nationalobserver--2020-05-19--As Quebecers wear COVID face masks, hope for tolerance of religious garb

Three years ago , Warda Lacoste was at the centre of a fight against Quebec 's attempt to ban religious face coverings for people who were giving or receiving public services .
The Montreal woman says she was spat on , verbally harassed and even had a bottle of beer thrown at her when she was out in public wearing a full-face veil , known as a niqab , in that time of heightened tensions .
Lacoste ( who previously went by the surname Naili ) said the experience marked her .
`` It was quite a challenge , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The rules against face-covering proposed by the provincial Liberal government of the day were suspended after a court challenge , but they were revived last year as part of the Coalition Avenir Quebec government 's secularism law , Bill 21 .
These days , Lacoste , 36 , said there is something strange about seeing Quebec Premier Francois Legault urge Quebecers to cover their faces in public to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus .
• Freeland refrains from discussing details on Canada 's ongoing talks with U.S. on border opening • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ session , but parents ' reactions are mixed Lacoste recognizes the COVID-19 crisis is real in Quebec , which has recorded more than half of all the confirmed cases in Canada .
`` But of course , we ca n't ignore that the situation has an ironic side , '' she said .
For over a decade , heated debates have swirled in Quebec around issues of secularism , the accommodation of religious minorities and whether the government should regulate religious symbols in the public sphere .
The Legault government 's Bill 21 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authority from wearing hijabs , kippas , turbans and other religious dress at work .
It also stipulates that people receiving and giving public services must do so with their faces uncovered , though there is an exception for anyone `` whose face is covered for reasons of health . ''
This week , the premier said he `` strongly '' recommends that Quebecers wear protective masks , especially on public transportation , to try to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 .
The Quebec government is donating one million masks to the City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provincial outbreak , Legault announced on Friday .
It is also sending $ 6 million to public transit agencies in the Montreal area to distribute free masks to riders .
Legault has not made wearing a mask mandatory , however , telling reporters that it would be legally difficult to implement such a measure .
`` We 're not excluding it , but for right now , we 're not there yet , '' he told reporters on Wednesday .
As Quebecers cover faces for COVID-19 , some hope for tolerance of religious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law and the COVID-19 mask directives is clear , said Jeffrey Reitz , director of the ethnic , immigration and pluralism studies program at the University of Toronto 's Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy .
But he said people have largely avoided connecting the two issues because while medical masks and religious face coverings may be similar in practice , they symbolize different things .
COVID-19 masks make people feel secure and that `` they 're being protected from possible disease , '' Reitz explained , whereas `` there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muslim women wearing traditional clothing , '' such as face coverings .
`` That mainstream perception is actually based on no facts at all , but just on these fears and stereotypes , '' he said .
Recent polls show that a majority of people in Quebec support a ban on religious symbols in the public sector , and Reitz said he does n't expect the COVID-19 pandemic to drastically change Quebecers ' perceptions of religious face coverings .
Lacoste said she would love it if wearing a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face-coverings in Quebec , as well .
She likened the feeling of being stared at and judged for wearing , or not wearing , a mask these days to what Muslim women often feel when they go out in public wearing a niqab or headscarf .
Lacoste says she stopped wearing a niqab last August for practical reasons — to make it easier to find a job and a new apartment — and for her own security , but she said she still believes women should have the right to choose what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation ) will create something positive , in the sense that ... women who wear the niqab will be seen less like aliens , '' she said .
`` Maybe people will learn that there is a person underneath . ''

