required by law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s initial analysis so severely lacking that the “ potential harm each day the pipeline operates ” outweighed concerns over “ the disruption such a shutdown will cause.
” The agency will now prepare a new analysis , and the proposed timeline means the ultimate fate of the pipeline is uncertain , especially considering November ’ s election .
A new Biden administration could decide to not reissue the project ’ s authorizations and halt it entirely .
The Trump Administration is seeking to scale back the NEPA environmental review process altogether , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t alter the existing NEPA statute , so the Administration ’ s effort may ultimately backfire .
The Dakota Access pipeline is a prime example of how rushing through legal requirements has backfired for federal agencies during the Trump Administration .
Under the Trump Administration , certain agencies have started to forgo a full assessment of environmental effects—especially climate change effects—but the old rules haven ’ t been overturned yet .
This can have high costs .
For instance , federal courts recently found the Department of the Interior ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from federal oil and gas lease sales deficient , leading to lease sale delays and cancellations .
Other projects that use the new regulations as an excuse to ignore NEPA requirements could face a similar fate .
Environmental advocates have a number of avenues for challenging projects , and many of these strategies are increasingly working due to governmental sloppiness .
In April , a federal district court overturned blanket federal permit authority for pipelines and powerlines to cross waterbodies and wetlands .
The court ruled that the Army Corps of Engineers erred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consultation before reauthorizing the nationwide permit in 2017 , and vacated the nationwide permit until the agency completes the consultation process .
This is ultimately what paused the Keystone XL pipeline—on Monday , the U.S. Supreme Court left the district court order in force with respect to Keystone , refusing to let construction start on the project .
The court did allow the Army Corps to resume issuing permits for other oil and gas pipelines while the legal issues are resolved .
Environmental advocates have a number of avenues for challenging projects , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working due to governmental sloppiness .
The cumulative effects of these legal challenges are mounting .
Due in part to ongoing litigation risk and delays , Dominion and Duke Energy announced this week that they are cancelling the 600-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline , which would have tunneled beneath the Appalachian Trail on its route from West Virginia to North Carolina .
The cancellation is especially remarkable , as it follows a favorable ruling from the Supreme Court in June upholding the project ’ s right of way to be built beneath the Appalachian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the $ 8 billion project had become too costly and still faces multiple legal risks , including with respect to the permit authority at issue in Keystone XL .
Even more strikingly , Dominion seems to see the writing on the wall with respect to natural gas infrastructure more generally .
It announced this week that it will sell all of its natural gas transmission and storage operations .
Together , these groundbreaking legal and business decisions mark a turning point for longstanding advocacy against pipelines and other fossil fuel infrastructure .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sort of change of heart in the federal government , they can be understood as examples of the laws we already had on the books working—and working particularly well in the face of incompetence .
They also serve as a harbinger of future costly outcomes , especially when agencies and project proponents cut corners rather than fully analyze environmental effects and engage the public in decision making .

This story was originally published by Slate and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration On Monday, federal courts dealt major setbacks to the controversial Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines. The two decisions came directly on the heels of an announcement that energy utilities were abandoning another high-profile project: the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which would have crossed beneath the Appalachian Trail. Together, these developments amount to a stunning victory for environmental advocates and tribes who have long challenged these projects in court, and are just the latest roadblocks to the Trump Administration’s “energy dominance” agenda, which has sought to expedite fossil fuel projects in an era of climate change. But, how, exactly did this all come to pass, and back-to-back-to-back at that? The reason the pipelines have faltered is mainly due to legal errors and injudicious project approvals. It’s a bureaucratic failure rather than any kind of policy directive. The Dakota Access pipeline is a prime example of how rushing through legal requirements has backfired for federal agencies during the Trump Administration. Following the Administration’s efforts to expedite the permit process, the pipeline was completed in 2017, but legal challenges plagued the project even after oil began flowing.
