nationalobserver--2020-06-04--Sask. at odds with federal assault weapons ban

“ There ’ s a significant level of frustration and we ’ re hearing it from our constituents just about every day right now , ” Vidal told National Observer in an interview last week .
The MP for Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River in northern Saskatchewan said since the ban took effect he has had a steady stream of calls and emails from worried gun owners .
Blair ’ s office said the weapons being banned have no legitimate civilian use and are designed to take as many lives as possible , as efficiently as possible .
“ As of May 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which have been used to kill innocent Canadians , is closed.
” “ Our communities have seen a proliferation of military-style assault weapons that have been used in mass shootings in our country.
” “ Canadians deserve to feel safe where they live .
Too often , lives are taken when dangerous weapons fall into the hands of individuals with criminal intent , ” Public Safety Minister Bill Blair told National Observer in a written statement provided by his Press Secretary on Tuesday .
“ We ’ re very frustrated with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the implications that it has on law-abiding citizens.
” Guns listed as banned on the RCMP ’ s Firearms Reference Table ( FRT ) as of May 1 were updated to include the Weatherby Mark V .460 , which is used by hunters .
The Ruger No .
1 ( a single-shot rifle ) was changed from non-restricted to prohibited on May 11 and the Ranger XT3 tactical rifle was changed to prohibited on May 16 .
Vidal , however , said that firearms not typically seen as military weapons are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be impacted .
“ We will engage with Indigenous groups to assess whether the prohibition of these firearms has a continued impact on their hunting rights , ” Blair ’ s statement said .
Sustenance hunters will also be allowed to continue to use previously non-restricted guns until they are able to get a replacement firearm .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing a ban on over 1,500 `` military-grade assault-style firearms '' like the AR-15 and AR-10 on May 1 .
CPAC footage .
Video of PM Justin Trudeau announces immediate ban on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 Blair promised exceptions will be made during the amnesty for Indigenous gun owners exercising their section 35 hunting rights ; they may continue using firearms that were previously non-restricted for these purposes until they can get a suitable replacement .
Blair ’ s statement also said the regulations included a two-year amnesty period for individuals to comply with the rules .
“ In a riding like ours … many people use these firearms as a method of feeding themselves and their families … It ’ s a basic needs issue and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that every year , ” Vidal said .
Vidal said the ban will impact northern and Indigenous residents in Saskatchewan who use them to hunt , and that gun ownership in the north is a food-security issue and should be treated as such .
Alison de Groot , managing director at the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association ( CSAAA ) , told National Observer that the updates have led to confusion among gun owners .
Updates to the FRT under the new policies are retroactively effective on May 1 .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 500 firearms in addition to the ones that were specifically cited in the order in council , ” de Groot said .
“ We ’ ve not been through the whole list yet , but because they didn ’ t tell us ( which guns have been added to the list ) … we have to go through the FRT one by one .
It ’ s very tedious and time-consuming.
” Blair ’ s office told National Observer the weapons that are now prohibited were selected for their tactical military design @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said , the firearms classification process has long taken place through orders in council .
“ The Conservative party , under Stephen Harper , used orders in council to downgrade the classification of several dangerous weapons just before the 2015 election without any public consultation.
” Blair ’ s office also said that a new prohibition based on bore diameter introduced May 1 does not prohibit 10- and 12-gauge shotguns .
But Vidal told National Observer the ban does n't take into account the diverse needs of Canadians across the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people living in urban areas who see guns as explicitly for killing human beings not as a tool for survival .
“ I think the language that the public safety minister and the prime minister are using when they talk about these military assault rifles is that they ’ re banning guns that are designed to kill people .
That ’ s the language .
If you ’ re an urban dweller in one of the bigger urban centres in our country that all sounds great , ” Vidal said .
Vidal took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online session of Parliament last month .
He challenged Blair on how the gun ban will impact Indigenous people in northern Saskatchewan .
Vidal asked Blair what kind of consultation took place with Indigenous communities before the ban was enacted .
During the online Parliament exchange with Vidal , Blair pointed a finger at the gun lobby for misleading residents who own firearms .
“ I understand the confusion because the gun lobby and many of their supporters have been purposely spreading a lot of misinformation about what has been prohibited , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to in-person Parliament so that issues such as the assault weapons ban can be debated .
He accused the Trudeau government of playing politics instead of looking out for the safety of Canadians .
Blair ’ s office told National Observer the prohibition follows extensive public consultations between October 2018 and spring 2019 , including eight in-person roundtable sessions across the country in both urban and rural communities , an online questionnaire , written submissions from stakeholders , and meetings with officials from the provinces , territories , municipalities , and Indigenous communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapons ban ) in the middle of a pandemic , right after the … shooting in Nova Scotia , and they did it with an order in council without actually bringing it to the legislature for any kind of proper debate , ” Vidal said .
“ It just reeks of political opportunism rather than a legitimate public interest debate about what should and shouldn ’ t be done to protect our citizens ...
I think it ’ s just sheer political opportunism on behalf of the Liberals.
” The Saskatchewan government recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firearms officer ( CFO ) to challenge the federal policies .
Provincial chief firearms officers have historically been appointed by the federal government .
“ We believe a provincially appointed chief firearms officer will be well positioned to represent Saskatchewan ’ s position on firearms regulation to the federal government , ” Corrections and Policing Minister Christine Tell said in a written statement to the press last Wednesday .
“ Our government will always stand beside law-abiding Saskatchewan firearms owners , and we believe a provincially appointed CFO will assist in that advocacy.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Observer that as outlined in the Firearms Act , the chief firearms officer may be appointed by the province if they wish to do so .
“ At this time , five provinces have appointed their chief firearms officer.
” A CFO is responsible for administering the federal Firearms Act in the province and has jurisdiction over the licensing , transporting and carrying of firearms .
A CFO also licenses instructors to deliver firearms safety courses in the province .
Vidal said Blair is being hypocritical by acknowledging that some of the guns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next two years under certain circumstances for people who hunt .
“ Well , you can ’ t have it both ways .
You can ’ t have them defined as a military-style assault rifle that only is designed to kill people but admit at the same time that people are using them to hunt to feed their families , ” Vidal said .
Blair ’ s office told National Observer the federal government has also invested over $ 327 million to fight gun and gang violence , including more than $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 51.5 million over five years for the Canada Border Services Agency to help prevent firearms from coming into the country illegally ; and $ 34.5 million over five years for the RCMP for investigations and intelligence gathering when it comes to the criminal use of firearms .
“ Our government knows that the assault weapons ban is one piece in the larger puzzle of ending gun violence.
” The most recent available list of newly banned firearms can be found in the public version of the RCMP 's Firearms Reference Table .

