nationalobserver--2020-08-21--The new EI and the government's three new benefits for workers explained

The federal government is switching up its relief programs for unemployed Canadians after doling out $ 69.37 billion to 8.61 million people across the country whose jobs were impacted by COVID-19 .
Here 's a look at how the new programs will work : What is happening to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and Employment Insurance ?
The government is extending the CERB by an additional four weeks , thus offering a maximum 28 weeks of benefits .
After that maximum is reached the government will launch a `` simplified '' EI program and three new kinds of benefits on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be able to transition to EI if they qualify under new parameters .
• Citizens appalled as boaters defying whale sanctuary get off with warning How many hours do you have to work to qualify for the new EI ?
Canadians will now qualify for EI after working as few as 120 insurable hours , the equivalent of about 3.5 weeks , in the last 52 weeks .
EI claimants will receive a one-time credit of about 300 insurable hours for claims , if they have lost their job , or 480 insurable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a sickness , pregnancy or parental , compassionate care or family caregiver reasons .
Those credits will be available for one year and retroactive to March 15 for claimants who wanted to switch from CERB to EI maternity , parental , compassionate care , family caregiver or work-sharing benefits , but were stopped because they did not meet the hourly requirements .
How much money will people receive ?
New EI claimants will receive at least $ 400 per week or $ 240 per week for extended parental benefits , if this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be .
The federal government is switching up its relief programs for unemployed Canadians after doling out $ 69.37 billion to 8.61 million people across the country whose jobs were impacted by COVID-19 .
Previous EI claimants were given 55 per cent of their average weekly earnings , up to a maximum $ 573 per week in 2020 .
What is happening to the EI premium rate ?
The EI premium rate is being frozen for two years at $ 1.58 per $ 100 in insurable earnings for employees and $ 2.21 per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What if I 'm self-employed or do n't qualify for EI ?
The first of the three new benefits is the Canada Recovery Benefit for workers who are self-employed or not EI-eligible and still require income support because their work has not yet returned due to COVID-19 .
This benefit will provide $ 400 per week for up to 26 weeks , while claimants continue to look for work .
They will be able to earn income from employment or self-employment while receiving the benefit , but need to repay 50 cents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ net income of $ 38,000 through their income tax return .
The benefit will be available Sept. 27 and paid in arrears .
What if I get sick or have to isolate for COVID-19 ?
The government will offer the new and temporary Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit to provide income support for workers that are sick or must self-isolate because of COVID-19 .
The benefit will offer $ 500 per week for up to two weeks and can not be received while claimants are also taking paid sick leave .
It is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What if I have to look after kids or family member ?
The government has announced the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit , a new and temporary program for workers who must miss work to care for a child under the age of 12 , a family member or dependant because schools , daycares or day program facilities are closed due to COVID-19 .
This benefit offers $ 500 per week for up to 26 weeks per household .
It may be shared , but only one member of a household at any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
Workers who prefer to keep dependents at home when facilities are open are not entitled to the benefit , which is effective Sept. 27 and paid in arrears too .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20 , 2020 .

The federal government is switching up its relief programs for unemployed Canadians after doling out $69.37 billion to 8.61 million people across the country whose jobs were impacted by COVID-19. Here's a look at how the new programs will work: What is happening to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and Employment Insurance? The government is extending the CERB by an additional four weeks, thus offering a maximum 28 weeks of benefits. After that maximum is reached the government will launch a "simplified" EI program and three new kinds of benefits on Sept. 27. Those on CERB will be able to transition to EI if they qualify under new parameters.
How many hours do you have to work to qualify for the new EI? Canadians will now qualify for EI after working as few as 120 insurable hours, the equivalent of about 3.5 weeks, in the last 52 weeks. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions EI claimants will receive a one-time credit of about 300 insurable hours for claims, if they have lost their job, or 480 insurable hours, if they have taken leave for a sickness, pregnancy or parental, compassionate care or family caregiver reasons.
Those credits will be available for one year and retroactive to March 15 for claimants who wanted to switch from CERB to EI maternity, parental, compassionate care, family caregiver or work-sharing benefits, but were stopped because they did not meet the hourly requirements. The federal government is switching up its relief programs for unemployed Canadians after doling out $69.37 billion to 8.61 million people across the country whose jobs were impacted by COVID-19. How much money will people receive? New EI claimants will receive at least $400 per week or $240 per week for extended parental benefits, if this is higher than their benefits would otherwise be. Previous EI claimants were given 55 per cent of their average weekly earnings, up to a maximum $573 per week in 2020. What is happening to the EI premium rate?
The EI premium rate is being frozen for two years at $1.58 per $100 in insurable earnings for employees and $2.21 per $100 in insurable earnings for employers. What if I'm self-employed or don't qualify for EI? The first of the three new benefits is the Canada Recovery Benefit for workers who are self-employed or not EI-eligible and still require income support because their work has not yet returned due to COVID-19.


nationalobserver--2020-08-21--Liberals rolling out $37B income support plan to replace CERB

The federal Liberals are rolling out a $ 37-billion income-support plan for workers whose earnings have crashed during the pandemic , providing a hint of future changes to the social safety net — and igniting a debate about what should stay .
The details released Thursday outline what the Liberals intend for some four million workers receiving the $ 500-a-week Canada Emergency Response Benefit , which is set to wind down starting next month .
The CERB will be extended another four weeks , and a new benefit that pays $ 400 a week for up to 26 weeks will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insurance , such as contract , self-employed and `` gig '' economy workers .
Anyone eligible for EI will get the same minimum for at least 26 weeks and will need to have worked 120 hours to qualify , well below current EI requirements , since many Canadians have been unable to work to the pandemic .
There will also be $ 500-a-week sickness benefit and caregiving benefit for anyone who has to stay home because they 're ill , or because school or daycare is closed .
• Citizens appalled as boaters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Changes are also coming to people to keep more of their benefits even while they 're working , eliminating the earnings cliff created under CERB that acted as a disincentive to work .
Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough said the changes were designed to give Canadians a longer-term view of the support they could receive , while also acknowledging the outlook beyond 2021 is uncertain .
She said the government 's upcoming throne speech will outline plans to close the gaps in the decades-old EI system , and redesign it to reflect how Canadians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` If there 's anything this pandemic has shown us , it is that our EI system has n't kept up with the way work has evolved and we now have a chance to fix that for the better , '' Qualtrough said .
The three new benefits are expected to cost $ 22 billion and will be brought in through legislation once the House of Commons returns after being prorogued this week .
The extension to the $ 80-billion CERB is expected to cost a further $ 8 billion , and $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and can be done through powers that Qualtrough already has to create temporary EI measures .
The federal Liberals are rolling out a $ 37-billion income-support plan for workers whose earnings have crashed during the pandemic , providing a hint of future changes to the social safety net — and igniting a debate about what should stay .
The costs are for one year , but are dependent on the course of the pandemic and how the labour market rebounds from historic job losses .
`` It is all about keeping things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DePratto wrote in a note .
`` The last thing the Canadian economy needs right now is for a large group of people to experience a sudden drop in incomes ( and by extension , spending ) that could disrupt the recovery process . ''
Hassan Yussuff , president of the Canadian Labour Congress , and Unifor national president Jerry Dias , said this will provide relief to worried workers , but emphasized the need for more permanent changes .
Ricardo Tranjan , a senior researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the safety net : `` There 's actually no good reason for not making them permanent right now , '' he said in an interview .
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business voiced concerns about how any permanent changes could increase costs for small businesses in the long run , which could also slow an economic recovery .
`` EI changes that may make sense during a worldwide pandemic may have massive unintended consequences in ordinary times , '' CFIB president Dan Kelly said in a statement .
EI premiums for employers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next two years , which newly minted Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said is intended to ease costs on employers to prod them to rehire workers .
Parliament is to resume Sept. 23 with a speech from the throne , leaving only a few days for legislative debate before the CERB expires .
NDP employment critic Daniel Blaikie said that means the people who need these benefits wo n't know for weeks if these changes will pass .
`` If job No .
1 was to give Canadians some meaningful certainty about their financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ achieved that , '' he said in an interview .
Conservative employment critic Dan Albas said shuffling Canadians between programs was n't a viable plan , and criticized the Liberals for being too slow to act .
`` This includes the Liberals ' refusal to fix the EI system for new and expecting parents , which they could have made months ago , '' Albas said in a statement .
`` Canadians are rightly concerned about falling through the cracks during this transition . ''
Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his party 's demands , but they should have been passed before Parliament was prorogued .
He warned Trudeau against `` holding workers and businesses hostage '' to the throne speech being adopted .
The government estimates about one million people will need the new workers ' benefit that replaces the CERB .
A further three million will go on the simplified EI program , which one federal official said is a number more typical to what would be seen over one year or two .
Officials spoke at a media briefing Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identified .
They also noted that 400,000 people will receive benefits who otherwise would n't have qualified for EI .
Since mid-March , the CERB has paid almost $ 69.4 billion in benefits to 8.61 million people , of which 4.1 million have since returned to the labour market .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20 , 2020 .