Three years ago, Warda Lacoste was at the centre of a fight against Quebec's attempt to ban religious face coverings for people who were giving or receiving public services. The Montreal woman says she was spat on, verbally harassed and even had a bottle of beer thrown at her when she was out in public wearing a full-face veil, known as a niqab, in that time of heightened tensions. Lacoste (who previously went by the surname Naili) said the experience marked her. "It was quite a challenge," she said in a recent interview. The rules against face-covering proposed by the provincial Liberal government of the day were suspended after a court challenge, but they were revived last year as part of the Coalition Avenir Quebec government's secularism law, Bill 21. These days, Lacoste, 36, said there is something strange about seeing Quebec Premier Francois Legault urge Quebecers to cover their faces in public to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Lacoste recognizes the COVID-19 crisis is real in Quebec, which has recorded more than half of all the confirmed cases in Canada. "But of course, we can't ignore that the situation has an ironic side," she said. For over a decade, heated debates have swirled in Quebec around issues of secularism, the accommodation of religious minorities and whether the government should regulate religious symbols in the public sphere. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The Legault government's Bill 21 bars some public-sector employees in positions of authority from wearing hijabs, kippas, turbans and other religious dress at work. It also stipulates that people receiving and giving public services must do so with their faces uncovered, though there is an exception for anyone "whose face is covered for reasons of health."
This week, the premier said he "strongly" recommends that Quebecers wear protective masks, especially on public transportation, to try to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. As Quebecers cover faces for COVID-19, some hope for tolerance of religious garb The Quebec government is donating one million masks to the City of Montreal, the epicentre of the provincial outbreak, Legault announced on Friday. It is also sending $6 million to public transit agencies in the Montreal area to distribute free masks to riders. Legault has not made wearing a mask mandatory, however, telling reporters that it would be legally difficult to implement such a measure. "We're not excluding it, but for right now, we're not there yet," he told reporters on Wednesday. The comparison between Quebec's secularism law and the COVID-19 mask directives is clear, said Jeffrey Reitz, director of the ethnic, immigration and pluralism studies program at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. But he said people have largely avoided connecting the two issues because while medical masks and religious face coverings may be similar in practice, they symbolize different things.
COVID-19 masks make people feel secure and that "they're being protected from possible disease," Reitz explained, whereas "there are very strong stereotypes that people have of Muslim women wearing traditional clothing," such as face coverings. "That mainstream perception is actually based on no facts at all, but just on these fears and stereotypes," he said. Recent polls show that a majority of people in Quebec support a ban on religious symbols in the public sector, and Reitz said he doesn't expect the COVID-19 pandemic to drastically change Quebecers' perceptions of religious face coverings.


nationalobserver--2020-05-19--Biden vowing to rip up Keystone XL approvals if he wins White House

Joe Biden 's campaign lobbed a spanner into Alberta 's post-pandemic economic recovery strategy Monday with a promise to rip up U.S. President Donald Trump 's approvals for the Keystone XL pipeline if the former vice-president succeeds in taking over the White House next year .
Campaign officials finally ended the presumptive Democrat nominee 's months of self-imposed silence on how he would handle the politically sensitive expansion project , an ambitious , 1,900-kilometre heavy-oil line that would move 830,000 barrels of Alberta bitumen each day over the Canada-U.S. border to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast .
It would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has stood in the way of the Calgary-based TC Energy expansion .
As vice-president , he was a key member of Barack Obama 's administration , which slow-walked the project — championed by the former Conservative government — throughout Obama 's second term before finally blocking construction outright shortly after the Liberals were elected in 2015 .
`` Stopping Keystone was the right decision then and it ’ s still the right decision now .
In fact , it 's even more important today , '' policy director Stef Feldman said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump , meanwhile , has spent `` every day of his presidency '' ignoring the looming climate crisis , making matters worse by pulling the U.S. out of the Paris accord , weakening national fuel standards , and rolling back regulations for air and water pollution , Feldman continued .
• Freeland refrains from discussing details on Canada 's ongoing talks with U.S. on border opening • B.C .
classes will soon be in session , but parents ' reactions are mixed `` That denial of science ends on Day 1 of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Biden strongly opposed the Keystone pipeline in the last administration , stood alongside President Obama and Secretary ( of State John ) Kerry to reject it in 2015 , and will proudly stand in the Roosevelt Room again as president and stop it for good by rescinding the Keystone XL pipeline permit . ''
TC Energy spokesman Terry Cunha issued a statement late Monday that ignored the comments from the Biden campaign , instead extolling the virtues of Keystone XL as an engine of investment and jobs growth `` in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` The project will further stimulate millions of dollars in new provincial , state and local taxes along the pipeline route and also ensures our energy demands are met with North American production improving the security of our domestic supply chains , '' the statement said .
No other pipeline project has been as extensively examined as Keystone XL , it added , `` and every study had squarely concluded it can be built safely and in an environmentally sound manner . ''
The $ 8-billion US expansion , long a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expand export markets for Canadian fossil fuel , has been beset by delays , protests and injunctions almost since its inception .
It became a major flashpoint in 2011 when celebrity-studded protests outside the White House helped crystallize environmental opposition to the energy sector .
Trump has repeatedly sought to kick-start the project , signing an executive order in the earliest days of his presidency that was thwarted by a federal judge in Montana who concluded the State Department had not adequately assessed the potential environmental impact of the project .
Biden vowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former VP wins White House The president signed a fresh permit in March that not only cleared the way for construction , but also appeared designed to prevent further legal problems with State Department permits .
But again , a Montana court halted the project on the grounds that the impact on endangered species in the state had n't been properly assessed .
In the meantime , Keystone XL has come to define the widening fissure between an energy industry that 's straining to redefine its mission in the 21st century and growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on fossil fuels — a tension that has created deep-seated political challenges in Canada , where the oilpatch is central to the country 's economic fortunes .
`` Rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline is the touchstone of any meaningful plan to address the climate crisis , '' said Tamara Toles O'Laughlin , the North American director of 350 Action , the political wing of climate-justice group 350.org .
`` Tribal nations , farmers and ranchers , and many other communities who have resisted Keystone XL for more than a decade know this pipeline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and adaptation . ''
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has committed $ 1.5 billion to the expansion , along with a $ 6-billion loan guarantee , as his United Conservative government extends outreach efforts in the U.S. in hopes of breathing new life into a sector hit hard in recent months by record-low oil prices and the economic impact of COVID-19 .
`` We remain confident Keystone XL remains a critical part of North America 's post-pandemic economic recovery , '' Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage said in a statement .
Without it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crude from places like Venezuela and subject to the sort of market instability triggered in March by a dispute between Russia and Saudi Arabia , she added .
`` Rather than speculating about the outcome of the U.S. election , we will spend our time continuing to meet with our U.S. allies and speak to Alberta 's role in supporting North American energy independence and security . ''
During a roundtable discussion last week hosted by the Canadian American Business Council , Kenney said his government would be investing `` significantly more '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. to more effectively advance the province 's energy interests .