“Canadians deserve to feel safe where they live. Too often, lives are taken when dangerous weapons fall into the hands of individuals with criminal intent,” Public Safety Minister Bill Blair told National Observer in a written statement provided by his Press Secretary on Tuesday.
“We’re very frustrated with the way that this new ban came about and the implications that it has on law-abiding citizens.”
“There’s a significant level of frustration and we’re hearing it from our constituents just about every day right now,” Vidal told National Observer in an interview last week.
The MP for Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River in northern Saskatchewan said since the ban took effect he has had a steady stream of calls and emails from worried gun owners.
Blair’s office said the weapons being banned have no legitimate civilian use and are designed to take as many lives as possible, as efficiently as possible. “As of May 1, the market for these dangerous weapons, which have been used to kill innocent Canadians, is closed.”
“Our communities have seen a proliferation of military-style assault weapons that have been used in mass shootings in our country.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing a ban on over 1,500 "military-grade assault-style firearms" like the AR-15 and AR-10 on May 1. CPAC footage.
Video of PM Justin Trudeau announces immediate ban on sale of assault-style weapons – May 1, 2020
Blair promised exceptions will be made during the amnesty for Indigenous gun owners exercising their section 35 hunting rights; they may continue using firearms that were previously non-restricted for these purposes until they can get a suitable replacement.
Blair’s statement also said the regulations included a two-year amnesty period for individuals to comply with the rules.
“In a riding like ours … many people use these firearms as a method of feeding themselves and their families … It’s a basic needs issue and so many people in our riding do that every year,” Vidal said.
Vidal said the ban will impact northern and Indigenous residents in Saskatchewan who use them to hunt, and that gun ownership in the north is a food-security issue and should be treated as such.
Vidal, however, said that firearms not typically seen as military weapons are now going to be banned and residents will be impacted.
“We will engage with Indigenous groups to assess whether the prohibition of these firearms has a continued impact on their hunting rights,” Blair’s statement said.
Sustenance hunters will also be allowed to continue to use previously non-restricted guns until they are able to get a replacement firearm.
Guns listed as banned on the RCMP’s Firearms Reference Table (FRT) as of May 1 were updated to include the Weatherby Mark V .460, which is used by hunters. The Ruger No. 1 (a single-shot rifle) was changed from non-restricted to prohibited on May 11 and the Ranger XT3 tactical rifle was changed to prohibited on May 16.
Updates to the FRT under the new policies are retroactively effective on May 1.
Map of civilian guns per 100 people by country from the Small Arms Survey 2017 conducted by the the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. Source: Public Domain.
Alison de Groot, managing director at the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association (CSAAA), told National Observer that the updates have led to confusion among gun owners.
“The problem is that they’ve added over 500 firearms in addition to the ones that were specifically cited in the order in council,” de Groot said.
“We’ve not been through the whole list yet, but because they didn’t tell us (which guns have been added to the list) … we have to go through the FRT one by one. It’s very tedious and time-consuming.”
Blair’s office told National Observer the weapons that are now prohibited were selected for their tactical military design and large magazine capacity. As well, he said, the firearms classification process has long taken place through orders in council.
“The Conservative party, under Stephen Harper, used orders in council to downgrade the classification of several dangerous weapons just before the 2015 election without any public consultation.”
In 2016 Saskatchewan and Manitoba had the highest rates of firearm-related violent crime among the provinces (Nunavut and the Northwest Territories had the highest rates). Compared to what was reported in 2013, there were about 1,900 more victims of firearm-related violent crime in Canada in 2016. Saskatchewan saw an 83 per cent increase in firearms related crime in that timeframe. Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey.
Blair’s office also said that a new prohibition based on bore diameter introduced May 1 does not prohibit 10- and 12-gauge shotguns.
But Vidal told National Observer the ban doesn't take into account the diverse needs of Canadians across the country and just appeals to the concerns of people living in urban areas who see guns as explicitly for killing human beings not as a tool for survival.
“I think the language that the public safety minister and the prime minister are using when they talk about these military assault rifles is that they’re banning guns that are designed to kill people. That’s the language. If you’re an urban dweller in one of the bigger urban centres in our country that all sounds great,” Vidal said.
"Violent crime tends to be higher in Canada’s northern regions, a trend which was also evident for firearm-related crime... The rate of firearm-related violent crime in the north was close to double what was reported in the south (46 victims per 100,000 compared with 24 per 100,000)," Adam Cotter, Statistics Canada (2018). Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey data.
Vidal took up the issue with Blair during an online session of Parliament last month.
He challenged Blair on how the gun ban will impact Indigenous people in northern Saskatchewan. Vidal asked Blair what kind of consultation took place with Indigenous communities before the ban was enacted.
During the online Parliament exchange with Vidal, Blair pointed a finger at the gun lobby for misleading residents who own firearms. “I understand the confusion because the gun lobby and many of their supporters have been purposely spreading a lot of misinformation about what has been prohibited,” Blair said.
Vidal wants a return to in-person Parliament so that issues such as the assault weapons ban can be debated. He accused the Trudeau government of playing politics instead of looking out for the safety of Canadians.
Blair’s office told National Observer the prohibition follows extensive public consultations between October 2018 and spring 2019, including eight in-person roundtable sessions across the country in both urban and rural communities, an online questionnaire, written submissions from stakeholders, and meetings with officials from the provinces, territories, municipalities, and Indigenous communities.
“They passed (the assault weapons ban) in the middle of a pandemic, right after the … shooting in Nova Scotia, and they did it with an order in council without actually bringing it to the legislature for any kind of proper debate,” Vidal said.
“It just reeks of political opportunism rather than a legitimate public interest debate about what should and shouldn’t be done to protect our citizens... I think it’s just sheer political opportunism on behalf of the Liberals.”
The Saskatchewan government recently announced it is hiring its own chief firearms officer (CFO) to challenge the federal policies.
Premier Scott Moe's government intends to appoint Saskatchewan's next chief firearms officer. Photograph courtesy of the Government of Saskatchewan.
Provincial chief firearms officers have historically been appointed by the federal government.
“We believe a provincially appointed chief firearms officer will be well positioned to represent Saskatchewan’s position on firearms regulation to the federal government,” Corrections and Policing Minister Christine Tell said in a written statement to the press last Wednesday.
“Our government will always stand beside law-abiding Saskatchewan firearms owners, and we believe a provincially appointed CFO will assist in that advocacy.”
Blair’s office told National Observer that as outlined in the Firearms Act, the chief firearms officer may be appointed by the province if they wish to do so.
“At this time, five provinces have appointed their chief firearms officer.”
A CFO is responsible for administering the federal Firearms Act in the province and has jurisdiction over the licensing, transporting and carrying of firearms. A CFO also licenses instructors to deliver firearms safety courses in the province.
Vidal said Blair is being hypocritical by acknowledging that some of the guns being banned are also being allowed for the next two years under certain circumstances for people who hunt.
“Well, you can’t have it both ways. You can’t have them defined as a military-style assault rifle that only is designed to kill people but admit at the same time that people are using them to hunt to feed their families,” Vidal said.
Blair’s office told National Observer the federal government has also invested over $327 million to fight gun and gang violence, including more than $214 million for provinces and territories, $51.5 million over five years for the Canada Border Services Agency to help prevent firearms from coming into the country illegally; and $34.5 million over five years for the RCMP for investigations and intelligence gathering when it comes to the criminal use of firearms.
“Our government knows that the assault weapons ban is one piece in the larger puzzle of ending gun violence.”
The most recent available list of newly banned firearms can be found in the public version of the RCMP's Firearms Reference Table.
Michael Bramadat-Willcock/Local Journalism Initiative/Canada's National Observer


nationalobserver--2020-06-04--It’s time to call out denialism — on racism and on climate change

Can you believe it ’ s 2020 and Rex Murphy still has a platform to spout denialism on climate change — and on racism ?
On May 15 in the National Post , Murphy responded to the federal government ’ s increased carbon tax by characterizing CO2 as the “ Santa Claus of gases ” and accusing the government of having an “ obsession ” with “ so-called ” carbon emissions .
On June 1 , in the wake of global anti-racism protests and Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna ’ s supportive tweet , the National Post published another column in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a racist country ” and characterized the racism issue as an invention of the Liberals , a non-issue .
To present these issues fairly , both sides must be grounded in reality .
Murphy ’ s columns present factually incorrect arguments on issues that disproportionately affect minorities and marginalized people .
To publish these pieces is to promote denialism on two of the greatest issues of our time .
Denial is a form of misinformation and misinformation can harm people .
So what do we do about it ?
To paraphrase Subramaniam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is call it out.
” Let the National Post hear that it has a responsibility to stick to the facts .
I asked myself why should I be writing this op-ed ?
Do people really need another privileged white male voice weighing in ?
I posed these questions to eminent marine biologist and fishery scientist Daniel Pauly and his response was thoughtful and clear : “ You are the right person to make an anti-racist argument because we ( visible minorities ) are fed up having to be the only ones to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s take inspiration and not stay silent .

Can you believe it’s 2020 and Rex Murphy still has a platform to spout denialism on climate change — and on racism? On May 15 in the National Post, Murphy responded to the federal government’s increased carbon tax by characterizing CO2 as the “Santa Claus of gases” and accusing the government of having an “obsession” with “so-called” carbon emissions. On June 1, in the wake of global anti-racism protests and Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna’s supportive tweet, the National Post published another column in which Murphy declared, “Canada is not a racist country” and characterized the racism issue as an invention of the Liberals, a non-issue. Move along, nothing to see here. The rhetoric is so absurd, it is almost laughable — fodder for The Beaverton. Almost. To brush it aside is tempting, but dangerous.
And let’s not overlook the fact that the effects of climate change will be borne disproportionately. Those who are poorest are most vulnerable. Within that group, women and children are expected to be hardest hit. Fishing communities, especially those in the tropics, stand to especially suffer for a multitude of reasons. "It’s not about Rex Murphy. Nor is it about correcting his paleolithic views and lazy denialism. The issue is about platform and responsibility." It’s no laughing matter. On the issue of racism in Canada, to deny that it is a pervasive issue is clearly not factual and beyond ignorant. Where do we even begin? Should we point Murphy to federal government statistics showing that between 2005 and 2015, the number of Black Canadians in federal prisons increased by 77.5 per cent, Indigenous prisoners increased 52.4 per cent, and white prisoners decreased by 6.8 per cent? Or inform him that Black men in Toronto are 3.4 times more likely to be pulled over by police? Or point out that Canada is often not “tolerant and welcoming” to the extent that one in five Muslims across Canada reported they experienced discrimination due to their religion? How can residential schools (the last of which closed only in 1996) be reconciled with the view that Canada is “not a racist country”? The residential school system was evil. Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their homes, subjected to depravity and abuse, and many never came home. We may never know how many died due to the practice of burying schoolchildren in unmarked graves.
Need Murphy be reminded of the fact the country still has an Indian Act? Or that Canada is breaking treaties, allowing corporations to define Indigenous rights, and is failing to provide clean water to First Nations across Canada? No. Because it’s not about Murphy. Nor is it about correcting his paleolithic views and lazy denialism. The issue is about platform and responsibility. To its credit, on June 2, the National Post published a response to Murphy by Financial Post business reporter, Vanmala Subramaniam. It is an eye-opening read.


nationalobserver--2020-06-04--Maren Costa joins Tim Bray and Linda Solomon Wood today on Conversations

Online shopping ?
Have you thought about what happens after fill your virtual shopping cart ?
Former Amazon employees Tim @ @ @ @ @ host Linda Solomon Wood to talk big tech , capitalism and their push for environmental @ @ @ @ @ Conversation *today* Thursday June 4th , 4pm PT / 7pm ET .
Register here .
@ @ @ @ @ Amazon Employees for Climate Justice , was fired after circulating a petition about health risks @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 .
Not long after , Tim Bray resigned from his VP position in dismay @ @ @ @ @ behind `` the best job '' he 's ever had .
The two share their @ @ @ @ @ in our next Conversation .