Led by the Standing Rock Sioux, advocates mounted a successful challenge under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires that all projects with federal approvals take a “hard look” at environmental effects before a project is completed. In March, a federal district court ruled that the Trump Administration had not adequately assessed the risks of the project as required by NEPA, such as threats it posed to Lake Oahe, which the pipeline runs directly under. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions On Monday, the same court concluded that the pipeline’s operations—moving up to 570,000 barrels of oil per day—must cease and the pipeline must be emptied of oil by August 5. The agency will conduct the required environmental review in the meantime, a process that’s expected to take up to a year to complete.
The Dakota Access decision encapsulates how longstanding laws like NEPA—while at times unfairly criticized as requiring cumbersome “red tape”—are sometimes all that prevents ill-conceived or risky projects from jeopardizing vital public resources like clean drinking water. The Dakota Access pipeline is a prime example of how rushing through legal requirements has backfired for federal agencies during the Trump Administration. The government erred by rushing through the NEPA process, forgoing the careful environmental review required by law. The court found the agency’s initial analysis so severely lacking that the “potential harm each day the pipeline operates” outweighed concerns over “the disruption such a shutdown will cause.” The agency will now prepare a new analysis, and the proposed timeline means the ultimate fate of the pipeline is uncertain, especially considering November’s election. A new Biden administration could decide to not reissue the project’s authorizations and halt it entirely. The Trump Administration is seeking to scale back the NEPA environmental review process altogether, through new regulations. But these regulations don’t alter the existing NEPA statute, so the Administration’s effort may ultimately backfire. Under the Trump Administration, certain agencies have started to forgo a full assessment of environmental effects—especially climate change effects—but the old rules haven’t been overturned yet. This can have high costs. For instance, federal courts recently found the Department of the Interior’s analysis of climate change and groundwater effects from federal oil and gas lease sales deficient, leading to lease sale delays and cancellations. Other projects that use the new regulations as an excuse to ignore NEPA requirements could face a similar fate. Environmental advocates have a number of avenues for challenging projects, and many of these strategies are increasingly working due to governmental sloppiness. In April, a federal district court overturned blanket federal permit authority for pipelines and powerlines to cross waterbodies and wetlands. The court ruled that the Army Corps of Engineers erred by forgoing a required Endangered Species Act consultation before reauthorizing the nationwide permit in 2017, and vacated the nationwide permit until the agency completes the consultation process. This is ultimately what paused the Keystone XL pipeline—on Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court left the district court order in force with respect to Keystone, refusing to let construction start on the project. The court did allow the Army Corps to resume issuing permits for other oil and gas pipelines while the legal issues are resolved.
Environmental advocates have a number of avenues for challenging projects, and many of these strategies are increasingly working due to governmental sloppiness. The cumulative effects of these legal challenges are mounting. Due in part to ongoing litigation risk and delays, Dominion and Duke Energy announced this week that they are cancelling the 600-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which would have tunneled beneath the Appalachian Trail on its route from West Virginia to North Carolina. The cancellation is especially remarkable, as it follows a favorable ruling from the Supreme Court in June upholding the project’s right of way to be built beneath the Appalachian Trail.


nationalobserver--2020-07-12--The science about whether it’s safe to send kids back to school is a total mess

This story was originally published by Mother Jones and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration Ask any parent in the Mother Jones office and it ’ s clear they are eager to get their kids back to school .
But as more schools move to reopen this fall—and as President Trump increasingly pressures and even threatens schools to reopen—experts warn there ’ s still quite a lot we don ’ t know about kids and COVID-19 .
What role do children play , for instance , in spreading this virus ?
Are they just as likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just as infectious ?
And why have a small number of children developed a potentially deadly inflammatory illness after testing positive for COVID-19 ?
At this point , “ following the science ” to safely reopen schools simply doesn ’ t mean much .
When it comes to kids and the coronavirus , one of the few things that is clear is that children can become infected with SARS-CoV-2 , the virus which causes COVID-19 , at all ages .
“ There are a number of papers that show that children can become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Virginia School of Medicine .