The federal Liberals are rolling out a $37-billion income-support plan for workers whose earnings have crashed during the pandemic, providing a hint of future changes to the social safety net — and igniting a debate about what should stay. The details released Thursday outline what the Liberals intend for some four million workers receiving the $500-a-week Canada Emergency Response Benefit, which is set to wind down starting next month. The CERB will be extended another four weeks, and a new benefit that pays $400 a week for up to 26 weeks will replace it for those ineligible for employment insurance, such as contract, self-employed and "gig" economy workers. Anyone eligible for EI will get the same minimum for at least 26 weeks and will need to have worked 120 hours to qualify, well below current EI requirements, since many Canadians have been unable to work to the pandemic. There will also be $500-a-week sickness benefit and caregiving benefit for anyone who has to stay home because they're ill, or because school or daycare is closed.
Changes are also coming to people to keep more of their benefits even while they're working, eliminating the earnings cliff created under CERB that acted as a disincentive to work. Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough said the changes were designed to give Canadians a longer-term view of the support they could receive, while also acknowledging the outlook beyond 2021 is uncertain. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions She said the government's upcoming throne speech will outline plans to close the gaps in the decades-old EI system, and redesign it to reflect how Canadians work now and into the future.
"If there's anything this pandemic has shown us, it is that our EI system hasn't kept up with the way work has evolved and we now have a chance to fix that for the better," Qualtrough said. The federal Liberals are rolling out a $37-billion income-support plan for workers whose earnings have crashed during the pandemic, providing a hint of future changes to the social safety net — and igniting a debate about what should stay. The three new benefits are expected to cost $22 billion and will be brought in through legislation once the House of Commons returns after being prorogued this week. The extension to the $80-billion CERB is expected to cost a further $8 billion, and $7 billion more to the EI system, and can be done through powers that Qualtrough already has to create temporary EI measures. The costs are for one year, but are dependent on the course of the pandemic and how the labour market rebounds from historic job losses. "It is all about keeping things smooth," TD senior economist Brian DePratto wrote in a note. "The last thing the Canadian economy needs right now is for a large group of people to experience a sudden drop in incomes (and by extension, spending) that could disrupt the recovery process."
Hassan Yussuff, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, and Unifor national president Jerry Dias, said this will provide relief to worried workers, but emphasized the need for more permanent changes. Ricardo Tranjan, a senior researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, said the changes address problems identified in the safety net: "There's actually no good reason for not making them permanent right now," he said in an interview. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business voiced concerns about how any permanent changes could increase costs for small businesses in the long run, which could also slow an economic recovery.


nationalobserver--2020-08-21--Laid off restaurant, hotel workers fear they're getting leftovers

Twenty-four weeks ago , COVID-19 brought Canada to a standstill .
A wait that , for chefs , cooks , and other laid-off employees , has no end in sight .
It ’ s a difficult situation , said Michelle Travis , a representative from UNITE HERE Local 40 .
The union represents people working in B.C.
’ s commercial kitchens , hotels , and airports — hard-hit industries that have relied on extensions of the province ’ s layoff laws that are keeping workers in limbo .
“ There ’ s no protection for workers to get their jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January and July 2019 , about 190,000 people worked in hospitality and food services .
Close to 40 per cent of hospitality and restaurant workers in B.C .
were laid off when the pandemic struck .
Some have returned , but many are still laid off and face an uncertain future .
Photo by peakpx .
When the pandemic hit in March , almost 40 per cent of those workers were laid off .
Many haven ’ t returned : Between January and July 2020 , only about 150,000 people were working in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boaters defying whale sanctuary get off with warning In normal times , B.C.
’ s labour laws let employers temporarily lay off workers for 13 weeks .
After this period , they either need to rehire the employee or give them severance pay .
“ The business community really came down hard ( on the province ) to say , we can ’ t pay out severance , 'We need you to give us a delay , ' ” said Travis .
The labour ministry heeded the call .
In late June , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24 weeks .
That extension runs out at the end of August , but businesses that can ’ t bring back their employees can apply for additional extensions .
That 's on top of other business supports provided by the federal and provincial governments .
This lets businesses keep their workers laid off indefinitely , with no requirements to recall workers once business picks up again .
“ You might have had 20 years in this job , and then there ’ s a pandemic and the employer gets to just fire you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It makes no sense , ” said employment lawyer Susanna Quail .
“ This change is giving a gift to employers ( by ) deferring their obligations to pay all their severance payments without requiring them to actually rehire anyone down the road , ” she said .
Most hotels in the province are still operating with a skeleton staff as visitor numbers to the province remain low .
Photo by pxfuel .
Hotels and restaurants have struggled during the pandemic and it ’ s understandable they needed to lay off most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The issue , she said , is that the province isn ’ t mandating employers to give priority to their laid-off workers as their businesses start to recover .
“ It ’ s in everyone ’ s best interest to keep workers and employers connected — and the B.C .
government is focused on maintaining that relationship to protect jobs , ” the labour ministry said in an email .
“ Labour Minister Harry Bains has made it clear he expects employers and workers to work together so when businesses reopen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a success prior to the pandemic have a job to go back to.
” She ’ s heard from some hotel workers who have been laid off without severance , with their employer citing pandemic-related losses to avoid the payment .
Others have been forced to relinquish their full-time status — and the rights to severance and vacation pay it entails — to keep their jobs .
“ That ’ s the most egregious thing we ’ ve heard so far , ” she said .
Laid-off workers are eligible for the Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the pandemic , in addition to EI once it expires .
They can also take other gigs — but only if they can return to their original jobs on short notice .
Quail noted that many hospitality workers , especially those who are unionized , have a lot to lose if they are fired or quit .
Unionized workers who ’ ve been with the same employer for several years can accrue significant vacation time , pay raises , and other benefits — all of which are lost if they are fired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Gov't had to shut down the tourism industry .
50k # hotelworkers are out of work .
Now , the tourism industry wants the Gov't to give them $ 680 million.
# bcpoli # cdnpoli # canlab # bclab @ lisabeare @ HarryBainsSN @ jjhorgan @ carolejames @ michellemungall pic.twitter.com/gXfdWo1cKH — Unite Here Local 40 ( @ UniteHere40 ) July 31 , 2020 Keeping those benefits is a major incentive for these employees to agree to an extended layoff — even if there ’ s no certainty they will be rehired when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
It ’ s a situation that hotel workers have been protesting by holding a hunger strike in Victoria for almost two weeks .
“ A lot ( of these workers ) are immigrant women , people with limited education , limited other opportunities to get a unionized job and stay in a hotel for decades , ” said Quail .
“ You might have had 20 years in this job , and then there ’ s a pandemic and the employer gets to just fire you and start from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”

Twenty-four weeks ago, COVID-19 brought Canada to a standstill. A wait that, for chefs, cooks, and other laid-off employees, has no end in sight. It’s a difficult situation, said Michelle Travis, a representative from UNITE HERE Local 40. The union represents people working in B.C.’s commercial kitchens, hotels, and airports — hard-hit industries that have relied on extensions of the province’s layoff laws that are keeping workers in limbo. “There’s no protection for workers to get their jobs back,” said Travis. Between January and July 2019, about 190,000 people worked in hospitality and food services. Close to 40 per cent of hospitality and restaurant workers in B.C. were laid off when the pandemic struck. Some have returned, but many are still laid off and face an uncertain future. Photo by peakpx.
When the pandemic hit in March, almost 40 per cent of those workers were laid off. Many haven’t returned: Between January and July 2020, only about 150,000 people were working in the sector. In normal times, B.C.’s labour laws let employers temporarily lay off workers for 13 weeks. After this period, they either need to rehire the employee or give them severance pay. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “The business community really came down hard (on the province) to say, we can’t pay out severance, 'We need you to give us a delay,'” said Travis.
The labour ministry heeded the call. In late June, it almost doubled this window, to 24 weeks. That extension runs out at the end of August, but businesses that can’t bring back their employees can apply for additional extensions. That's on top of other business supports provided by the federal and provincial governments. “You might have had 20 years in this job, and then there’s a pandemic and the employer gets to just fire you and start from the beginning again? It makes no sense,” said employment lawyer Susanna Quail. This lets businesses keep their workers laid off indefinitely, with no requirements to recall workers once business picks up again. It’s a situation that leaves Vancouver-based employment lawyer Susanna Quail perplexed. “This change is giving a gift to employers (by) deferring their obligations to pay all their severance payments without requiring them to actually rehire anyone down the road,” she said. Most hotels in the province are still operating with a skeleton staff as visitor numbers to the province remain low. Photo by pxfuel.
Hotels and restaurants have struggled during the pandemic and it’s understandable they needed to lay off most of their staff and ask for provincial assistance. The issue, she said, is that the province isn’t mandating employers to give priority to their laid-off workers as their businesses start to recover. “It’s in everyone’s best interest to keep workers and employers connected — and the B.C. government is focused on maintaining that relationship to protect jobs,” the labour ministry said in an email. “Labour Minister Harry Bains has made it clear he expects employers and workers to work together so when businesses reopen, those workers who helped the business be a success prior to the pandemic have a job to go back to.”


nationalobserver--2020-08-21--Ontario student says school’s inaction exacerbated hallway racism