Online shopping? Have you thought about what happens after fill your virtual shopping cart?
Former Amazon employees Tim Bray and Maren Costa join host Linda Solomon Wood to talk big tech, capitalism and their push for environmental justice in our next online Conversation *today* Thursday June 4th, 4pm PT / 7pm ET. Register here.
Costa, an organizer of Amazon Employees for Climate Justice, was fired after circulating a petition about health risks for Amazon warehouse workers during COVID-19. Not long after, Tim Bray resigned from his VP position in dismay at Amazon's firing leaving behind "the best job" he's ever had. The two share their experiences and answer your questions in our next Conversation.
Both were deeply involved in publicizing and advocating for Amazon to become more environmentally sustainable and climate-friendly. This is a big important discussion. 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET Participants have the opportunity to submit questions during the talk.
Here's a good story about how Amazon treated warehouse employees during the peak of the COVID-19 crisis from The New York Times that provides context for today's conversation.


nationalobserver--2020-06-04--Innovative community project drives health services to the underserved

It ’ s early morning and there ’ s still a hush in downtown Campbell River .
Stores are just starting to open in the small Vancouver Island town , which is experiencing a typical `` Juneuary '' West Coast day — mild temperatures paired with a grey and drizzly sky .
But lodged in the middle of the city ’ s core is a massive , snazzy , brightly coloured RV accompanied by a woman hanging out its entry door and greeting anyone and everyone who passes .
Folks walking by stop to ask what the splashed-out vehicle is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McIntee , who already knows a lot of the passersby by name .
McIntee is co-ordinator of the Mobile Outreach Unit for Health and Support Services ( MOUHSS ) , which tends to go by its moniker , the Moose .
• Canada protests police violence , racism in shadow of U.S. tumult • Here ’ s every environmental protection in Canada that has been suspended , delayed and cancelled during COVID-19 For emphasis , a cartoon of its antlered animal namesake is plastered on the RV ’ s side .
The Moose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two weeks ago after its original rollout was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic , McIntee said Tuesday .
The mobile outreach unit offers varied services , such as counselling , wound care , diabetes testing , harm reduction supplies , as well as primary health care , prescriptions and referrals to other needed community programs , she said .
People accessing the Moose can range from youth to seniors , but the main objective is to offer direct services to any vulnerable people who might not otherwise get them .
The project also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people needing emergency services or hospital care , McIntee said .
The RV currently heads out three mornings a week to locations either in the north , central or south ends of the city .
The idea behind the Moose is to go where the need is , she said .
The Mobile Outreach Unit for Health and Support Services ( MOUHSS ) is a splashy RV – nicknamed the Moose – that will bring much-needed health services to the most vulnerable in Campbell River and surroundings .
But it only has funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide health and social service supports to people who are unable to access supports or who don ’ t want to access those supports in brick-and-mortar buildings , ” McIntee said .
Stigma is a big reason some people won ’ t access community services , she said .
But sometimes it comes down factors such as lack of transportation or circumstance .
A mom with three kids isn ’ t necessarily going to want to load everybody onto the bus and drag them along to fill out paperwork in a crowded office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mobile unit ’ s initial stages has been good .
“ It ’ s been very , very positive , ” McIntee said .
The mobile outreach unit has helped people seeking diabetes care , prescriptions for skin problems , mental health supports and has provided visits with a doctor or a substance use specialist .
But sometimes it ’ s just about conversation and coffee , said McIntee .
Roberta , an older woman who lives rough , has stopped by the Moose for a chat before heading to the laundromat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seat of a walker , warming her hands around her paper coffee cup .
Asked what she likes about the Moose , Roberta points at McIntee .
Then the pair gets into a mock argument about who has a nicer smile .
McIntee said there was a lot of consultation before the project got up and running .
And community stakeholders can continue to provide input to determine client needs or resolve any concerns that might crop up , she said .
“ We ’ ve opened the doors to conversation about what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see the struggle is , what some of the barriers are and how we can alleviate them for all folks , ” McIntee said .
The mobile unit is a community project that got support or sponsorship from numerous community service groups , police , the city , as well as business organizations and health-care partners , McIntee said .
As a result , the vehicle is available for use by community partners to meet health and support services needs , particularly in the small communities around Campbell River , she added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as Quadra and Cortes ( islands ) , Gold River and Sayward , and we want to be able to offer services in those areas , ” McIntee said .
“ If ( Island Health ) wants to go down to Gold River and offer doctor ’ s services because there isn ’ t any , or to go Sayward to offer mental health or harm reduction supports , the vehicle is there for that.
” Residents in isolated or rural areas don ’ t always get the health supports they need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t exist or because people don ’ t feel comfortable with the lack of anonymity around getting services in a small community , McIntee said .
Despite the desire to help vulnerable people in smaller communities and Campbell River , the Moose only has funding until August , said McIntee .
Seed funding for the project came from the First Nations Health Authority , grants and community donations .
McIntee hopes to secure more permanent funding from the province or health authorities .
But community donations play a big role in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clients , she said .
Water , socks , feminine hygiene products , ChapStick are all items in high demand by the Moose ’ s clients .
“ It ’ s a surprisingly huge expense , and when people donate them , it helps so much , ” said McIntee .
Some people have also sewn cloth masks and knitted wool hats to hand out in cold weather .
“ There are a lot of amazing individuals out there that have very special talents that have donated to us , ” McIntee said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to know , it ’ s very appreciated.
” For more information on the MOUHSS contact [ email protected ]

It’s early morning and there’s still a hush in downtown Campbell River. Stores are just starting to open in the small Vancouver Island town, which is experiencing a typical "Juneuary" West Coast day — mild temperatures paired with a grey and drizzly sky. But lodged in the middle of the city’s core is a massive, snazzy, brightly coloured RV accompanied by a woman hanging out its entry door and greeting anyone and everyone who passes. Folks walking by stop to ask what the splashed-out vehicle is all about or to chat with Leanne McIntee, who already knows a lot of the passersby by name. McIntee is co-ordinator of the Mobile Outreach Unit for Health and Support Services (MOUHSS), which tends to go by its moniker, the Moose.
For emphasis, a cartoon of its antlered animal namesake is plastered on the RV’s side. The Moose is spanking new and hit the streets two weeks ago after its original rollout was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, McIntee said Tuesday. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The mobile outreach unit offers varied services, such as counselling, wound care, diabetes testing, harm reduction supplies, as well as primary health care, prescriptions and referrals to other needed community programs, she said.
People accessing the Moose can range from youth to seniors, but the main objective is to offer direct services to any vulnerable people who might not otherwise get them. The Mobile Outreach Unit for Health and Support Services (MOUHSS) is a splashy RV – nicknamed the Moose – that will bring much-needed health services to the most vulnerable in Campbell River and surroundings. But it only has funding until August. The project also hopes to reduce the number of at-risk people needing emergency services or hospital care, McIntee said. The RV currently heads out three mornings a week to locations either in the north, central or south ends of the city. The idea behind the Moose is to go where the need is, she said. “We want to provide health and social service supports to people who are unable to access supports or who don’t want to access those supports in brick-and-mortar buildings,” McIntee said. Stigma is a big reason some people won’t access community services, she said. But sometimes it comes down factors such as lack of transportation or circumstance.
A mom with three kids isn’t necessarily going to want to load everybody onto the bus and drag them along to fill out paperwork in a crowded office, she said. Public response during the mobile unit’s initial stages has been good. “It’s been very, very positive,” McIntee said.


nationalobserver--2020-06-05--Indigenous activists want focus to stay on black demonstrators