“ Some of them are symptomatic , there ’ ve been a few deaths ” —but , he adds , “ a large number are asymptomatic.
” And for children who do show symptoms , he says , research shows their “ disease course ” tends to be milder than in adults .
A study of 2,135 pediatric COVID patients in China , initially published in mid-March in Pediatrics , for instance , found that more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or moderate cases .
And in the US , a recent report from the CDC shows that about 5 percent of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases between January 22 and May 30 were in people 19 years old or younger , or nearly 70,000 individuals ; less than 50 people in that group died from COVID , according to the CDC ’ s analysis .
But because so many children are likely to show mild symptoms or be asymptomatic , the true number of cases is likely to be much higher than we know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to show mild symptoms or be asymptomatic , the true number of cases is likely to be much higher than we know .
“ At this point , primarily , we ’ re testing people who are symptomatic , except in the case of health workers and others where we need to know if there ’ s been a lot of exposure , ” says Dr. Cynthia Haq , a clinical professor and chair of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of California , Irvine , “ and because children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re less likely to be tested.
” There 's still so much we do n't know about kids and COVID-19 .
Here are a few reasons why .
All this begs the question that ’ s crucial for schools in particular : If children show milder symptoms , does that mean they aren ’ t spreading the virus as much ?
That ’ s not totally understood , Zeichner says .
“ The likelihood of transmission depends on the amount of virus that somebody is producing , and the interaction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person who isn ’ t infected , ” he says .
“ It is likely that children and adults with fewer symptoms may be producing less virus , which probably makes them less likely to transmit the infection.
” But researchers are still investigating whether that ’ s the case .
To study children , researchers have to jump through lots of hoops .
“ When we conduct research on children , there are special levels of protection because children are more vulnerable , ” Haq says .
“ We don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purposes.
” As a protected group , children can ’ t formally consent to testing .
In general , she adds , “ we don ’ t like to conduct studies on children unless there ’ s clearly no evidence of harm from the study or definite evidence of benefit.
” On top of that , “ you have to be really mindful of what you ’ re saying to a child , ” says Abramson , who also directs a health disaster research center .
“ You can ’ t be saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You can ’ t ask them questions in ways that will be potentially harmful to them .
If you ’ re going to talk directly to children , that ’ s going to be a very difficult and challenging event.
” “ We don ’ t like to conduct studies on children unless there ’ s clearly no evidence of harm from the study or definite evidence of benefit.
” For these reasons , random testing of children on a large scale is not always feasible .
And if you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their children ’ s health or behavior , research shows that ’ s not always reliable .
For example , in a 2017 study , Abramson and colleagues asked a group of children and their mothers about the child ’ s mental health following the BP oil spill ; they had a difference of opinion about a third of the time .
A lot of studies coming out right now aren ’ t always the “ gold standard ” of research .
If you wanted to answer the question of how much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a number of scientific avenues you could take—hypothetically speaking .
Randomized controlled trials are considered the most rigorous way to conduct research , but in this case , that might not be possible : an experiment in which you expose a group of children to the coronavirus and see how many become infected is , for obvious reasons , unethical .
Aside from that , you could : • Observe transmission dynamics in a single household or group of households .
• Build a model to estimate how an action ( e.g.
, @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But each of the above methods of research can be biased .
As Dr. Sheila Nolan , chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Boston Children ’ s Health Physicians , puts it , in general , “ there ’ s lots of things being published and lots of stuff coming out , but most of it is either retrospective or somewhat anecdotal .
And it ’ s not that gold standard of how to really do a research study , which is exceedingly difficult to do while you ’ re in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for example , a recent survey in New York .
Researchers went around the city testing thousands of people at grocery stores and other shopping locations for coronavirus antibodies .
From the results , they estimated in April that nearly 14 percent of New Yorkers have likely had COVID-19 .
But if you only look at grocery store shoppers , Abramson says , you aren ’ t getting a representative sample of the population .