Morgan Reevie doesn ’ t want to return to the classroom come September , but it ’ s not the COVID-19 pandemic that worries the Grade 11 student .
She fears she will experience more anti-Black racism .
Reevie says it 's something school administrators at I.E .
Weldon Secondary School in Lindsay , a small town near Peterborough , Ont.
, have done little to confront .
“ I do n't want to go to school anymore , ” she said .
“ I used to like school , but it makes me just want to stay home and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will give the classroom another try , but that a lot of her friends of colour have decided to learn online instead .
• Citizens appalled as boaters defying whale sanctuary get off with warning The experiences of Reevie and other Black students at Weldon are a snapshot into a wider problem that racialized students say plays out in schools across the province .
Black students , especially boys , are much more likely to be pushed out of school or directed away from university in a process education experts say can begin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administrators who underestimate or even fear them .
Reevie said that low-level discrimination from other students developed into something more serious in the wake of last year ’ s revelations that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wore blackface and brownface in 2001 while he was a teacher , and earlier when he was still in high school .
Soon after , several students took photos of themselves in the school hallway and applied blackface filters before sharing them on the social media app Snapchat .
When this was brought to the school 's attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told to get over it , Reevie said .
A student who complained about the racist behaviour of some of her peers at an Ontario school says the inadequate response from administrators emboldened further offensive behaviour .
A photograph shared on social media among students at I.E .
Weldon Secondary School in Lindsay , Ont.
, after the emergence last year of photographs of the prime minister wearing blackface and brownface .
National Observer has blurred the faces to protect the identity of minors .
Three weeks later , the involved students were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident , but one of the main protagonists didn ’ t show up , Reevie said .
The school did not reach out to those who brought the complaint again , and appeared to do nothing else about it , she added .
“ They had a healing circle to try to talk about the racism , but it was n't made mandatory for the students who were involved , ” Reevie said .
The lack of consequences seemed to embolden that student and others , she said , and they started saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more blackface photos , and saying ignorant and offensive things in relation to the death of George Floyd and the subsequent U.S. protests against police brutality in group chats during the COVID-19 lockdown .
“ I think that 's what led to him being ignorant and saying racist things again , because the first time , the school did n't make it mandatory for him to show up .
They called him into the office and basically said , ‘ Let 's not do that again ’ and sent him back to class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the original photo and the one who Reevie said did not attend the meeting all declined to comment for this story .
Reevie said the school did not act on these subsequent incidents either , despite the complaints she and other students raised .
In fact , she said Black students would get in trouble for standing up against the racism they experienced , with one being told they were creating a “ hostile environment ” by confronting another student in the hallway .
Weldon changed principals earlier in 2019 , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Collegiate and Vocational Institute , and Ray Este joining Weldon from nearby Fenelon Falls Secondary School .
In response to emails laying out Reevie 's complaints , Este said disciplinary matters are not public information , and he would n't speak about specific incidents or students .
Asked to respond to the broader question of whether the school adequately addresses instances of racist behaviour by students , Este said concerns had been raised recently by several students and community members about Weldon and other schools in the Trillium Lakes District School Board .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern as we are aware that systemic racism exists in our community , ” he said in an email .
“ Any time school administration is made aware of any racist behaviour by students , it will be investigated and there will continue to be consequences based on our code of conduct , ” he added .
“ I can assure you that student behaviour is addressed when we are made aware of it .
We also do thorough investigations , which take time and do not just have a knee-jerk reaction to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school , regardless of what it relates to.
” He said that because the school does not share information about consequences given to students “ the perception may be that an issue has not been addressed.
” “ Racism is not tolerated , and will not be tolerated , at our school , ” he concluded .
“ If I am made aware of any racialized , stigmatizing behaviour by any of our students , it will be addressed immediately.
” Cossarin , the former long-time Weldon principal , also said the Trillium @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of conduct that includes steps for progressive discipline and that racist behaviours are covered by the code .
Catherine Shedden , a spokesperson for the board , said she could n't speak to the specific allegations , citing student privacy .
But she said it is “ strongly encouraged ” for those involved in a dispute to participate in “ restorative practices , ” and that parents would be informed in any instance where an infraction may have occurred .
“ We take any incidences of racist behaviour or words very seriously , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of making sure that there is some professional development occurring in the new school year addressing equity with our staff and providing resources for them to bring into the classroom , ” Shedden said .
Reevie said the board had responded constructively in recent weeks , and that she had been invited to take part in a Ministry of Education video conference call on steps the province is taking to confront racism .

Morgan Reevie doesn’t want to return to the classroom come September, but it’s not the COVID-19 pandemic that worries the Grade 11 student. She fears she will experience more anti-Black racism. Reevie says it's something school administrators at I.E. Weldon Secondary School in Lindsay, a small town near Peterborough, Ont., have done little to confront. “I don't want to go to school anymore,” she said. “I used to like school, but it makes me just want to stay home and do online schooling.” Reevie said she will give the classroom another try, but that a lot of her friends of colour have decided to learn online instead.
The experiences of Reevie and other Black students at Weldon are a snapshot into a wider problem that racialized students say plays out in schools across the province. Black students, especially boys, are much more likely to be pushed out of school or directed away from university in a process education experts say can begin in elementary school and involves teachers and administrators who underestimate or even fear them.
Emboldened Reevie said that low-level discrimination from other students developed into something more serious in the wake of last year’s revelations that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wore blackface and brownface in 2001 while he was a teacher, and earlier when he was still in high school. A student who complained about the racist behaviour of some of her peers at an Ontario school says the inadequate response from administrators emboldened further offensive behaviour. Soon after, several students took photos of themselves in the school hallway and applied blackface filters before sharing them on the social media app Snapchat. When this was brought to the school's attention by some Black students, they were told to get over it, Reevie said. A photograph shared on social media among students at I.E. Weldon Secondary School in Lindsay, Ont., after the emergence last year of photographs of the prime minister wearing blackface and brownface. National Observer has blurred the faces to protect the identity of minors. Three weeks later, the involved students were invited by the school to discuss the incident, but one of the main protagonists didn’t show up, Reevie said. The school did not reach out to those who brought the complaint again, and appeared to do nothing else about it, she added.
“They had a healing circle to try to talk about the racism, but it wasn't made mandatory for the students who were involved,” Reevie said. The lack of consequences seemed to embolden that student and others, she said, and they started saying the N-word in the hallway, sharing more blackface photos, and saying ignorant and offensive things in relation to the death of George Floyd and the subsequent U.S. protests against police brutality in group chats during the COVID-19 lockdown. “I think that's what led to him being ignorant and saying racist things again, because the first time, the school didn't make it mandatory for him to show up. They called him into the office and basically said, ‘Let's not do that again’ and sent him back to class,” she said.


nationalobserver--2020-08-21--Chrystia Freeland’s golden opportunity

Chrystia Freeland’s golden opportunity

To make matters even more interesting , the country is divided .
Like so many times in the past , it ’ s divided along political lines , with a minority government and five parties jockeying for position in the House .
But just as importantly , COVID-19 has revealed deep rifts in a Canadian society that is divided along the lines of income , gender , and race .
• Citizens appalled as boaters defying whale sanctuary get off with warning This is the Canada the prime minister contemplates as he drafts next month ’ s speech from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justin Trudeau ’ s goals are ambitious : to lift the country out of recession , to address inequality , and to transform the economy in response to the ongoing climate emergency .
Minister Freeland ’ s job is to finance those plans , and to do so , she must begin with an assessment of where we are now .
We have learned a lot about the pandemic and its economic impact since the Canada Emergency Response Benefit ( CERB ) was first introduced in mid-March .
While most higher-income Canadians continued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from home during the shutdown , many more low-wage workers found themselves either unemployed or compelled to keep working at essential services that put their health and the health of their families at risk .
Since the economy has started to reopen , women with children under 12 have lagged far behind men and other women in recouping their hours lost during the shutdown .
Racialized Canadians , who are overrepresented in low-wage occupations and industries , are facing both higher rates of COVID-19 and higher unemployment rates .
`` This is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For this plan to work , we must spend big .
And that is where Chrystia Freeland must shine . ''
We have also learned that decades of underfunding of public services and a tattered social safety net have worsened the impact of the pandemic .
Public programs from long-term care to child care to employment insurance ( EI ) have not been up to the challenge of COVID-19 .
Even federal government computer systems have been taxed .
But the pandemic has had a silver lining : It has shown Canadians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a government can take quick , decisive action that solves problems and makes life better for everyone .
We have been reminded of the value of public services and the public sector in our lives .
As the pandemic continues and the climate emergency deepens , we can see clearly now that governments must take on a larger role in the economy and in society .
The throne speech must set out concrete parameters for the government ’ s recovery plan that go beyond repeating the words “ green , equitable and inclusive.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ its plan to broaden access to EI and provide new income supports for unemployed workers who don ’ t qualify for EI for the next year .
The ministers said the estimated costs for this were about $ 29 billion .
That suggests a government that ’ s willing to spend money to support Canadians ’ incomes , at least over the next year , but Parliament must approve the plan when it meets in September .
And this is still a minority government .
In addition to income supports , any recovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public services , with universal public child care at the top of the agenda so women can get back to work .
A plan to decarbonize the economy means signalling a definitive end to the fossil fuel era and ushering in a new vision for Canada : A diversified , green economy that works for workers and communities , serves the well-being of society , and drastically cuts our greenhouse gas emissions .
This is no time for half measures or pilot projects .
For this plan to work , we must spend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Freeland must shine .
Freeland ’ s predecessor reportedly balked at new spending that could potentially equal what has already been shelled out for the COVID-19 response .
Bill Morneau shouldn ’ t have .
While the federal debt-to-GDP ratio has risen , the books are still in much better shape than they were through much of the 1990s .
Interest rates have plunged to levels not seen since the Second World War , so much so that the cost of servicing today ’ s debt is actually lower than it was six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is an investment , not a problem .
Nonetheless , we will need more revenue to pay for an increased role for government and a less unequal society .
That means raising taxes .
Federal tax revenues as a share of GDP are down substantially from where they were a generation ago .
This change has fed inequality , leaving more and more of the country ’ s wealth in the hands of those who need it least .
Despite COVID-19 , Canada remains a rich country , but some redistribution is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support workers to everyone else who has been shortchanged by this economy , we all deserve a fair share of the wealth we have created together .
Reforming tax rules that overwhelmingly benefit the rich is the tool to make it happen .
Minister Freeland has a clean slate , a rich country , and a golden opportunity in front of her .
It ’ s a great time to be the finance minister of Canada .