Terre Chartrand says she recognizes it 's not her place right now to be front and centre during demonstrations in support of black people decrying police violence .
Chartrand , the Algonquin artistic director of Pins and Needles fabric company , an Indigenous-led arts collective , says her people play an important — but not central — role .
`` The same violence has created a condition for both of our communities , '' says Chartrand of Waterloo , Ont .
There have been intense demonstrations in cities across the United States since the death of George Floyd , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 .
A police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes , even as Floyd said he could n't breathe .
Indigenous activists say they will be attending rallies and working behind the scenes at demonstrations in Canada .
But many say black lives must remain the focus of attention .
• It ’ s time to call out denialism — on racism and on climate change `` Black activists have supported the resiliency of Indigenous people time and time again , '' said a statement Thursday from Idle No More organizers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wilson .
`` It is our turn to show up , take instruction , and trust in the Black Lives Matter movement at this time , and always . ''
Idle No More began in 2012 in Saskatchewan and became one of the largest Indigenous mass movements with protests around the world .
Colonial violence may look the same on the surface sometimes , its organizers organizers said , but there are historical differences behind the oppression .
Ciann Wilson , an assistant professor at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo , said Indigenous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporting black people right now will move both groups closer to justice .
`` The fact that it 's impacting black communities today or Indigenous communities tomorrow , that is a ( symptom ) of white supremacy , '' she said .
`` What we need to tackle is white supremacy in its full form . ''
Wilson , who is black , was a principal investigator of the Proclaiming Our Roots project .
It presents the history between black and Indigenous communities and showcases the underrepresented stories of Afro-Indigenous people .
Terre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her place right now to be front and centre during demonstrations in support of black people decrying police violence .
`` When Indigenous and black people have gotten together throughout history in the North Americas , they have staged some of the biggest threats to colonial rule , '' Wilson said .
The project worked with black , Indigenous and Afro-Indigenous scholars and researchers to show how the Haitian revolution against French colonial rule and slavery in 1791 was a collaboration between them .
The two also worked together during the Seminole Wars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Florida in the 1800s .
Wilson said that relationship was feared by colonialists because it forged a strong resistance .
Over the decades , stories of the battles faded and the relationships between communities sometimes wavered .
But Wilson said their mutual fight for justice against oppression remains .
Grand Chief Arlen Dumas with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said First Nations are more than empathic because they `` strongly identify with some of the lived experiences of black people in this country and in the U.S. '' `` The black and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as with the court system , has been boiling for decades in this country and indeed around the world , '' Dumas said in a statement .
The proportion of Indigenous people behind bars in federal prisons is more than 30 per cent , despite their accounting for five per cent of the Canadian population , says the Correctional Investigator of Canada .
Black inmates make up about eight per cent of the total in-custody population and 37 per cent of all discrimination complaints to the ombudsman for federal inmates .
An @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found black people living in Toronto were far more likely to be injured or killed in interactions with city police .
Dumas pointed to the death of a 16-year-old Indigenous girl who was killed by Winnipeg police in April .
Police allege she was shot after a pursuit that began with a liquor store robbery .
She was one of three Indigenous people killed by police in the Manitoba capital in a 10-day span .
Black and Indigenous voices must be united , Wilson said .
Right now , that means everyone must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities accountable to anti-blackness , she said .

Terre Chartrand says she recognizes it's not her place right now to be front and centre during demonstrations in support of black people decrying police violence. Chartrand, the Algonquin artistic director of Pins and Needles fabric company, an Indigenous-led arts collective, says her people play an important — but not central — role. "The same violence has created a condition for both of our communities," says Chartrand of Waterloo, Ont. There have been intense demonstrations in cities across the United States since the death of George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis, on May 25. A police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes, even as Floyd said he couldn't breathe. Indigenous activists say they will be attending rallies and working behind the scenes at demonstrations in Canada. But many say black lives must remain the focus of attention.
"Black activists have supported the resiliency of Indigenous people time and time again," said a statement Thursday from Idle No More organizers Nickita Longman, Shawn Johnston and Alex Wilson. "It is our turn to show up, take instruction, and trust in the Black Lives Matter movement at this time, and always." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Idle No More began in 2012 in Saskatchewan and became one of the largest Indigenous mass movements with protests around the world. Colonial violence may look the same on the surface sometimes, its organizers organizers said, but there are historical differences behind the oppression.
Ciann Wilson, an assistant professor at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, said Indigenous people she has spoken with recognize that supporting black people right now will move both groups closer to justice. Terre Chartrand says she recognizes it's not her place right now to be front and centre during demonstrations in support of black people decrying police violence. "The fact that it's impacting black communities today or Indigenous communities tomorrow, that is a (symptom) of white supremacy," she said. "What we need to tackle is white supremacy in its full form." Wilson, who is black, was a principal investigator of the Proclaiming Our Roots project. It presents the history between black and Indigenous communities and showcases the underrepresented stories of Afro-Indigenous people. "When Indigenous and black people have gotten together throughout history in the North Americas, they have staged some of the biggest threats to colonial rule," Wilson said. The project worked with black, Indigenous and Afro-Indigenous scholars and researchers to show how the Haitian revolution against French colonial rule and slavery in 1791 was a collaboration between them. The two also worked together during the Seminole Wars that attempted to displace the Indigenous population in Florida in the 1800s.
Wilson said that relationship was feared by colonialists because it forged a strong resistance. Over the decades, stories of the battles faded and the relationships between communities sometimes wavered. But Wilson said their mutual fight for justice against oppression remains. Grand Chief Arlen Dumas with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said First Nations are more than empathic because they "strongly identify with some of the lived experiences of black people in this country and in the U.S." "The black and Indigenous anger over police brutality, as well as with the court system, has been boiling for decades in this country and indeed around the world," Dumas said in a statement.


nationalobserver--2020-06-05--Special payments to seniors scheduled to arrive in early July

A special one-time payment to millions of seniors will arrive in early July , a delay the Liberals say is the result of ensuring there is n't any fraud in the pandemic-related top-up .
The aid will come in the form of $ 300 payments to the more than six million people who receive old-age security benefits , and an additional $ 200 for the 2.2 million who also receive the guaranteed income supplement .
Seniors who already receive benefits wo n't have to apply for the special payment that will hit bank accounts through direct deposit the week of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and expected to arrive the same week for seniors living in Canada , while those living abroad should expect delays given international postal disruptions .
The parliamentary budget officer has estimated the overall cost of the measure at almost $ 2.5 billion this fiscal year , in line with government expectations .
• It ’ s time to call out denialism — on racism and on climate change The Liberals first promised the extra help around mid-May , and between then and early July , two benefit payment dates will have come and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new , effective delivery system to ensure payment accuracy and not require the 6.7 million seniors eligible for the extra help to have to apply for the aid , said Seniors Minister Deb Schulte .
`` That 's the reason why it 's taken a little longer , '' Schulte told a midday press conference on Parliament Hill .
`` We want to ensure accuracy and we want to make sure seniors are not vulnerable , or not exposed to any fraud or the kind of things we 've been seeing as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have faced repeated questions in recent weeks about the level of potential fraud in key benefit programs , particularly the Canada Emergency Response Benefit , that were rolled out fast amid public health restrictions that put a freeze on economic activity .
The government has said that any fraud will be taken care of by tax time next year , and the government will claw back any incorrectly paid benefits .
A special one-time payment to millions of seniors will arrive in early July , a delay the Liberals say is the result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the pandemic-related top-up .
Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough told MPs on Thursday that the government has every intention of following up on CERB files where there is any suspicion of fraud .
`` We are doing this on an ongoing basis , '' Qualtrough said .
`` Rest assured , we are following up today , tomorrow , next week , next month on every single red flag in the system . ''
Almost 8.4 million people have applied for the $ 2,000-a-month taxable benefit , which has paid out $ 43.18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spend $ 60 billion on the benefit instead of $ 35 billion , as demand outstrips previous expectations .
Overall , planned federal spending on COVID-19 aid is almost $ 152.8 billion .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4 , 2020 .

A special one-time payment to millions of seniors will arrive in early July, a delay the Liberals say is the result of ensuring there isn't any fraud in the pandemic-related top-up.
The aid will come in the form of $300 payments to the more than six million people who receive old-age security benefits, and an additional $200 for the 2.2 million who also receive the guaranteed income supplement.
Seniors who already receive benefits won't have to apply for the special payment that will hit bank accounts through direct deposit the week of July 6.
Cheques will be mailed and expected to arrive the same week for seniors living in Canada, while those living abroad should expect delays given international postal disruptions.
The parliamentary budget officer has estimated the overall cost of the measure at almost $2.5 billion this fiscal year, in line with government expectations.


nationalobserver--2020-06-05--Trudeau to offer premiers billions to assist reopening economy safely

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is to offer premiers billions in federal funding to help them safely reopen provincial and territorial economies without triggering an explosive second wave of COVID-19 cases .
Trudeau is expected to present the offer to premiers during their weekly conference call today — the twelfth such call since the pandemic sent the country into lockdown in mid-March .
Precise details , including how to allocate each province 's share of the cash , are to be negotiated in the coming days , but federal officials hope agreements can be reached quickly to get the money flowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strings attached , according to federal officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly .
Trudeau is offering to transfer the money to provincial and territorial governments , provided they agree to spend it on a number of areas the federal government considers necessary to reduce the risk of a second surge of the deadly coronavirus .
• It ’ s time to call out denialism — on racism and on climate change They include testing , contact tracing , personal protective equipment , bolstering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and strengthening the health care system , possibly including improving conditions in long-term care homes linked to more than 80 per cent of the deaths in Canada so far .
Making a difference in just one of those areas — municipalities — is a pricey proposition .
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities estimates communities across the country , which have been on the front lines of the pandemic , need $ 10-15 billion to make up for the loss of revenue resulting from reduced transit fares , user fees and deferred property taxes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the federal government boosted transfer payments to provinces and territories for health care by $ 500 million — an amount that seemed large at the time but which has since paled in comparison with the more than $ 150 billion Ottawa has shovelled into direct financial aid to Canadians and economic stimulus measures .
While Trudeau is now offering provinces and territories substantially more money , there is likely to be some push back from some premiers over his attempt to direct the general areas on which it should be spent rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see fit .
The prime minister is also expected to announce financial support for nearly four million disabled Canadians , who already faced some of the highest costs of living before the pandemic made daily life even more expensive .
Among other things , the pandemic has resulted in many people with disabilities having to rely on in-home care , pay delivery fees for groceries and other items , and fork out higher dispensing fees for prescription drugs .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is to offer premiers billions in federal funding to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without triggering an explosive second wave of COVID-19 cases .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5 , 2020 .