You ’ d miss , for example , people in prison or nursing homes .
In effect , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s lots of things being published and lots of stuff coming out , but most of it ’ s either retrospective or somewhat anecdotal .
And it ’ s not that gold standard of how to really do a research study.
” The fact that so many childhood cases are asymptomatic can further complicate study design and introduce bias in research , says Justin Lessler , an associate professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a co-author of an early contact tracing study in China .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ households , for instance , researchers in early contact tracing investigations typically identified homes with at least one infected individual , tested everyone else in the household , and observed who picked up the virus .
The problem is , “ primary cases ” tended to be adults with symptoms , so “ if children are asymptomatic more frequently , ” Lessler says , “ it ’ d be harder to find them as a primary case because usually , the first person you find is sick.
” As a result , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus to kids—missing how kids spread it to adults—and could fail altogether to capture homes with infected children .
( There are other times , Lessler explains , where you may see the opposite effect , like when school is in session during a seasonal flu epidemic . )
One researcher I spoke with , Dr. Yvonne Maldonado , a professor of pediatric infectious diseases and of health research and policy at the Stanford School of Medicine , told me her “ ideal study ” would be to follow children in school settings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track their infection rates and antibody development over time to see how COVID-19 spread among children .
She and her colleagues had actually planned to do a study along these lines—until schools shut down .
Now , she ’ s limited to only doing that study in households .
“ Because children aren ’ t actually interacting with other kids , etcetera , the whole interaction is gone now , it ’ s not there , ” Maldonado says .
“ So we might have limited data here , but it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ researchers are trying to understand the virus in kids through modeling , which is “ essentially generating data , ” Abramson says .
Models are built on a series of assumptions , so one model on its own might be an outlier .
Therefore , Abramson says , it makes little sense to rely on just one model ; when models are done well , he says , “ they really give you a great understanding of how dynamics can shift an outcome.
” But because models are not observations of real events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will accurately reflect reality.
” The research on kids and COVID that has been done hasn ’ t shown coherent results .
If anything , the coronavirus has reminded us that science is messy , it ’ s slow , and it doesn ’ t always make sense .
For example , consider Lessler ’ s contact tracing study , which included 391 people in China with coronavirus infections and 1,286 of their close contacts .
One of the key findings was that children under 10 years old were just as likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but less likely to show symptoms .
When it first published as a preprint in early March—that is , as a preliminary finding and before undergoing peer-review—it “ really scared everybody , ” Alasdair Munro , a pediatric infectious diseases researcher at University Hospital Southampton in the UK , told Nature in May .
If anything , the coronavirus has reminded us that science is messy , it ’ s slow , and it doesn ’ t always make sense .
But in the months since , other studies have shown that kids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
It ’ s still unclear if these differences in results were due to bias in the study designs , real differences in the population , or something else .
“ It ’ s possible that our study is an outlier , ” Lessler told me early last month .
“ The numbers are small , so it ’ s perfectly possible that our result is not going to be borne out over time .
And that ’ s the nature of science.
” Modeling studies have also produced head-scratching results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Science in late April , estimated that school closures could delay the pandemic and essentially flatten the curve by 40 to 60 percent .
“ My simulation shows that yes , if you reopen the schools , you ’ ll see a big increase in the reproduction number , which is exactly what you don ’ t want , ” Marco Ajelli , a mathematical epidemiologist then at the Bruno Kessler Foundation in Trento , Italy , told the New York Times in May .
But other modeling studies have since suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much effect at all on slowing viral transmission .
Though frustrating , it ’ s not particularly surprising that we ’ re seeing conflicting results in research on a virus that nobody ’ s ever seen before , that ’ s being conducted at rapid speeds , and in the middle of a pandemic .
And , of course , no single finding is definitive .
As time goes on , we ’ ll almost certainly gain a better understanding of the transmission dynamics among children .
Until then , administrators will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without knowing what that really means .