There’s a global pandemic. A deep recession. And a federal budget deficit the size of last year’s revenues. Chrystia Freeland is becoming finance minister in interesting times. To make matters even more interesting, the country is divided. Like so many times in the past, it’s divided along political lines, with a minority government and five parties jockeying for position in the House. But just as importantly, COVID-19 has revealed deep rifts in a Canadian society that is divided along the lines of income, gender, and race.
This is the Canada the prime minister contemplates as he drafts next month’s speech from the throne. Based on news reports, Justin Trudeau’s goals are ambitious: to lift the country out of recession, to address inequality, and to transform the economy in response to the ongoing climate emergency. Minister Freeland’s job is to finance those plans, and to do so, she must begin with an assessment of where we are now. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions
We have learned a lot about the pandemic and its economic impact since the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) was first introduced in mid-March. "This is no time for half measures or pilot projects. For this plan to work, we must spend big. And that is where Chrystia Freeland must shine." While most higher-income Canadians continued to earn their salaries and safely work from home during the shutdown, many more low-wage workers found themselves either unemployed or compelled to keep working at essential services that put their health and the health of their families at risk. Since the economy has started to reopen, women with children under 12 have lagged far behind men and other women in recouping their hours lost during the shutdown. Racialized Canadians, who are overrepresented in low-wage occupations and industries, are facing both higher rates of COVID-19 and higher unemployment rates. We have also learned that decades of underfunding of public services and a tattered social safety net have worsened the impact of the pandemic. Public programs from long-term care to child care to employment insurance (EI) have not been up to the challenge of COVID-19. Even federal government computer systems have been taxed.
But the pandemic has had a silver lining: It has shown Canadians that, in a real crisis, a government can take quick, decisive action that solves problems and makes life better for everyone. We have been reminded of the value of public services and the public sector in our lives. As the pandemic continues and the climate emergency deepens, we can see clearly now that governments must take on a larger role in the economy and in society.


nationalobserver--2020-08-21--As Ottawa agrees to land talks with Six Nations, Ford pledges to ‘protect’ police

The federal government agreed Friday to negotiate a land claim with Six Nations of the Grand River after weeks of tension , but Ontario Premier Doug Ford struck a different tone .
“ It does n't matter who you are , where you 're from , whatever you 're doing , you come after the police , you 're darn right I 'm going to protect our police , ” Ford told reporters Friday in a joint press conference with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau .
Since July 19 , Haudenosaunee people and allies have been peacefully occupying a construction site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that ’ s slated for a housing development .
The demonstrators have renamed the site 1492 Land Back Lane , and say the area is part of a disputed tract of land that was promised to Six Nations .
The people at 1492 Land Back Lane , who identify themselves as land defenders , also say the community wasn ’ t properly consulted about the development , McKenzie Meadows .
Six Nations of the Grand River have pushed the provincial and federal governments to settle claims to the disputed land for decades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resolved , not even after a 2006 conflict .
Federal ministers agreed Friday to sit down and negotiate with Six Nations , CBC reported .
• Citizens appalled as boaters defying whale sanctuary get off with warning “ We need to come together to find a peaceful resolution for this that involves the entire community , ” Trudeau told reporters Friday , moments before Ford commented on the dispute .
“ I look forward to continuing to work seriously on finding the right path forward for everyone in the region.
” Tensions have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of July after the company that bought the lot , Foxgate Development , got a court injunction to force the land defenders to leave .
Ontario Provincial Police arrested people at the site on Aug. 5 , and said rocks were thrown at officers .
The group soon returned to 1492 Land Back Lane , and more supporters arrived earlier this week , but police remain in the area and could enforce the court order again at any time .
The day after the clash , Ford said he was disappointed .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take over people 's future homes .
It 's wrong , ” he added .
Then , on Thursday , Ford said he thought dialogue was a better way to solve the issue .
“ I do n't care who you are , you start attacking our police , I 'll come out swinging , simple as that , ” he said .
( Ford made the statement with a row of OPP officers standing behind him as he announced funding for 200 more provincial police hires , a contentious decision as many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policing and support grows for movements aimed at defunding police . )
The federal government agreed Friday to negotiate a land claim with Six Nations of the Grand River after weeks of tension , but Ontario Premier Doug Ford struck a different tone .
# onpoli Ford doubled down on the comments Friday , saying his job is to protect all Ontario residents , “ including the Indigenous community and our police officers.
” Ontario Premier Doug Ford , with a line of police behind him , announces funding for 200 more OPP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday night , 1492 Land Back Lane accused Ford of stoking further tension .
The group has worked with the OPP to take down barricades , but rhetoric from Ford and other local politicians encourages vigilantes who have come to Six Nations and started conflicts , the statement said .
“ We are here because we are committed to upholding our sacred responsibility to the land and future generations , ” said spokesperson Skyler Williams in the statement .
“ Every day our community makes progress in our discussions and our healing from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The tactics , timelines , and threats of the OPP and politicians are unrealistic and unreasonable given how complex the issues are that are being dealt with here.
” In the statement , 1492 Land Back Lane asked Ford for an apology .
Dispute over territory goes back to 1784 The Six Nations are the Mohawk , Seneca , Oneida , Cayuga , Onondaga and Tuscarora .
Originally , the nations — also known as the Haudenosaunee Confederacy — lived in what is now New York state .
Many members of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Revolution because the British promised they could go back to their homelands .
But in the end , the British ceded the Haudenosaunee territory to the United States without the nations ’ consent .
In 1784 , Thayendanegea ( also known as Joseph Brant ) secured a tract of land for many of the Six Nations people on the Grand River , which flows through southwestern Ontario , from then-Quebec governor Sir Frederick Haldimand .
Haldimand promised Thayendanegea 10 kilometres of land on either side of the waterway from its source until it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the meaning of that land transfer started almost immediately .
One major problem : Haldimand had promised Six Nations land at the Grand River ’ s headwaters that the Crown didn ’ t actually own .
Canada later bought that land , but did not transfer it to Six Nations as Haldimand originally promised .
Much of the remaining land was later leased , though Six Nations have said the community wasn ’ t compensated for many of those leases .
About five per cent of the land Haldimand originally promised currently belongs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McKenzie Meadows is slated to be built doesn ’ t belong to Canada , the land defenders say .
“ The Haldimand Proclamation pre-dates Canada as a country , ” 1492 Land Back Lane said in the statement Thursday night .
“ Our community has existed here for over 200 years and our rights and title are entrenched in the Canadian Constitution .
Denial of this reality is racist and validates people who wish to cause harm to our people.
” Part of the problem , the land defenders say , is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t properly consulted .
In a situation that has echoes of the Wet ’ suwet ’ en land title dispute that led to widespread protests in early 2020 , the Six Nations ’ elected chief and council agreed to support the McKenzie Meadows development , while the hereditary Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council has come out in support of the demonstrators .
The elected council accepted $ 352,000 from Foxgate to publicly support the development and help quell protests , APTN reported .
Community members at 1492 Land Back Lane have said they weren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t consent to that decision .
It ’ s not clear when discussions between the federal government and Six Nations will begin .
In its statement , 1492 Land Back Lane said it will continue to occupy the site and secure a good future for Six Nations people .
“ By continuing to criminalize Indigenous Peoples , the province and its police force maintain their colonial legacy of racism , inhumanity and genocide , ” the statement said .