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is to offer premiers billions in federal funding to help them safely reopen provincial and territorial economies without triggering an explosive second wave of COVID-19 cases.
Trudeau is expected to present the offer to premiers during their weekly conference call today — the twelfth such call since the pandemic sent the country into lockdown in mid-March.
Precise details, including how to allocate each province's share of the cash, are to be negotiated in the coming days, but federal officials hope agreements can be reached quickly to get the money flowing fast.
The offer comes with some strings attached, according to federal officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly.
Trudeau is offering to transfer the money to provincial and territorial governments, provided they agree to spend it on a number of areas the federal government considers necessary to reduce the risk of a second surge of the deadly coronavirus.


nationalobserver--2020-06-05--B.C.'s minimum wage bump won’t alleviate housing or COVID-19 pressures

B.C.
’ s minimum wage increased this week , but the bump is nowhere near enough to make ends meet , especially around housing , advocates say .
As of June 1 , minimum wage workers in the province earn $ 14.60 an hour , up from $ 13.85 .
But low wages , part-time or precarious work , coupled with low vacancy rates and high rents , are significant drivers of homelessness in the North Island region , said Kristi Schwanicke , co-ordinator of the Campbell River and District Coalition to End Homelessness .
“ There ’ s been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employed at minimum wage find being able to afford housing in our community , which also has such low vacancy rates , is nearly impossible.
” High rents ( 60 per cent ) and low incomes ( 57 per cent ) were the two most significant barriers to housing , according to people surveyed during Campbell River ’ s last homeless count .
• It ’ s time to call out denialism — on racism and on climate change And of the total homeless population , 12 per cent were employed , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or informally employed , Schwanicke noted .
The new hourly minimum is a 75-cent bump , and part of a scheduled increase in the provincial government ’ s commitment to raise it to $ 15.20 an hour by next year .
But the wage increase won ’ t match the rise in rental rates in a market with a 0.4 vacancy rate , and where housing is already out of reach , Schwanicke said , adding the general rule is that shelter costs shouldn ’ t exceed 30 per cent of a household @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the islands ( like Quadra and Cortes ) , which have a high number of vacation rentals , vacancy rates are much too low and rent is much too high for an increase in minimum wage to support people.
” On Quadra Island 40 per cent of renters spend 30 per cent or more of their income on rent .
With renters on Cortes Island , that number jumps to 47 per cent .
Campbell River and the surrounding communities need a more diverse range of affordable housing options , even for those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ It ’ s clearly inadequate .
Even the wage of $ 15 per hour scheduled for next year is lower than the living wage people would need in most communities in B.C.
, '' Iglika Ivanova , of Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives , on B.C .
's minimum wage bump .
Women and youth are majority of minimum earners Of those earning minimum wage across Canada , 60 per cent are women and just over 50 per cent are aged 15 to 24 , according to Statistics Canada .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ earners work in the retail sector , with a further 26 per cent employed in accommodation and food services .
Approximately nine per cent of Canada ’ s workforce earned minimum wage in 2019 .
Provincially , Ontario had the highest rate of minimum wage earners at 11 per cent , while B.C.
’ s minimum earners accounted for seven per cent of all employees .
Women and youth make up a significant portion of minimum wage earners in Canada .
Quadra resident Sanoah Opie , 17 , does n't know how she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out on her own next year .
Photo : Rochelle Baker .
Quadra resident Sanoah Opie , 17 , earns minimum wage and is saving to be able to move out and pursue post-secondary training in Victoria .
Despite her advance efforts , she ’ s not sure she ’ ll be able to cover the bills .
“ I don ’ t know how I ’ ll meet expectations of me moving out , ” Opie said .
“ I don ’ t know how I ’ ll have enough money for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to housing , ” she said , adding that ’ s despite plans to live with roommates .
As a single person , she can ’ t imagine how anyone with dependents would manage on a minimum wage .
“ Maybe if both parents were working , they could raise a family , ” she said .
“ But I don ’ t think they could do it . ''
People working full-time on minimum wage are earning far less than a living wage necessary to cover basic necessities , such as food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ivanova , a senior economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives in B.C .
“ It ’ s clearly inadequate , ” Ivanova said , adding B.C .
has some of the highest living costs in the country , particularly for housing .
“ Even the wage of $ 15 per hour scheduled for next year is lower than the living wage people would need in most communities in B.C , ” she said .
A living wage is the hourly amount a family with two parents working full-time to support two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Families Campaign .
In 2019 , the living wage for the Comox Valley was $ 15.28 per hour , $ 15.81 in Parksville-Qualicum , and $ 19.39 in Greater Victoria .
The Living Wage for Families Campaign ( LWFC ) map outlining the hourly living wage for various communities throughout B.C .
in 2019 .
Photo : Courtesy LWFC .
A total of 13.4 per cent of all paid employees in the province were paid less than $ 15 an hour last year , according B.C .
Ministry of Labour data .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities , such as north Vancouver Island or on Quadra or Cortes islands , often face even higher costs for food and transportation because they often travel greater distances with fewer public transit options , Ivanova added .
Additionally , workers earning minimum wage were less likely to be working from home thus facing greater health risks during the pandemic , said Ivanova .
Low-wage workers were also more likely to be laid off , or be working jobs during the COVID-19 crisis that put them in direct contact with the public .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people working in the restaurants or food service are at increased risk when they go to work , ” Ivanova said .
“ And when they earn such low wages , it ’ s profoundly unfair.
” Employees in these sectors were also excluded from the provincial government ’ s temporary pandemic pay bump for essential workers , she noted .
Health , social services and corrections employees delivering in-person , front-line care during the COVID-19 pandemic were eligible for a $ 4-an-hour boost over a 16-week period starting on March 15 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ minimum wage would earn almost the same as people eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit ( CERB ) , which the federal government defined as the minimum income people needed to survive the pandemic , Ivanova said .
“ I think if you are working full-time , you shouldn ’ t just barely get to that minimum , you should be able lift yourself above it .
”

B.C.’s minimum wage increased this week, but the bump is nowhere near enough to make ends meet, especially around housing, advocates say. As of June 1, minimum wage workers in the province earn $14.60 an hour, up from $13.85. But low wages, part-time or precarious work, coupled with low vacancy rates and high rents, are significant drivers of homelessness in the North Island region, said Kristi Schwanicke, co-ordinator of the Campbell River and District Coalition to End Homelessness. “There’s been an increase, but folks who are employed at minimum wage find being able to afford housing in our community, which also has such low vacancy rates, is nearly impossible.” High rents (60 per cent) and low incomes (57 per cent) were the two most significant barriers to housing, according to people surveyed during Campbell River’s last homeless count.
And of the total homeless population, 12 per cent were employed, while a further 27 per cent were self- or informally employed, Schwanicke noted. The new hourly minimum is a 75-cent bump, and part of a scheduled increase in the provincial government’s commitment to raise it to $15.20 an hour by next year. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions But the wage increase won’t match the rise in rental rates in a market with a 0.4 vacancy rate, and where housing is already out of reach, Schwanicke said, adding the general rule is that shelter costs shouldn’t exceed 30 per cent of a household’s income.
“Especially on the islands (like Quadra and Cortes), which have a high number of vacation rentals, vacancy rates are much too low and rent is much too high for an increase in minimum wage to support people.” “It’s clearly inadequate. Even the wage of $15 per hour scheduled for next year is lower than the living wage people would need in most communities in B.C.," Iglika Ivanova, of Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, on B.C.'s minimum wage bump. On Quadra Island 40 per cent of renters spend 30 per cent or more of their income on rent. With renters on Cortes Island, that number jumps to 47 per cent. Campbell River and the surrounding communities need a more diverse range of affordable housing options, even for those earning more than minimum wage, she said.
Women and youth are majority of minimum earners Of those earning minimum wage across Canada, 60 per cent are women and just over 50 per cent are aged 15 to 24, according to Statistics Canada. About 33 per cent of minimum wage earners work in the retail sector, with a further 26 per cent employed in accommodation and food services.