As Haq puts it , “ We need to get children back to school to support their psychosocial development , but this will inevitably increase the risk of transmission .
There are no easy answers .
We ’ re in the land of tradeoffs .
”

This story was originally published by Mother Jones and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration Ask any parent in the Mother Jones office and it’s clear they are eager to get their kids back to school. But as more schools move to reopen this fall—and as President Trump increasingly pressures and even threatens schools to reopen—experts warn there’s still quite a lot we don’t know about kids and COVID-19. What role do children play, for instance, in spreading this virus? Are they just as likely to get infected as adults? Are they just as infectious? And why have a small number of children developed a potentially deadly inflammatory illness after testing positive for COVID-19? At this point, “following the science” to safely reopen schools simply doesn’t mean much. Reopening schools may very well be a risk worth taking—after all, so much of our economic recovery depends on it—but it’s unlikely that we’ll have clear answers to many of these questions in the near future and know with any certainty just how safe schools would be for kids, teachers, and communities. While it feels like we’ve been living with the coronavirus forever, we’re still in the early phase of understanding it; the research on children and COVID-19 is relatively limited, and the studies that do exist have shown conflicting results. At this point, “following the science” to safely reopen schools simply doesn’t mean much—and it’s near impossible to try to rely on data to help you decide whether you should send your kids back to school. As David Abramson, a professor of social and behavioral sciences at NYU’s School of Global Public Health, explains, getting kids back in classrooms means that students “will serve as potential vectors back into the community.” But at the same time, “it’s almost impossible to imagine not opening schools given all that is at stake. And so it’s like a devil’s bargain.”
It’s probably no surprise then that there’s no clear consensus among health experts about schools reopening. In late June, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a recommendation that school administrators aim to have children “physically present in school” for the next school year. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains that virtual-only classes are the lowest risk option for schooling. And while some countries, including Denmark, Austria, and Germany have had success in reopening schools, other countries, including Israel and Japan, and South Korea, have opened and re-closed schools after seeing a surge in new cases. So, what gives? Why don’t we have a clearer picture of how kids transmit and are impacted by the coronavirus? Part of the reason is that conducting research on a new virus at lightning speeds is difficult enough in adults—for kids, it is significantly harder. Here’s a breakdown of a few key reasons why studying kids and COVID is so difficult—and why reopening schools now would mean doing so with a lot of uncertainty. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Many children with COVID-19 appear to be asymptomatic. That makes it hard to understand the full scope of the problem.
When it comes to kids and the coronavirus, one of the few things that is clear is that children can become infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, at all ages. “There are a number of papers that show that children can become infected,” explains Dr. Steven Zeichner, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. “Some of them are symptomatic, there’ve been a few deaths”—but, he adds, “a large number are asymptomatic.” And for children who do show symptoms, he says, research shows their “disease course” tends to be milder than in adults. There's still so much we don't know about kids and COVID-19. Here are a few reasons why. A study of 2,135 pediatric COVID patients in China, initially published in mid-March in Pediatrics, for instance, found that more than 90 percent had asymptomatic, mild, or moderate cases. And in the US, a recent report from the CDC shows that about 5 percent of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases between January 22 and May 30 were in people 19 years old or younger, or nearly 70,000 individuals; less than 50 people in that group died from COVID, according to the CDC’s analysis. But because so many children are likely to show mild symptoms or be asymptomatic, the true number of cases is likely to be much higher than we know. But because so many children are likely to show mild symptoms or be asymptomatic, the true number of cases is likely to be much higher than we know. “At this point, primarily, we’re testing people who are symptomatic, except in the case of health workers and others where we need to know if there’s been a lot of exposure,” says Dr. Cynthia Haq, a clinical professor and chair of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of California, Irvine, “and because children are less likely to be symptomatic, you’re less likely to be tested.” All this begs the question that’s crucial for schools in particular: If children show milder symptoms, does that mean they aren’t spreading the virus as much? That’s not totally understood, Zeichner says. “The likelihood of transmission depends on the amount of virus that somebody is producing, and the interaction of the person with the virus with the person who isn’t infected,” he says. “It is likely that children and adults with fewer symptoms may be producing less virus, which probably makes them less likely to transmit the infection.” But researchers are still investigating whether that’s the case.