The federal government agreed Friday to negotiate a land claim with Six Nations of the Grand River after weeks of tension, but Ontario Premier Doug Ford struck a different tone. “It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, whatever you're doing, you come after the police, you're darn right I'm going to protect our police,” Ford told reporters Friday in a joint press conference with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Since July 19, Haudenosaunee people and allies have been peacefully occupying a construction site in Caledonia, Ont., near Hamilton, that’s slated for a housing development. The demonstrators have renamed the site 1492 Land Back Lane, and say the area is part of a disputed tract of land that was promised to Six Nations. The people at 1492 Land Back Lane, who identify themselves as land defenders, also say the community wasn’t properly consulted about the development, McKenzie Meadows. Six Nations of the Grand River have pushed the provincial and federal governments to settle claims to the disputed land for decades, but the issues have never been resolved, not even after a 2006 conflict. Federal ministers agreed Friday to sit down and negotiate with Six Nations, CBC reported.
“We need to come together to find a peaceful resolution for this that involves the entire community,” Trudeau told reporters Friday, moments before Ford commented on the dispute. “I look forward to continuing to work seriously on finding the right path forward for everyone in the region.” Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Tensions have simmered at the site since the end of July after the company that bought the lot, Foxgate Development, got a court injunction to force the land defenders to leave.
Ontario Provincial Police arrested people at the site on Aug. 5, and said rocks were thrown at officers. The group soon returned to 1492 Land Back Lane, and more supporters arrived earlier this week, but police remain in the area and could enforce the court order again at any time. The federal government agreed Friday to negotiate a land claim with Six Nations of the Grand River after weeks of tension, but Ontario Premier Doug Ford struck a different tone. #onpoli The day after the clash, Ford said he was disappointed. “You just can't go in and take over people's future homes. It's wrong,” he added. Then, on Thursday, Ford said he thought dialogue was a better way to solve the issue. “I don't care who you are, you start attacking our police, I'll come out swinging, simple as that,” he said. (Ford made the statement with a row of OPP officers standing behind him as he announced funding for 200 more provincial police hires, a contentious decision as many Canadians call attention to racial discrimination in policing and support grows for movements aimed at defunding police.) Ford doubled down on the comments Friday, saying his job is to protect all Ontario residents, “including the Indigenous community and our police officers.” Ontario Premier Doug Ford, with a line of police behind him, announces funding for 200 more OPP officers on Thursday.
In a statement Thursday night, 1492 Land Back Lane accused Ford of stoking further tension. The group has worked with the OPP to take down barricades, but rhetoric from Ford and other local politicians encourages vigilantes who have come to Six Nations and started conflicts, the statement said. “We are here because we are committed to upholding our sacred responsibility to the land and future generations,” said spokesperson Skyler Williams in the statement. “Every day our community makes progress in our discussions and our healing from the generations of oppression we have experienced. The tactics, timelines, and threats of the OPP and politicians are unrealistic and unreasonable given how complex the issues are that are being dealt with here.”


nationalobserver--2020-08-21--Nuclear giants team up to develop reactors in Sask. and Ontario

Canada ’ s leading nuclear industry players announced an inter-provincial corporate partnership Thursday to support the launch of a research centre that will work on developing small modular reactors ( SMRs ) for use in Saskatchewan .
Saskatoon-based Cameco is the world ’ s biggest uranium producer and has long supplied fuel to Bruce Power , Ontario ’ s largest nuclear power company .
SMRs are designed to produce smaller amounts of electricity , between 50 and 300 megawatts , without the emissions usually associated with power generation .
All the uranium mines in Canada are in Saskatchewan while processing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , research and waste management happen on a national scale with nuclear power stations in Ontario and New Brunswick .
Source : Natural Resources Canada .
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said nuclear power is a critical part of the solution to climate change and will help rural and remote communities as a new base for the electrical grid .
“ We are not going to be able to deal with things like climate change or very broad issues if we are not going to commit to integrating nuclear power into our systems .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ solutions .
We simply are unable to get the job done without it , ” Moe said .
In December , Moe signed a memorandum of understanding with the premiers of Ontario and New Brunswick to work together on further developing the nuclear industry .
The partnership between Cameco and Bruce Power will also research developing infrastructure for hydrogen technologies and cancer-fighting isotopes .
“ This new initiative will help drive Ontario-made and Canadian-made innovation for these emerging technologies and support our province ’ s economic recovery , ” Ontario Premier Doug Ford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Manufacturing Inc .
Uranium dioxide powder is refined into fuel .
Powder is checked for consistency to make pellets for use in fuel bundles .
Photo courtesy of Cameco Corp .
This agreement comes on the heels of Saskatchewan announcing a nuclear secretariat to make way for reactors .
“ That technology is a long ways away and a lot of it ’ s going to depend on ... the court of public opinion , whether or not people want that in their own backyard , and that ’ s the whole issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dobni .
The secretariat is mandated to develop and execute a strategic plan for the use of “ clean-energy small modular reactors ” in the province .
“ The deployment of small modular reactors in Saskatchewan will require collaboration with several partners to fully encompass the benefits Saskatchewan could see in way of jobs , enhanced value chains for Saskatchewan ’ s uranium , and our made-in-Saskatchewan climate policy , ” Environment Minister Dustin Duncan said in June .
No timeframe or SMR sites were included in the announcement , but the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents raising alarms .
Committee for Future Generations outreach co-ordinator Candyce Paul of La Plonge at the English River First Nation told Canada ’ s National Observer that they haven ’ t been consulted on any aspects of the plan , but all signs point to the north as a site for the reactors .
Paul ’ s group fights nuclear waste storage in Saskatchewan and was instrumental in stopping a proposal that considered Beauval , Pinehouse and Creighton as storage locations in 2011 .
Candyce Paul at her office in La Plonge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Photograph courtesy of Candyce Paul .
“ When we informed the communities that they were looking at planning to bury nuclear waste up here in 2011 , once they learned what that entailed , everybody said no way .
Eighty per cent of the people in the north said no way , absolutely not .
It didn ’ t matter if they worked for Cameco or the other mines .
They said if it comes here , we will not support it coming here , ” she said .
Paul said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat to the environment and to human safety in the region .
She noted that even with SMRs under 300 megawatts , nuclear waste is a byproduct .
“ Even if they ’ re not burying nuclear waste here , they could be leaving it on site or hauling it through our northern regions and across our waterways , ” Paul said .
An illustration showcasing a Rolls Royce reactor module , one of the many SMR designs currently being developed , on a truck .
Many such modular reactors are designed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or shipping container .
( Rolls Royce ) She said that waste generated from SMRs would become a dangerous part of the transportation system “ even if they do remove it.
” “ It will be big , big transports of highly radioactive stuff , driving down the roads as an easy dirty bomb .
You ’ d be driving down the road ( behind a nuclear waste transport vehicle ) and not know you ’ re following it , ” Paul said .
Paul said the intent behind installing SMRs is anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to prop up Saskatchewan ’ s ailing uranium industry and develop oilsands in the northwest .
An oil sands extraction facility is reflected in a tailings pond near the city of Fort McMurray , Alberta on Sunday , June 1 , 2014 .
File photo by The Canadian Press/Jason Franson Paul said that communities around Canada , and especially in the Far North , have long been pitched as sites for SMR development and have refused .
A 2018 brief from Pangnirtung Hamlet Council in Nunavut concluded “ any Arctic-based nuclear power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of last resort.
” “ None of our people are going to get trained for operating these .
It supports people from other places .
It does n't really support us , ” Paul said .
SMRs have been pitched in the north as a way to move away from reliance on diesel fuel , which can be costly .
Paul said any benefits of that remain to be seen .
She said companies would need to do environmental impact assessments for smaller reactors even though the exclusion zone around SMR sites is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zone is only a few kilometres , a few kilometres affects a lot in an ecosystem and especially in an ecosystem that is wild , ” Paul said .
The Montreal River in northeast Saskatchewan .
Photo by Michael Bramadat-Willcock .
“ I ’ m not feeling confident in this at all , Canadian nuclear laboratories saying that it would only be a small radius exclusion zone .
Well that ’ s our territory .
That ’ s our land , our waters , our wildlife .
`` It ’ s not their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care less.
” Brooke Dobni , professor of strategy at the University of Saskatchewan ’ s Edwards School of Business , told Canada ’ s National Observer that any development of small reactors would take a long time .
“ It could be a good thing , but on the other hand , it might have some pitfalls .
Those talks take years , ” Dobni said .
He said nuclear reactors face bigger challenges because of public concerns about the environment and that the high cost of building infrastructure and then containing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before they can go ahead .
“ Anything nuclear is 25 years out if you ’ re talking about small reactors , those kinds of things to power up the city , ” Dobni said .
“ That technology is a long ways away and a lot of it ’ s going to depend on public opinion .
The court for that is the court of public opinion , whether or not people want that in their own backyard , and that ’ s the whole issue anywhere in the world .
”