nationalobserver--2020-06-05--Green Party leadership race passes first deadline

Elizabeth May says “ everything has changed ” since 2011 when she became the Green Party of Canada ’ s first elected Member of Parliament .
May , the MP for Saanich—Gulf Islands and the party ’ s Parliamentary leader , stepped down after 13 years as national leader last November , triggering a leadership race that will be decided this fall .
Contestants had until June 3 to submit their applications and pay $ 1,000 to the party , as well as gather 100 nominations from members in good standing , including at least 20 Young Greens .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listed as candidates to succeed May as leader .
In 2011 , soon after getting elected , May vowed to media that `` whether I 'm one vote or one voice , I 'll be a powerful one ” in Parliament .
• It ’ s time to call out denialism — on racism and on climate change Today , she is no longer that one voice , sitting with Green MPs Paul Manly representing Nanaimo—Ladysmith and Jenica Atwin representing Fredericton .
The party saw over a million votes for the first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representatives have also been elected provincially across the country , from B.C .
to Ontario , P.E.I .
and New Brunswick .
“ We ’ re not any longer a group of people in the wilderness , ” she said during a press conference Wednesday in Ottawa .
“ Right now it ’ s clear in the pandemic that the policies of the Green Party are the policies everyone ’ s talking about . ''
Candidates will now have to make an additional $ 9,000 payment for a “ contest entry fee ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being approved .
Then they have their work cut out for them over the summer to fundraise $ 20,000 , what the party is calling a “ secondary contest fee , ” which is due Sept. 1 .
May said Wednesday that , while the $ 30,000 in total leadership race fees is many orders of magnitude higher than what she paid in 2006 for her leadership contest , it is helping narrow the race .
Elizabeth May says “ everything has changed ” since 2011 when she became the Green Party of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parliament .
“ Becoming the leader of the Green Party is a real thing , and if you can ’ t raise the money to compete in a leadership race for a party that has an elected caucus sitting in Parliament — it does winnow it out , ” she said .
Today marks the anniversary of Elizabeth May 's 2011 victory , when she made history by becoming the first of many elected Greens in Canada .
Are you ready to vote in the next era of Green politics ?
Sign up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ https : //t.co/dHFMCF8mgJ pic.twitter.com/UyPJjNxWfE — Green Party of Canada ( @ CanadianGreens ) May 2 , 2020 Almost all candidates have been on ballot All the conditional candidates have represented the party in elections before , save for former Ontario Liberal environment minister Glen Murray .
Murray , who is also the former mayor of Winnipeg and former executive director of the Pembina Institute , says he wants to see a “ fully circular , zero waste , greenhouse gas neutral economy ” in Canada .
Another former Liberal , David Merner , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 30 years .
He ran under the red banner in the riding of Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke in 2015 , but quit the party after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he would be buying the Trans Mountain oil pipeline and expansion project in 2018 .
Merner has supported universal pharmacare and decriminalization of drugs .
May has said she will not be officially endorsing any of the contestants , but in order to ensure inclusiveness she will be “ supporting the fundraising efforts of equity-seeking candidates.
” That includes Annamie Paul , a lawyer who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international affairs critic , and ran for the Greens in Toronto Centre .
Paul has volunteered with Operation Black Vote Canada and sat on the Equal Voice steering committee , and wants to run a campaign about “ attracting diverse faces and voices into politics and into the party.
” She also wants to withdraw from the Canada-U.S .
Safe Third Country agreement .
Amita Kuttner , an astrophysicist , is also an advocate of diversity and inclusion , co-founding a nonprofit that promotes equality and justice while taking into account technology and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the science critic for the party , and developed policy on artificial intelligence , running for the Greens in Burnaby North—Seymour .
Dylan Perceval-Maxwell , an environmental activist , has ran as a Green candidate in Laurier—Sainte-Marie and in Alfred-Pellan .
He has focused on a range of policies including growing the green economy , eliminating income tax for low earners and offering emergency preparedness training to Canadians .
Immigration lawyer Meryam Haddad was the candidate for Châteauguay—Lacolle in 2019 .
She is running as a socialist and wants to implement a Green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lascaris was told on May 26 that he was rejected as a candidate .
He appealed , and the party ’ s approvals committee overturned the decision and approved him this week .
Lascaris , who is a former justice critic for the party , was the Green candidate for London West in 2015 and wants to pass labour reforms to boost union membership , raise the minimum wage and slash military spending .
Despite being shocked and disappointed , Judy is a lifelong believer in fair process , patience and collaborative problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confident that this matter will be resolved shortly .
4/4 — Judy N Green ( @ RAWnGreen ) June 2 , 2020 There were “ at least one or two appeals going on over internal decisions around vetting ” related to the leadership race , said May .
Nova Scotia computer scientist and veteran Judy Green , who was the candidate for West Nova in 2019 , announced June 2 that her application to run in the leadership race had been declined by the party .
“ The reasons for the rejection included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she tweeted .
Green added on Twitter that she would appeal the decision and she believed it would get resolved .
“ Despite being shocked and disappointed , ” she said , she was a “ lifelong believer in fair process , patience and collaborative problem solving ” and was “ confident that this matter will be resolved shortly.
” Meanwhile , Alex Tyrrell , the leader of the Green Party of Quebec since 2013 , announced June 3 he was quitting the leadership race .
In a lengthy statement posted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of “ intervening in the race on a daily basis ” and consolidating power in the party .
“ Over the past months and weeks Ms. May and her entourage have made it amply clear to me that they will do everything in their power to oppose my candidacy , ” he wrote .
On Wednesday , May said the allegations were untrue .
“ Evidently he did not understand the structure of the Green Party and its constitution , ” she said .
As a Green MP in the House of Commons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t play a role in the governance of the party , as she did not have that kind of power as a previous leader .
“ I think Alex Tyrrell made his decision , so I told him good luck , as the head of the Green Party of Quebec , ” said May .
‘ Unlikely ’ to have physical convention : May The Green Party leadership vote will begin on Sep. 26 and end at 3:30 p.m. ( all times Pacific Time ) on Oct. 3 .
The results of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Voting is being done through online ballot or mail-in ballot , the latter of which must be requested before 2 p.m. on Aug. 14 .
Completed ballots have to be received by the Green Party ’ s central office by 2 p.m. on Sept. 25 , after which they will be entered into the online voting system by office volunteers .
May said it was “ unlikely at this point ” that the party would be physically gathering in P.E.I .
to hold the leadership convention scheduled for October in that province @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , one-vote system with a preferential ballot .
The leader is being elected by a majority vote , with ballots including an option for “ none of the above .
”

Elizabeth May says “everything has changed” since 2011 when she became the Green Party of Canada’s first elected Member of Parliament. May, the MP for Saanich—Gulf Islands and the party’s Parliamentary leader, stepped down after 13 years as national leader last November, triggering a leadership race that will be decided this fall. Contestants had until June 3 to submit their applications and pay $1,000 to the party, as well as gather 100 nominations from members in good standing, including at least 20 Young Greens. As of Thursday, seven conditional entrants are listed as candidates to succeed May as leader. In 2011, soon after getting elected, May vowed to media that "whether I'm one vote or one voice, I'll be a powerful one” in Parliament.
Today, she is no longer that one voice, sitting with Green MPs Paul Manly representing Nanaimo—Ladysmith and Jenica Atwin representing Fredericton. The party saw over a million votes for the first time in the 2019 federal election. Green representatives have also been elected provincially across the country, from B.C. to Ontario, P.E.I. and New Brunswick. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “We’re not any longer a group of people in the wilderness,” she said during a press conference Wednesday in Ottawa. “Right now it’s clear in the pandemic that the policies of the Green Party are the policies everyone’s talking about."
Candidates will now have to make an additional $9,000 payment for a “contest entry fee” due within 10 days of their candidacies being approved. Elizabeth May says “everything has changed” since 2011 when she became the Green Party of Canada’s first elected Member of Parliament. Then they have their work cut out for them over the summer to fundraise $20,000, what the party is calling a “secondary contest fee,” which is due Sept. 1. May said Wednesday that, while the $30,000 in total leadership race fees is many orders of magnitude higher than what she paid in 2006 for her leadership contest, it is helping narrow the race. “Becoming the leader of the Green Party is a real thing, and if you can’t raise the money to compete in a leadership race for a party that has an elected caucus sitting in Parliament — it does winnow it out,” she said. http://twitter.com/CanadianGreens/status/1256589323807477760
Almost all candidates have been on ballot All the conditional candidates have represented the party in elections before, save for former Ontario Liberal environment minister Glen Murray. Murray, who is also the former mayor of Winnipeg and former executive director of the Pembina Institute, says he wants to see a “fully circular, zero waste, greenhouse gas neutral economy” in Canada.


nationalobserver--2020-06-05--Movies to stream: A feminist Judy & Punch, workers’ plight in Bangladesh and climate optimism in 204