To study children, researchers have to jump through lots of hoops. “When we conduct research on children, there are special levels of protection because children are more vulnerable,” Haq says. “We don’t want them to be exploited for research purposes.” As a protected group, children can’t formally consent to testing. In general, she adds, “we don’t like to conduct studies on children unless there’s clearly no evidence of harm from the study or definite evidence of benefit.” On top of that, “you have to be really mindful of what you’re saying to a child,” says Abramson, who also directs a health disaster research center. “You can’t be saying things that are going to upset them. You can’t ask them questions in ways that will be potentially harmful to them. If you’re going to talk directly to children, that’s going to be a very difficult and challenging event.”


nationalobserver--2020-07-13--Canada's investments in science are more important than ever

At this moment in time , I would be hard-pressed to think of a discipline that is more important , and yet more contested , than science .
Since taking on the responsibilities as the minister responsible for science , I have come to fully appreciate the vital nature of scientific research to Canada ’ s continued success in the 21st century .
Today humanity is facing challenges that threaten our very existence .
These include a global pandemic and a rapidly changing climate , to name but two .
The scientific community needs our support , more than ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on these challenges .
We ensured they could speak freely , commissioned the Fundamental Science Review , appointed a chief science advisor and made the largest investment in fundamental science in Canadian history .
Most recently , we launched the Roadmap for Open Science — a set of recommendations to make federal science open and available to the public .
I would like to explain our government ’ s rationale for the significant effort we have put into this task .
`` Scientists ’ research allow us to check our biases when making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of climate change , as an example , or to evaluate policy measures using accurate , representative demographic data . ''
First , our scientists give us the best possible information upon which to base our decisions .
Although we approach policy-making from a principled , well-intentioned and often passionate approach , without data and research it is difficult to determine the best course of action for everyone .
Scientists ’ research allow us to check our biases when making those decisions .
To understand the urgency of climate change , as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using accurate , representative demographic data .
When we invest in science , we are investing in better decision-making .
Second , the world is changing more rapidly now than it has at any time in history .
Technology touches almost every aspect of our society , from agriculture , to education , to finance .
Science has a critical role to play to help us position ourselves as global leaders in these emerging fields .
As public office holders , we have the responsibility to prioritize Canadians in our decision-making .
Ensuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and supported allows us to accomplish that .
It allows us to access the best available data and solutions to help us solve social challenges , scale up our economy to compete on a global stage , and create more good quality jobs right here at home .

At this moment in time, I would be hard-pressed to think of a discipline that is more important, and yet more contested, than science. Since taking on the responsibilities as the minister responsible for science, I have come to fully appreciate the vital nature of scientific research to Canada’s continued success in the 21st century. Today humanity is facing challenges that threaten our very existence. These include a global pandemic and a rapidly changing climate, to name but two. The scientific community needs our support, more than ever before, as it races to take on these challenges. Canadians have historically made critically important, lifesaving and groundbreaking scientific discoveries. Many of us are familiar with the work of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin, Drs. James Till and Ernest McCulloch, who discovered stem cells, or our current Chief Science Advisor Dr. Mona Nemer, whose discovery of genes related to normal heart development and function have allowed for the better diagnosis of heart failure. These are but a few examples of many, making it hard to deny the impact Canadian science has had on our lives, and those of peoples around the world.
Throughout history, people have been suspicious, or doubtful, of scientific discovery. Our own biases have often been responsible for hindering scientific progress. In these instances, scientists have often lacked public support or trust, or worse, they have been silenced. When we invest in science, we are investing in better decision-making. Photo by Shutterstock Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions When our government was elected in 2015, we promised to give Canada’s scientific community the platform and support they needed to do their critical work.