Canada’s leading nuclear industry players announced an inter-provincial corporate partnership Thursday to support the launch of a research centre that will work on developing small modular reactors (SMRs) for use in Saskatchewan. Saskatoon-based Cameco is the world’s biggest uranium producer and has long supplied fuel to Bruce Power, Ontario’s largest nuclear power company. SMRs are designed to produce smaller amounts of electricity, between 50 and 300 megawatts, without the emissions usually associated with power generation. All the uranium mines in Canada are in Saskatchewan while processing, refining, conversion, fuel fabrication, research and waste management happen on a national scale with nuclear power stations in Ontario and New Brunswick. Source: Natural Resources Canada. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said nuclear power is a critical part of the solution to climate change and will help rural and remote communities as a new base for the electrical grid.
“We are not going to be able to deal with things like climate change or very broad issues if we are not going to commit to integrating nuclear power into our systems. It has to be part of the solutions. We simply are unable to get the job done without it,” Moe said. In December, Moe signed a memorandum of understanding with the premiers of Ontario and New Brunswick to work together on further developing the nuclear industry. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The partnership between Cameco and Bruce Power will also research developing infrastructure for hydrogen technologies and cancer-fighting isotopes.
“This new initiative will help drive Ontario-made and Canadian-made innovation for these emerging technologies and support our province’s economic recovery,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said. “That technology is a long ways away and a lot of it’s going to depend on... the court of public opinion, whether or not people want that in their own backyard, and that’s the whole issue anywhere in the world," Brooke Dobni. An employee at Cameco Fuel Manufacturing Inc. Uranium dioxide powder is refined into fuel. Powder is checked for consistency to make pellets for use in fuel bundles. Photo courtesy of Cameco Corp. This agreement comes on the heels of Saskatchewan announcing a nuclear secretariat to make way for reactors. The secretariat is mandated to develop and execute a strategic plan for the use of “clean-energy small modular reactors” in the province. “The deployment of small modular reactors in Saskatchewan will require collaboration with several partners to fully encompass the benefits Saskatchewan could see in way of jobs, enhanced value chains for Saskatchewan’s uranium, and our made-in-Saskatchewan climate policy,” Environment Minister Dustin Duncan said in June.
No timeframe or SMR sites were included in the announcement, but the government’s plans already have some northern residents raising alarms. Committee for Future Generations outreach co-ordinator Candyce Paul of La Plonge at the English River First Nation told Canada’s National Observer that they haven’t been consulted on any aspects of the plan, but all signs point to the north as a site for the reactors. Paul’s group fights nuclear waste storage in Saskatchewan and was instrumental in stopping a proposal that considered Beauval, Pinehouse and Creighton as storage locations in 2011.


nationalobserver--2020-08-22--Nothing 'off the table' as NDP calls on feds to provide $2-billion infusion for child care

“ We are not taking any option off the table .
All options are open , ” Singh told Canada 's National Observer on Friday .
And leveraging NDP support critical to the survival of the Liberals ' minority government to get the substantial investment is a play his party will consider , Singh said .
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh wants Ottawa to ante up with an immediate $ 2-billion cash infusion to provinces to support child care and families during the economic restart .
“ There is a massive child-care crisis , and COVID-19 has just amplified what we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Singh said , adding women are disproportionally affected by the negative effects of the pandemic .
Even before the pandemic , the child-care system was in trouble , he added .
The $ 2-billion dollar ask is the bare minimum needed to maintain child-care spaces that existed before the pandemic , hiring new staff and to cover costs associated with enacting new pandemic safety protocols , said Singh .
“ We will leave all options on the table to achieve that end.
” “ Our focus though is fighting for people .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families… and particularly women , get access to child care .
The federal government should launch a multi-year spending plan on child care starting with a $ 2-billion investment in 2021 , and adding $ 2 billion each year after that , she said .
“ Particularly as we suspect discussions will be underway now around what will be in the next budget , ” she said .
But Ottawa should commit even more funding than the NDP suggests to fully establish a quality , affordable , and accessible federal child-care system , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an immediate cash infusion is a good one , said Morna Ballantyne , executive director of the national advocacy organization Child Care Now .
“ This is an investment that ’ s going to help us recover , and recover in a way that is just and fair , and ensures that women are participating in the workforce.
” “ I really want to press the point that this is an economic recovery piece the same way we make investments to help create jobs , ” Singh said .
The economy will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ensure all parents , and particularly women , can get back to work , Singh said .
As a result , Singh is also calling for a further $ 10 billion from Ottawa over the next four years to move towards an affordable and accessible universal child-care system .
Their participation in the labour force has dropped from a historic high to its lowest level in more than 30 years , Singh said , citing a recent study .
This would maintain child-care spaces lost in the pandemic and grow more spaces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said , adding current federal funding levels won ’ t achieve that .
This would mean that Ottawa would be spending $ 10 billion annually by 2026 , said Ballantyne .
Plus , with more cash on table , the provinces would be more inclined to also commit funding for a public nationally co-ordinated plan .
Financial commitment is necessary to fix the cobbled-together child-care system that is buckling under the pandemic , Ballantyne said .
Currently , licensed child care across the country , except in Quebec , is a mish-mash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizations that have set up shop , but can ’ t necessarily meet parents ' child-care needs , Ballantyne said .
“ We don ’ t have a national approach , we have a patchwork market system , ” said Ballantyne .
“ Parents ... need ( to shop around ) and try to put together , as best they can , the services they need.
” But longtime gaps in the availability and affordability of quality child care and early childhood education have only grown during the COVID-19 crisis , she added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost of child care is still too high for many parents , particularly with the economic strain households are experiencing now , Ballantyne noted .
Even if parents can pay for child care , many providers aren ’ t — or won ’ t — open , she said .
If centres open , they ’ re likely to drop the number of spaces available to maintain social-distancing protocols , which translates into lower revenue and an inability to hire more staff or provide better wages to attract workers , Ballantyne said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ advocates want to see the federal government set up a promised secretariat this year to oversee the building of a universal system , Ballantyne said .
Such measures would go a long way to addressing child-care deserts in the country , particularly in rural and remote communities , or barriers to care for Indigenous parents or families of children with disabilities .
“ Through the pandemic , we saw the federal government really played an important leadership role in making sure that our country did n't fall apart , ” said Ballantyne .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 's been demonstrated now has to be applied in a very serious way to the child-care crisis.
” North Island-Powell River NDP MP Rachel Blaney agreed that Ottawa has to do more to help families , particularly those in smaller communities .
“ We ’ re definitely hearing from constituents about ( lack of ) access to child care , so many people may not be able to go back to work , ” said Blaney .
Many families have already seen their income plummet during the pandemic , and being unable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation , she said .
The situation is especially hard on single parents , said Blaney .
Working parents are also anxious that schools will shut down suddenly again in the fall , Blaney said “ They worry about being able to respond , ” she said .
It was disappointing the Liberal government chose to prorogue Parliament in the middle of a pandemic and economic crisis , Blaney said .
“ It 's just wrong , in my opinion , ” she said , adding the move lets down struggling Canadians .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government working collaboratively with all parties to make sure that we deliver the support required across the country.
” Days after the Liberals prorogued Parliament , Deputy Prime Minister and new Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced a $ 37-billion COVID-19 aid package .
It included extending the Canada Emergency Response Benefit ( CERB ) by a month and tweaked the employment insurance ( EI ) program so more people qualify for financial assistance during the pandemic .
As well , workers are guaranteed 10 days of sick leave if they fall ill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also set up a caregiver benefit program .
Ottawa will provide $ 500 a week for up to 26 weeks to households where a caregiver can ’ t work and must stay home to care for a child under 12 , or a family member with a disability , should schools , daycares or care facilities be closed due to COVID-19 .
Those who choose to keep their kids at home won ’ t qualify , but caregivers are eligible for the benefit if a dependent is medically advised not to attend a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they catch the virus .
Minister of Families , Children and Social Development Ahmed Hussen was unavailable for comment on if the federal government plans to take steps to set up a universal child-care plan in response to the COVID-19 crisis .
However , the Liberal government has allocated $ 625 million to child care from the $ 19 billion it provided to the provinces as part of pandemic recovery efforts , the Department of Employment and Social Development Canada ( ESDC ) stated in an email Friday .
Paired with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provinces for child care , the federal government will be providing more than $ 1 billion in support this fiscal year , according to the ESDC .
The ESDC did not elaborate whether the federal government planned any further steps to address child-care shortages .
There are plans to work with the provinces and territories to set up a national child-care secretariat to lay the groundwork for a cross-Canada system , but the ESDC would not say when that will happen .
As to what he wants to see in the throne speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary objective is to continue securing measures to support Canadians during the pandemic .
The goal isn ’ t to plunge Canadians into an election during the pandemic , Singh said , especially if more “ wins ” for Canadians can be secured .
“ If we can continue to fight and bring in our vision for a more compassionate response to this crisis that takes care of people and supports people , we will , ” he said .
“ But we will not rule out any option if the government continues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are self-serving .
”