Movies to stream: A feminist Judy & Punch, workers’ plight in Bangladesh and climate optimism in 2040

JUDY & PUNCH : The names are in that uncommon order because in this entertaining film , Australian actor-turned-director Mirrah Foulkes is making a point about male versus female power .
Punch , armed with a bat , is always the winner in the puppet show that generations of children have seen .
In this live re-imagining , set in a fairytale village , he ’ s “ the greatest puppeteer of our time ” in public , but a self-aggrandizing drunkard in private .
Judy ( Mia Wasikowska ) is the real talent , though unacknowledged .
Society around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in several ways , downgrades women .
There ’ s even a “ Happy Stoning Day ” to punish the evil ones .
The messages are obvious , but they come in a film with a zippy pace and great fun and then revenge .
Punch ( Damon Herriman ) inadvertently causes the death of their baby , attacks Judy , leaves her for dead in the woods and blames a senile couple .
Judy is found alive , healed in a “ heretic camp ” of misfits that the village has rejected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The denouement is violent , too much so for young children , but the contempt for misogyny and the imagination used here to express it are satisfying .
Also nutty and absurd at times , as when a Leonard Cohen song plays .
The two leads fit their roles nicely .
We last saw Herriman playing Charles Manson for Tarantino .
( Available starting today to buy or rent , EST and VOD . )
4 out of 5 MADE IN BANGLADESH : Yeah , like the T-shirt you might be wearing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; a crowded hall of sewing machines , jumbled wires and stifling hot air .
The workers are all women ; only the supervisor and the owner are men .
They demand more output and promise they ’ ll pay the overtime they owe , just not yet .
Courtesy of Films We Like A fire , a death and some encouragement from a union leader gets the women angry .
One , named Shimu , and played by the similarly named Rikita Nandini Shimu , decides to sign up members to form @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows what impediments there are in her way and what women like her have to put up with .
Her husband is lazy and unemployed .
Her best friend is sleeping with the supervisor .
The boss is under pressure to keep cutting costs because the buyers demand to pay less .
The women get very little of it .
Shimu is told that just three of the T-shirts that she makes sell for what she earns in a month .
The biggest hurdle is the government bureaucracy that stalls her union efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made with strong commitment by Rubaiyat Hossain , one of that country ’ s very few female directors .
It ’ s a little too earnest , but real .
( Streaming at https : //viff.org ) 3½ out of 5 2040 : Most films about climate change and global warming are full of gloom and dire warnings .
Here ’ s one that takes a different approach and leaves you with a measure of optimism .
Australian filmmaker Damon Gameau focuses on what can be done , and , specifically , what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , no grand schemes that have to be thought up sometime , somewhere ; but ideas that people are actually working on .
The array is mind-opening ; the last one is astonishing .
Damon Gameau , with his wife and daughter ( for whom he made the film ) .
Some you already know .
Solar power , for instance , but in Bangladesh , Gameau is told about mini power grids with which entire neighborhoods are linked to produce and share electricity .
He visits 11 countries in all and hears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , mixed crops , free grazing of animals and “ re-generation ” ) , reviving the oceans ( “ overturning circulation , ” seaweed farming ) and cutting greenhouse gasses ( urban farming , shared on-demand cars ) .
There ’ s much more , all perfectly understandable and logical .
The film sprinkles tantalizing bits of information to back its thesis .
Did you know that the United States imports as much beef as it exports ?
That two-thirds of Los Angeles is roads and parking lots ?
That one-third of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It calls for less meat eating , not an outright ban .
And one of the most promising weapons against global warming would be more education for women around the world .
It 's an unexpected highlight in this inspiring film .
( VOD/EST . )
4 out of 5 PARASITE : The big winner at this year ’ s Academy Awards is back in a new version .
The regular one has been available for streaming for over a week .
This one is in black and white .
No colour .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ up watching movies in black and white on television and felt he wanted to recreate that experience .
He says it is more realistic and feels more like a fable .
I think it requires a cinema purist to appreciate that distinction .
I didn ’ t have the same feeling .
Yes , the early parts in the family ’ s grim basement suite felt right , but I thought later , when they got to the modern , bright , architect-designed home , colour would have helped create the upscale ambience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough classy homes in films from the 1930s and later that even that isn ’ t a detriment .
What mostly comes apparent once again is how well this film is written .
How it draws us into every step of the family ’ s deception and then the shock of what they find down in the bunker .
Come to think of it , those later scenes are almost black and white anyway , so nothing is lost there .
In either presentation , this is good for repeat viewing .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) 4½ out of 5 LOVE , SCOTT : Here ’ s a relatively brief , but very moving , story of a homophobic attack that created an activist .
It ’ s a crisp documentary with the real facts about and the feelings of Scott Jones , who was beaten up outside a bar in Nova Scotia and remains paralyzed from the waist down .
He recalls that he had checked out the guy in the bar and got a look back that every gay man knows well .
The man was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years , but the court records do not mention the gay part of the story or refer to the assault as a hate crime .
“ I we can not name the attack for what it was .
How can we begin to correct problem ?
” says Jones .
Jones is now a speaker on gay issues , and the leader of a choir .
The film by his friend Laura Marie Wayne shows scenes from three years of rehab , a trip back to where it happened , a first attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thoughtful introspection about his life .
He even tries to forgive , and in a particularly poignant sequence , writes his attacker a letter .
They ’ re both prisoners , he writes , he paralyzed and the guy incarcerated .
Another very good documentary that the National Film Board has put up for free streaming at https : //www.nfb.ca/ 3½ out of 5 BECKY : Here ’ s a home invasion thriller that starts like many of its kind do .
A brief setup with much edge-of-the-seat suspense expected to follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what comes , though .
I haven ’ t seen a film this violent in some time .
It ’ s a bonding weekend at the lake gone wrong .
Father ( Joel McHale ) announces to his teenage daughter ( Lulu Wilson ) that he ’ s ready to remarry .
He hopes Becky will warm up to his girlfriend , who is also there .
Becky does not .
She ’ s angry that her mother died and accuses dad of disrespecting her memory .
This little family drama is completely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve escaped from a prison transfer bus arrive looking for a lost dog , according to their leader ( Kevin James , the former King of Queens and twice a Mall Cop ) .
Not so , we suspect , since he ’ s got a swastika tattooed on his neck .
And sure enough , he ’ s looking for something else .
We never do find out what he ’ s really about .
The film builds a vague sense of unease , then real suspense and then goes nuts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of bloody damage caused by a ruler , coloured pencils , a car and a power lawnmower .
It ’ s an American film well-made in Ontario , but as you might agree , for select audiences .
( Available now on digital and on demand . )
3 out of 5 LAST MOMENT OF CLARITY : I ’ m not sure when that was because I didn ’ t feel it .
When it ’ s not hobbled by an opaque plot , this film is strewn with improbabilities .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you .
It you want certainty , not so much .
Sam ( Zach Avery ) is hiding out in Paris and it takes a long time , through a lot of shards of flashback , to find out why and from whom .
Actually , we don ’ t find all that out .
Only that he sees a woman acting in a movie who he thinks is his girlfriend .
He lived with her in New York , accidentally saw something Rear Window-like in an apartment window and had somebody come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girlfriend died instead .
So , how could she be alive , now with blond hair and making movies ?
He goes to Los Angeles to find out .
He does confront the actress , but she doesn ’ t recognize him .
He runs into a distant friend from high school ( Carly Chaikin ) , who sympathizes , but doubts his story .
He thinks he ’ s losing his mind until a couple of Bulgarian mobsters come after him .
If it made some sense , as in a Hitchcock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But it ’ s got more energy than logic .
Brian Cox and Udo Kier have small roles , and the one bright spot is Samara Weaving ( niece of Hugo ) as the actress .
( Avalable now EST/VOD . )
2 out of 5 SURVIVE THE NIGHT : I hope Bruce Willis enjoys memories of his past movie successes because he ’ s not adding to them these days .
He ’ s been in a run of weak films for some time now .
Have you even heard of Trauma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s back working with the same director , Matt Eskandari , and this film is likely to fade away just as quickly .
What ’ s worse , though his name is big in the promotion , he ’ s almost a secondary character in the film .
He plays the father of a doctor ( Chad Michael Murray ) who is bankrupt after a malpractice lawsuit , but impelled to wield his scalpel again .
Bruce is there to carp , then encourage , and later to regret that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In this home invasion thriller , two brothers barge in , one having taken a bullet in the leg during a gas station robbery and in need of a quick bit of surgery to get it out .
The son starts the procedure ( painfully ) , his dad , a retired sheriff , interrupts it by attacking with the scalpel , but gets slashed himself and is chased out into the woods .
The film feels more and more contrived .
The doc gets shot in the shoulder , but is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot happens , including a car chase and wife and daughter imperiled , before he gets back to it .
The incidents don ’ t feel genuine and , worse , don ’ t build the high suspense a film like this needs .
( Available to buy or rent , EST/VOD , since Tuesday ) 2 out of 5