We ensured they could speak freely, commissioned the Fundamental Science Review, appointed a chief science advisor and made the largest investment in fundamental science in Canadian history. "Scientists’ research allow us to check our biases when making those decisions. To understand the urgency of climate change, as an example, or to evaluate policy measures using accurate, representative demographic data." Most recently, we launched the Roadmap for Open Science — a set of recommendations to make federal science open and available to the public. I would like to explain our government’s rationale for the significant effort we have put into this task. First, our scientists give us the best possible information upon which to base our decisions. Although we approach policy-making from a principled, well-intentioned and often passionate approach, without data and research it is difficult to determine the best course of action for everyone. Scientists’ research allow us to check our biases when making those decisions. To understand the urgency of climate change, as an example, or to evaluate policy measures using accurate, representative demographic data. When we invest in science, we are investing in better decision-making. Second, the world is changing more rapidly now than it has at any time in history. Technology touches almost every aspect of our society, from agriculture, to education, to finance. Science has a critical role to play to help us position ourselves as global leaders in these emerging fields.


nationalobserver--2020-07-12--Now Conservatives want Trudeau to testify

The federal Conservatives want Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to testify before a parliamentary committee about his government 's controversial decision to enlist WE Charity to administer a $ 900-million student volunteer program .
Conservative finance critic Pierre Poilievre laid out the demand Sunday amid growing pressure on Trudeau and Liberal cabinet ministers to explain the genesis of the sole-sourced deal with WE , which was announced late last month before being cancelled days later .
`` He needs to explain where exactly the idea came from , '' Poilievre said during a news conference on Parliament Hill in which he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before parliamentary committees .
`` Did the WE organization call him and suggest it ?
Did it come through the staff in his office ?
Did it come out of his own head ?
Did members of his family who had been paid by the organization suggest it to him .
We need to hear directly from him on these questions . ''
Trudeau announced the Canadian Student Services Grant on June 25 , saying tens of thousands of students having a hard time finding summer work due to COVID-19 could volunteer up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 5,000 toward their post-secondary costs .
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But the program came under immediate scrutiny after it was discovered that WE had been chosen to administer it .
Trudeau said federal public servants had recommended the organization and that it was considered the only one capable of delivering the program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and allegations of a conflict of interest over his past connections with WE .
Those allegations have only grown after revelations his wife , brother and mother have been paid a combined $ 300,000 for appearing at a number of WE events .
The prime minister and Finance Minister Bill Morneau have both confirmed they did not recuse themselves from the cabinet vote that approved giving the contract to WE .
One of Morneau 's daughters has spoken at WE events while another does contract work for the organization .
Morneau 's office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' work and the WE agreement .
The Conservatives and NDP have nonetheless asked Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion , who is already investigating Trudeau over the deal , to also look into a potential conflict of interest by Morneau .
The government and WE terminated the deal on July 3 , which had promised the organization up to $ 19 million in payment depending on how many students participated .
The federal employment and social development department has since taken over the program .
Poilievre said it is essential the prime minister appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions about the deal given that the controversy involves him personally and the House of Commons has been largely suspended due to COVID-19 .
The federal Conservatives want Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to testify before a parliamentary committee about his government 's controversial decision to enlist WE Charity to administer a $ 900-million student volunteer program .
`` Now there are two ways that this can be done , '' Poilievre said .
`` Either the prime minister can agree voluntarily to show up and attend and respect the invitation of a parliamentary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do if he has nothing to hide .
`` Or Parliament can compel him to appear .
Something that would take longer , but could be done — and should be done — if the prime minister hides from accountability . ''
Such a move would need support from the Bloc Quebecois and NDP to even have a chance .
Poilievre had yet to present his plan to the other parties on Sunday , but said : `` If the opposition parties are interested in getting to the truth , they will vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Bloc Quebecois did not respond to requests for comment on Sunday while NDP finance critic Peter Julian was noncommittal .