“We will leave all options on the table to achieve that end.”
“Our focus though is fighting for people. And in this particular case, making sure families… and particularly women, get access to child care.
“We are not taking any option off the table. All options are open,” Singh told Canada's National Observer on Friday.
And leveraging NDP support critical to the survival of the Liberals' minority government to get the substantial investment is a play his party will consider, Singh said.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh wants Ottawa to ante up with an immediate $2-billion cash infusion to provinces to support child care and families during the economic restart.
“There is a massive child-care crisis, and COVID-19 has just amplified what we already knew was a problem,” Singh said, adding women are disproportionally affected by the negative effects of the pandemic.
Even before the pandemic, the child-care system was in trouble, he added.
The $2-billion dollar ask is the bare minimum needed to maintain child-care spaces that existed before the pandemic, hiring new staff and to cover costs associated with enacting new pandemic safety protocols, said Singh.
“This is an investment that’s going to help us recover, and recover in a way that is just and fair, and ensures that women are participating in the workforce.”
“I really want to press the point that this is an economic recovery piece the same way we make investments to help create jobs,” Singh said.
The economy will not rebound without large investments in child care to ensure all parents, and particularly women, can get back to work, Singh said.
As a result, Singh is also calling for a further $10 billion from Ottawa over the next four years to move towards an affordable and accessible universal child-care system.
Their participation in the labour force has dropped from a historic high to its lowest level in more than 30 years, Singh said, citing a recent study.
“Particularly as we suspect discussions will be underway now around what will be in the next budget,” she said.
But Ottawa should commit even more funding than the NDP suggests to fully establish a quality, affordable, and accessible federal child-care system, said Ballantyne.
The NDP call for an immediate cash infusion is a good one, said Morna Ballantyne, executive director of the national advocacy organization Child Care Now.
The federal government should launch a multi-year spending plan on child care starting with a $2-billion investment in 2021, and adding $2 billion each year after that, she said.
Morna Ballantyne, of the national advocacy organization Child Care Now, says Covid-19 has hobbled Canada's already limping childcare system and now it's time for Ottawa to invest in a national, publicly funded plan. Photo supplied by Morna Ballantyne.
This would mean that Ottawa would be spending $10 billion annually by 2026, said Ballantyne.
This would maintain child-care spaces lost in the pandemic and grow more spaces while keeping them affordable for families, she said, adding current federal funding levels won’t achieve that.
Plus, with more cash on table, the provinces would be more inclined to also commit funding for a public nationally co-ordinated plan.
Financial commitment is necessary to fix the cobbled-together child-care system that is buckling under the pandemic, Ballantyne said.
Currently, licensed child care across the country, except in Quebec, is a mish-mash of individuals, private operators and community organizations that have set up shop, but can’t necessarily meet parents' child-care needs, Ballantyne said.
“We don’t have a national approach, we have a patchwork market system,” said Ballantyne.
“Parents ... need (to shop around) and try to put together, as best they can, the services they need.”
But longtime gaps in the availability and affordability of quality child care and early childhood education have only grown during the COVID-19 crisis, she added.
Even with fee subsidies, the cost of child care is still too high for many parents, particularly with the economic strain households are experiencing now, Ballantyne noted.
Even if parents can pay for child care, many providers aren’t — or won’t — open, she said.
In the pandemic’s initial stages, 72 per cent of child-care centres in Canada closed, a national survey on child-care services found. Additionally, of the centres that closed, 36 per cent were not certain they would be reopening their doors.
If centres open, they’re likely to drop the number of spaces available to maintain social-distancing protocols, which translates into lower revenue and an inability to hire more staff or provide better wages to attract workers, Ballantyne said.
In addition to the funding, child-care advocates want to see the federal government set up a promised secretariat this year to oversee the building of a universal system, Ballantyne said.
Such measures would go a long way to addressing child-care deserts in the country, particularly in rural and remote communities, or barriers to care for Indigenous parents or families of children with disabilities.
“Through the pandemic, we saw the federal government really played an important leadership role in making sure that our country didn't fall apart,” said Ballantyne.
“So, we believe the leadership that's been demonstrated now has to be applied in a very serious way to the child-care crisis.”
NDP MP Rachel Blaney, North Island-Powell River, says people in her riding are worried because they might have to turn down work due to lack of childcare. Photo supplied by NDP.
North Island-Powell River NDP MP Rachel Blaney agreed that Ottawa has to do more to help families, particularly those in smaller communities.
“We’re definitely hearing from constituents about (lack of) access to child care, so many people may not be able to go back to work,” said Blaney.
Many families have already seen their income plummet during the pandemic, and being unable to return to work only aggravates that situation, she said.
The situation is especially hard on single parents, said Blaney.
Working parents are also anxious that schools will shut down suddenly again in the fall, Blaney said
“They worry about being able to respond,” she said.
It was disappointing the Liberal government chose to prorogue Parliament in the middle of a pandemic and economic crisis, Blaney said.
“It's just wrong, in my opinion,” she said, adding the move lets down struggling Canadians.
“What we wanted to see was the government working collaboratively with all parties to make sure that we deliver the support required across the country.”
Days after the Liberals prorogued Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister and new Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced a $37-billion COVID-19 aid package.
It included extending the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) by a month and tweaked the employment insurance (EI) program so more people qualify for financial assistance during the pandemic. As well, workers are guaranteed 10 days of sick leave if they fall ill or have to self-isolate.
The government also set up a caregiver benefit program.
Ottawa will provide $500 a week for up to 26 weeks to households where a caregiver can’t work and must stay home to care for a child under 12, or a family member with a disability, should schools, daycares or care facilities be closed due to COVID-19.
Those who choose to keep their kids at home won’t qualify, but caregivers are eligible for the benefit if a dependent is medically advised not to attend a program because they are at high risk if they catch the virus.
Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Ahmed Hussen was unavailable for comment on if the federal government plans to take steps to set up a universal child-care plan in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
However, the Liberal government has allocated $625 million to child care from the $19 billion it provided to the provinces as part of pandemic recovery efforts, the Department of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) stated in an email Friday.
Paired with the $400 million already committed to the provinces for child care, the federal government will be providing more than $1 billion in support this fiscal year, according to the ESDC.
The ESDC did not elaborate whether the federal government planned any further steps to address child-care shortages.
There are plans to work with the provinces and territories to set up a national child-care secretariat to lay the groundwork for a cross-Canada system, but the ESDC would not say when that will happen.
As to what he wants to see in the throne speech, Singh said the NDP’s primary objective is to continue securing measures to support Canadians during the pandemic.
The goal isn’t to plunge Canadians into an election during the pandemic, Singh said, especially if more “wins” for Canadians can be secured.
“If we can continue to fight and bring in our vision for a more compassionate response to this crisis that takes care of people and supports people, we will,” he said.
“But we will not rule out any option if the government continues to go down a path where they are self-serving.”
Rochelle Baker/Local Journalism Initiative/Canada's National Observer


nationalobserver--2020-08-23--Where is the support for the women defending land and water, Canada?

Canadians care about the environment .
Multiple polls found that the climate crisis was one of the top issues of the 2019 federal election campaign , with 25 per cent of respondents claiming it was their number one concern .
Despite this public mandate , the federal government prioritizes the interests of Canada-based extractive companies , particularly mining , which accounts for more than 50 per cent of the globe ’ s industry , by providing the sector with generous incentives in the form of tax breaks and vague , voluntary regulations .
For their part , extractive companies greatly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UN Environment Program ’ s International Resource Panel , “ natural resource extraction and processing make up approximately 50 per cent of the total greenhouse gas emissions.
” Canadian extractive companies also have a reputation for disregarding the rights of land and water defenders , especially Indigenous and Afro-descendant women , who do the daily , ongoing work for climate justice , within and beyond the borders of this country .
Private or public security forces are regularly deployed in support of extractive companies and to the detriment of the rights of women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wet ’ suwet ’ en territory to Wabanaki lands , land defenders have been arrested and presented with injunctions for daring to take care of Mother Earth .
• Nuclear giants team up to develop reactors in Sask .
and Ontario • As Ottawa agrees to land talks with Six Nations , Ford pledges to ‘ protect ’ police The criminalization and related human rights violations for caring for the environment are a recurring pattern .
At the end of July , Global Witness published its annual report on the killings of land @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defenders were killed in 2019 , and the extractive sector was associated with most of the slayings .
Half of the killings occurred in just two countries — Colombia and the Philippines — while two thirds took place in Latin America .
Ivonne Ramos of Acción Ecológica , an ecological justice organization in Ecuador and KAIROS partner , co-ordinates a national network of women land and water defenders , and is a member of the regional Latin American Network of Women Defenders of Human and Environmental Rights .
She has witnessed how governments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , criminalize women land defenders .
“ Criminalization not only implies the use of public force ( military and police ) and enables the indiscriminate use of violence to attack the population , it also involves direct police and/or military repression , selective persecution of leaders , and the use of other mechanisms , mainly the legal system , to arrest and condemn social activists , which ‘ legalizes ’ harassment , persecution , imprisonment , and even the use of torture or murder , ” said Ramos during a recent webinar hosted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environmental conflicts across the world published in the July issue of Global Environmental Change , a group of scholars confirms Ramos ’ observation and Global Witness ’ findings : Violence against land and water protectors , especially killings and criminalization , has increased .
The scholars also note that Indigenous land defenders face higher rates of violence and that 21 per cent of the land struggles studied included the leadership or participation of women .
`` The criminalization and related human rights violations for caring for the environment are a recurring pattern .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about prioritizing meaningful climate action , it must defend the rights of women land defenders .
One way to accomplish this is by empowering the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Business Enterprise ( CORE ) to hold companies accountable .
Announced in 2018 and staffed more than a year later , CORE was to serve as a public corporate accountability watchdog .
Despite government promises , CORE ’ s current mandate is so narrow , it does not require it to hold Canadian mining , energy , and garment companies responsible for human rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interested in taking action have until Sept. 1 to sign an e-petition to the House of Commons .
The petition calls for CORE to be granted investigatory powers and for mandatory human rights due diligence legislation to be enacted .
“ If we want to end climate breakdown , then it is in the footsteps of land and environmental defenders we must follow , ” reads Global Witness ’ report .
A CORE with investigatory powers would demonstrate Canada ’ s commitment to defending the rights of Indigenous and Afro-descendant women land defenders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate action .