MADE IN BANGLADESH : Yeah, like the T-shirt you might be wearing. We see where they’re sewn; a crowded hall of sewing machines, jumbled wires and stifling hot air. The workers are all women; only the supervisor and the owner are men. They demand more output and promise they’ll pay the overtime they owe, just not yet.
Society around her, as the film points out in several ways, downgrades women. There’s even a “Happy Stoning Day” to punish the evil ones. The messages are obvious, but they come in a film with a zippy pace and great fun and then revenge. Punch (Damon Herriman) inadvertently causes the death of their baby, attacks Judy, leaves her for dead in the woods and blames a senile couple. Judy is found alive, healed in a “heretic camp” of misfits that the village has rejected, and makes her way back. The denouement is violent, too much so for young children, but the contempt for misogyny and the imagination used here to express it are satisfying. Also nutty and absurd at times, as when a Leonard Cohen song plays. The two leads fit their roles nicely. We last saw Herriman playing Charles Manson for Tarantino. (Available starting today to buy or rent, EST and VOD.) 4 out of 5
JUDY & PUNCH : The names are in that uncommon order because in this entertaining film, Australian actor-turned-director Mirrah Foulkes is making a point about male versus female power. Punch, armed with a bat, is always the winner in the puppet show that generations of children have seen. In this live re-imagining, set in a fairytale village, he’s “the greatest puppeteer of our time” in public, but a self-aggrandizing drunkard in private. Judy (Mia Wasikowska) is the real talent, though unacknowledged.
2040 : Most films about climate change and global warming are full of gloom and dire warnings. Here’s one that takes a different approach and leaves you with a measure of optimism. Australian filmmaker Damon Gameau focuses on what can be done, and, specifically, what we already know to do. So, no grand schemes that have to be thought up sometime, somewhere; but ideas that people are actually working on. The array is mind-opening; the last one is astonishing.
A fire, a death and some encouragement from a union leader gets the women angry. One, named Shimu, and played by the similarly named Rikita Nandini Shimu, decides to sign up members to form a union, and the film expertly shows what impediments there are in her way and what women like her have to put up with. Her husband is lazy and unemployed. Her best friend is sleeping with the supervisor. The boss is under pressure to keep cutting costs because the buyers demand to pay less. The women get very little of it. Shimu is told that just three of the T-shirts that she makes sell for what she earns in a month. The biggest hurdle is the government bureaucracy that stalls her union efforts. This is an eye-opening film, made with strong commitment by Rubaiyat Hossain, one of that country’s very few female directors. It’s a little too earnest, but real. (Streaming at https://viff.org ) 3½ out of 5
Damon Gameau, with his wife and daughter (for whom he made the film).
Some you already know. Solar power, for instance, but in Bangladesh, Gameau is told about mini power grids with which entire neighborhoods are linked to produce and share electricity. He visits 11 countries in all and hears ideas for changing agriculture (less monoculture, mixed crops, free grazing of animals and “re-generation”), reviving the oceans (“overturning circulation,” seaweed farming) and cutting greenhouse gasses (urban farming, shared on-demand cars). There’s much more, all perfectly understandable and logical. The film sprinkles tantalizing bits of information to back its thesis. Did you know that the United States imports as much beef as it exports? That two-thirds of Los Angeles is roads and parking lots? That one-third of all crops grown are for animal feed? It calls for less meat eating, not an outright ban. And one of the most promising weapons against global warming would be more education for women around the world. It's an unexpected highlight in this inspiring film. (VOD/EST.) 4 out of 5
PARASITE: The big winner at this year’s Academy Awards is back in a new version. The regular one has been available for streaming for over a week. This one is in black and white. No colour. Why? The director Bong Joon-Ho grew up watching movies in black and white on television and felt he wanted to recreate that experience. He says it is more realistic and feels more like a fable. I think it requires a cinema purist to appreciate that distinction. I didn’t have the same feeling.
Yes, the early parts in the family’s grim basement suite felt right, but I thought later, when they got to the modern, bright, architect-designed home, colour would have helped create the upscale ambience. However, we’ve seen enough classy homes in films from the 1930s and later that even that isn’t a detriment. What mostly comes apparent once again is how well this film is written. How it draws us into every step of the family’s deception and then the shock of what they find down in the bunker. Come to think of it, those later scenes are almost black and white anyway, so nothing is lost there. In either presentation, this is good for repeat viewing. (Available to rent or own at www.mk2mile-endmovies.com) 4½ out of 5
LOVE, SCOTT: Here’s a relatively brief, but very moving, story of a homophobic attack that created an activist. It’s a crisp documentary with the real facts about and the feelings of Scott Jones, who was beaten up outside a bar in Nova Scotia and remains paralyzed from the waist down. He recalls that he had checked out the guy in the bar and got a look back that every gay man knows well. The man was caught and sent to jail for 10 years, but the court records do not mention the gay part of the story or refer to the assault as a hate crime. “I we cannot name the attack for what it was. How can we begin to correct problem?” says Jones.
Courtesy National Film Board
Jones is now a speaker on gay issues, and the leader of a choir. The film by his friend Laura Marie Wayne shows scenes from three years of rehab, a trip back to where it happened, a first attempt to stand up, and a lot of thoughtful introspection about his life. He even tries to forgive, and in a particularly poignant sequence, writes his attacker a letter. They’re both prisoners, he writes, he paralyzed and the guy incarcerated. Another very good documentary that the National Film Board has put up for free streaming at https://www.nfb.ca/ 3½ out of 5
BECKY: Here’s a home invasion thriller that starts like many of its kind do. A brief setup with much edge-of-the-seat suspense expected to follow. You’ll be shocked by what comes, though. I haven’t seen a film this violent in some time.
Courtesy Quiver Distribution
It’s a bonding weekend at the lake gone wrong. Father (Joel McHale) announces to his teenage daughter (Lulu Wilson) that he’s ready to remarry. He hopes Becky will warm up to his girlfriend, who is also there. Becky does not. She’s angry that her mother died and accuses dad of disrespecting her memory. This little family drama is completely sidelined, though. Four convicts who’ve escaped from a prison transfer bus arrive looking for a lost dog, according to their leader (Kevin James, the former King of Queens and twice a Mall Cop). Not so, we suspect, since he’s got a swastika tattooed on his neck. And sure enough, he’s looking for something else. We never do find out what he’s really about. The film builds a vague sense of unease, then real suspense and then goes nuts. You’ll see all sorts of bloody damage caused by a ruler, coloured pencils, a car and a power lawnmower. It’s an American film well-made in Ontario, but as you might agree, for select audiences. (Available now on digital and on demand.) 3 out of 5
LAST MOMENT OF CLARITY: I’m not sure when that was because I didn’t feel it. When it’s not hobbled by an opaque plot, this film is strewn with improbabilities. If you like puzzles, this might be for you. It you want certainty, not so much.
Sam (Zach Avery) is hiding out in Paris and it takes a long time, through a lot of shards of flashback, to find out why and from whom. Actually, we don’t find all that out. Only that he sees a woman acting in a movie who he thinks is his girlfriend. He lived with her in New York, accidentally saw something Rear Window-like in an apartment window and had somebody come after him with a gun. The girlfriend died instead. So, how could she be alive, now with blond hair and making movies? He goes to Los Angeles to find out.
He does confront the actress, but she doesn’t recognize him. He runs into a distant friend from high school (Carly Chaikin), who sympathizes, but doubts his story. He thinks he’s losing his mind until a couple of Bulgarian mobsters come after him. If it made some sense, as in a Hitchcock movie, this might be good. But it’s got more energy than logic. Brian Cox and Udo Kier have small roles, and the one bright spot is Samara Weaving (niece of Hugo) as the actress. (Avalable now EST/VOD.) 2 out of 5
SURVIVE THE NIGHT: I hope Bruce Willis enjoys memories of his past movie successes because he’s not adding to them these days. He’s been in a run of weak films for some time now. Have you even heard of Trauma Center from last year? Well, he’s back working with the same director, Matt Eskandari, and this film is likely to fade away just as quickly. What’s worse, though his name is big in the promotion, he’s almost a secondary character in the film. He plays the father of a doctor (Chad Michael Murray) who is bankrupt after a malpractice lawsuit, but impelled to wield his scalpel again. Bruce is there to carp, then encourage, and later to regret that he hadn’t been a better father.
Courtesy VVS Films
In this home invasion thriller, two brothers barge in, one having taken a bullet in the leg during a gas station robbery and in need of a quick bit of surgery to get it out. The son starts the procedure (painfully), his dad, a retired sheriff, interrupts it by attacking with the scalpel, but gets slashed himself and is chased out into the woods. The film feels more and more contrived. The doc gets shot in the shoulder, but is ordered to finish the operation and a lot happens, including a car chase and wife and daughter imperiled, before he gets back to it. The incidents don’t feel genuine and, worse, don’t build the high suspense a film like this needs. (Available to buy or rent, EST/VOD, since Tuesday) 2 out of 5