`` New Democrats believe in getting to the bottom of this and the more answers we get ( including from Trudeau and Morneau ) the quicker we can get those answers for the Canadian public , '' he said in a statement .
`` Canadians want answers and they need to know this wo n't happen again . ''
Even if the opposition parties agree to order Trudeau to appear before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House of Commons , there is no guarantee it would happen , said University of Ottawa parliamentary expert Philippe Lagasse .
While the House of Commons can compel a member of Parliament to appear before a committee , Lagasse says that MP — in this case the prime minister — would likely ask the Speaker to rule on whether the request is appropriate or not .
`` The House can say : 'In this case , we really need to hear from this person and therefore we 're going to force them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` But that would require a ruling from the Speaker in all likelihood because there would be some differences of interpretation . ''
None of which addresses when Parliament would have a chance to address the issue , Lagasse said , given that the House of Commons is only scheduled to sit a total of three days between now and Sept. 21 .

The federal Conservatives want Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to testify before a parliamentary committee about his government's controversial decision to enlist WE Charity to administer a $900-million student volunteer program. Conservative finance critic Pierre Poilievre laid out the demand Sunday amid growing pressure on Trudeau and Liberal cabinet ministers to explain the genesis of the sole-sourced deal with WE, which was announced late last month before being cancelled days later. "He needs to explain where exactly the idea came from," Poilievre said during a news conference on Parliament Hill in which he acknowledged the rarity of prime ministers appearing before parliamentary committees. "Did the WE organization call him and suggest it? Did it come through the staff in his office? Did it come out of his own head? Did members of his family who had been paid by the organization suggest it to him. We need to hear directly from him on these questions." Trudeau announced the Canadian Student Services Grant on June 25, saying tens of thousands of students having a hard time finding summer work due to COVID-19 could volunteer up to 500 hours to earn the maximum $5,000 toward their post-secondary costs.
But the program came under immediate scrutiny after it was discovered that WE had been chosen to administer it. Trudeau said federal public servants had recommended the organization and that it was considered the only one capable of delivering the program. Trudeau nonetheless faced accusations of cronyism and allegations of a conflict of interest over his past connections with WE. Those allegations have only grown after revelations his wife, brother and mother have been paid a combined $300,000 for appearing at a number of WE events. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The prime minister and Finance Minister Bill Morneau have both confirmed they did not recuse themselves from the cabinet vote that approved giving the contract to WE. One of Morneau's daughters has spoken at WE events while another does contract work for the organization.
Morneau's office has denied any link between his daughters' work and the WE agreement. The Conservatives and NDP have nonetheless asked Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion, who is already investigating Trudeau over the deal, to also look into a potential conflict of interest by Morneau. The federal Conservatives want Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to testify before a parliamentary committee about his government's controversial decision to enlist WE Charity to administer a $900-million student volunteer program. The government and WE terminated the deal on July 3, which had promised the organization up to $19 million in payment depending on how many students participated. The federal employment and social development department has since taken over the program. Poilievre said it is essential the prime minister appear before the finance committee personally to answer questions about the deal given that the controversy involves him personally and the House of Commons has been largely suspended due to COVID-19. "Now there are two ways that this can be done," Poilievre said. "Either the prime minister can agree voluntarily to show up and attend and respect the invitation of a parliamentary committee. That is what he will do if he has nothing to hide. "Or Parliament can compel him to appear. Something that would take longer, but could be done — and should be done — if the prime minister hides from accountability."
Such a move would need support from the Bloc Quebecois and NDP to even have a chance. Poilievre had yet to present his plan to the other parties on Sunday, but said: "If the opposition parties are interested in getting to the truth, they will vote in favour of that motion." The Bloc Quebecois did not respond to requests for comment on Sunday while NDP finance critic Peter Julian was noncommittal. "New Democrats believe in getting to the bottom of this and the more answers we get (including from Trudeau and Morneau) the quicker we can get those answers for the Canadian public," he said in a statement. "Canadians want answers and they need to know this won't happen again."