Canadians care about the environment. Multiple polls found that the climate crisis was one of the top issues of the 2019 federal election campaign, with 25 per cent of respondents claiming it was their number one concern. Despite this public mandate, the federal government prioritizes the interests of Canada-based extractive companies, particularly mining, which accounts for more than 50 per cent of the globe’s industry, by providing the sector with generous incentives in the form of tax breaks and vague, voluntary regulations. For their part, extractive companies greatly exacerbate climate change. According to the UN Environment Program’s International Resource Panel, “natural resource extraction and processing make up approximately 50 per cent of the total greenhouse gas emissions.” Canadian extractive companies also have a reputation for disregarding the rights of land and water defenders, especially Indigenous and Afro-descendant women, who do the daily, ongoing work for climate justice, within and beyond the borders of this country. Private or public security forces are regularly deployed in support of extractive companies and to the detriment of the rights of women land defenders. In Canada, from Wet’suwet’en territory to Wabanaki lands, land defenders have been arrested and presented with injunctions for daring to take care of Mother Earth.
The criminalization and related human rights violations for caring for the environment are a recurring pattern. At the end of July, Global Witness published its annual report on the killings of land defenders. Two hundred and twelve land defenders were killed in 2019, and the extractive sector was associated with most of the slayings. Half of the killings occurred in just two countries — Colombia and the Philippines — while two thirds took place in Latin America. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Ivonne Ramos of Acción Ecológica, an ecological justice organization in Ecuador and KAIROS partner, co-ordinates a national network of women land and water defenders, and is a member of the regional Latin American Network of Women Defenders of Human and Environmental Rights. She has witnessed how governments, working on behalf of extractive companies, criminalize women land defenders.
“Criminalization not only implies the use of public force (military and police) and enables the indiscriminate use of violence to attack the population, it also involves direct police and/or military repression, selective persecution of leaders, and the use of other mechanisms, mainly the legal system, to arrest and condemn social activists, which ‘legalizes’ harassment, persecution, imprisonment, and even the use of torture or murder,” said Ramos during a recent webinar hosted by KAIROS. "The criminalization and related human rights violations for caring for the environment are a recurring pattern." In an analysis of environmental conflicts across the world published in the July issue of Global Environmental Change, a group of scholars confirms Ramos’ observation and Global Witness’ findings: Violence against land and water protectors, especially killings and criminalization, has increased. The scholars also note that Indigenous land defenders face higher rates of violence and that 21 per cent of the land struggles studied included the leadership or participation of women. If the federal government is serious about prioritizing meaningful climate action, it must defend the rights of women land defenders. One way to accomplish this is by empowering the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Business Enterprise (CORE) to hold companies accountable. Announced in 2018 and staffed more than a year later, CORE was to serve as a public corporate accountability watchdog. Despite government promises, CORE’s current mandate is so narrow, it does not require it to hold Canadian mining, energy, and garment companies responsible for human rights violations at their overseas operations.


nationalobserver--2020-08-24--Canada needs new approach to tackling overdose crisis, study

VANCOUVER — Canada needs a new approach to tackle its overdose crisis , says the lead author of a new study that highlights a prevalence of overdoses involving non−prescribed fentanyl and stimulants in British Columbia .
There have been more than 15,000 apparent opioid−related deaths in Canada since 2016 .
British Columbia has recorded more than 5,000 deaths from illicit drug overdoses since declaring a public health emergency in 2016 .
The study , published on Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal , looked at 1,789 overdose deaths in British Columbia between 2015 and 2017 in which the coroner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the deaths .
It reported that despite decreases in the prescription of opioids across the province , the death rate from illegal drug overdoses has continued to rise .
• Nuclear giants team up to develop reactors in Sask .
and Ontario • As Ottawa agrees to land talks with Six Nations , Ford pledges to ‘ protect ’ police Dr. Alexis Crabtree , the study ’ s lead author and resident physician in public health and preventative medicine at the University of British Columbia , says it highlights what isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the overdose crisis .
`` What we found is that this overdose crisis is not driven by prescribed medications and de−prescribing initiatives alone won ’ t solve the overdose crisis , '' she said in an interview .
In most cases where prescribed opioids were implicated in a death , the toxicology report also flagged the non−prescribed opioids in the person ’ s system , Crabtree added .
The study ’ s findings also highlight the declining role of prescription opioids and heroin in the overdose crisis and the rise of synthetic opioids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battling the overdose crisis `` must do much more '' than target de−prescribing opioids , the study concludes .
Men continue to dominate the overdose death toll , making up more than 80 per cent of deaths , with people between the ages of 31 to 49 making up the predominant number of deaths .
`` COVID−19 has made clear the government can act in a very fast and effective way when it prioritizes a response to a public health emergency , I would love to see that same effectiveness applied to responding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aspect that is often overlooked is the efficacy of methadone and buprenorphine , opioids used to treat opioid addiction , Crabtree said .
The study showed that few overdoses involved people with those opioids in their system , which Crabtree said she believes should make doctors feel more comfortable in prescribing them to drug users .
In B.C.
, the provincial government expanded the access to a safe supply of prescription drugs near the start of the COVID−19 pandemic due to concerns about the number of overdose deaths arising from isolated drug users @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised over the prescribing of illicit−alternative drugs , prompted the decision to publish the study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal , Crabtree said .
`` A question or concern physicians have is ’ is the medication I ’ m prescribing contributing to overdoses ?
’ '' said Crabtree .
`` I can understand why people have that concern .
I think these results are really reassuring that prescribed medications are not a driver of overdose risks and supports physicians to prescribe under those risk mitigation guidelines . ''
She said she agrees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Bonnie Henry who called for the decriminalization of people who possess small amounts of drugs in a 2019 report .
At the time , Henry wrote that the province `` can not wait for action at the federal level . ''
She reiterated those recommendations in June 2020 , which saw 175 suspected overdose−related deaths .
`` COVID−19 has made clear the government can act in a very fast and effective way when it prioritizes a response to a public health emergency , '' said Crabtree .
`` I would love to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the overdose emergency and protecting the health of people who use drugs . ''

VANCOUVER — Canada needs a new approach to tackle its overdose crisis, says the lead author of a new study that highlights a prevalence of overdoses involving non−prescribed fentanyl and stimulants in British Columbia. There have been more than 15,000 apparent opioid−related deaths in Canada since 2016. British Columbia has recorded more than 5,000 deaths from illicit drug overdoses since declaring a public health emergency in 2016. The study, published on Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, looked at 1,789 overdose deaths in British Columbia between 2015 and 2017 in which the coroner was able to determine the substances relevant to the deaths. It reported that despite decreases in the prescription of opioids across the province, the death rate from illegal drug overdoses has continued to rise.
Dr. Alexis Crabtree, the study’s lead author and resident physician in public health and preventative medicine at the University of British Columbia, says it highlights what isn’t working when it comes to tackling the overdose crisis. "What we found is that this overdose crisis is not driven by prescribed medications and de−prescribing initiatives alone won’t solve the overdose crisis," she said in an interview. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions In most cases where prescribed opioids were implicated in a death, the toxicology report also flagged the non−prescribed opioids in the person’s system, Crabtree added.
The study’s findings also highlight the declining role of prescription opioids and heroin in the overdose crisis and the rise of synthetic opioids and stimulants. "COVID−19 has made clear the government can act in a very fast and effective way when it prioritizes a response to a public health emergency, I would love to see that same effectiveness applied to responding to the overdose emergency." The current strategies on battling the overdose crisis "must do much more" than target de−prescribing opioids, the study concludes. Men continue to dominate the overdose death toll, making up more than 80 per cent of deaths, with people between the ages of 31 to 49 making up the predominant number of deaths. One aspect that is often overlooked is the efficacy of methadone and buprenorphine, opioids used to treat opioid addiction, Crabtree said. The study showed that few overdoses involved people with those opioids in their system, which Crabtree said she believes should make doctors feel more comfortable in prescribing them to drug users.
In B.C., the provincial government expanded the access to a safe supply of prescription drugs near the start of the COVID−19 pandemic due to concerns about the number of overdose deaths arising from isolated drug users. That program, and subsequent concerns raised over the prescribing of illicit−alternative drugs, prompted the decision to publish the study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, Crabtree said. "A question or concern physicians have is ’is the medication I’m prescribing contributing to overdoses?’" said Crabtree. "I can understand why people have that concern. I think these results are really reassuring that prescribed medications are not a driver of overdose risks and supports physicians to prescribe under those risk mitigation guidelines."