Joe Biden's campaign lobbed a spanner into Alberta's post-pandemic economic recovery strategy Monday with a promise to rip up U.S. President Donald Trump's approvals for the Keystone XL pipeline if the former vice-president succeeds in taking over the White House next year. Campaign officials finally ended the presumptive Democrat nominee's months of self-imposed silence on how he would handle the politically sensitive expansion project, an ambitious, 1,900-kilometre heavy-oil line that would move 830,000 barrels of Alberta bitumen each day over the Canada-U.S. border to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast. It wouldn't be the first time that Biden has stood in the way of the Calgary-based TC Energy expansion. As vice-president, he was a key member of Barack Obama's administration, which slow-walked the project — championed by the former Conservative government — throughout Obama's second term before finally blocking construction outright shortly after the Liberals were elected in 2015. "Stopping Keystone was the right decision then and it’s still the right decision now. In fact, it's even more important today," policy director Stef Feldman said in a written statement, first reported by Politico. Trump, meanwhile, has spent "every day of his presidency" ignoring the looming climate crisis, making matters worse by pulling the U.S. out of the Paris accord, weakening national fuel standards, and rolling back regulations for air and water pollution, Feldman continued.
"That denial of science ends on Day 1 of a Biden presidency," she said. "Biden strongly opposed the Keystone pipeline in the last administration, stood alongside President Obama and Secretary (of State John) Kerry to reject it in 2015, and will proudly stand in the Roosevelt Room again as president and stop it for good by rescinding the Keystone XL pipeline permit." TC Energy spokesman Terry Cunha issued a statement late Monday that ignored the comments from the Biden campaign, instead extolling the virtues of Keystone XL as an engine of investment and jobs growth "in a time of unprecedented economic uncertainty and unemployment." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "The project will further stimulate millions of dollars in new provincial, state and local taxes along the pipeline route and also ensures our energy demands are met with North American production improving the security of our domestic supply chains," the statement said.
No other pipeline project has been as extensively examined as Keystone XL, it added, "and every study had squarely concluded it can be built safely and in an environmentally sound manner." Biden vowing to rip up Keystone XL approvals if former VP wins White House The $8-billion US expansion, long a central element of efforts in Canada to expand export markets for Canadian fossil fuel, has been beset by delays, protests and injunctions almost since its inception. It became a major flashpoint in 2011 when celebrity-studded protests outside the White House helped crystallize environmental opposition to the energy sector. Trump has repeatedly sought to kick-start the project, signing an executive order in the earliest days of his presidency that was thwarted by a federal judge in Montana who concluded the State Department had not adequately assessed the potential environmental impact of the project. The president signed a fresh permit in March that not only cleared the way for construction, but also appeared designed to prevent further legal problems with State Department permits. But again, a Montana court halted the project on the grounds that the impact on endangered species in the state hadn't been properly assessed. In the meantime, Keystone XL has come to define the widening fissure between an energy industry that's straining to redefine its mission in the 21st century and growing public opposition to North America's dependency on fossil fuels — a tension that has created deep-seated political challenges in Canada, where the oilpatch is central to the country's economic fortunes.
"Rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline is the touchstone of any meaningful plan to address the climate crisis," said Tamara Toles O'Laughlin, the North American director of 350 Action, the political wing of climate-justice group 350.org. "Tribal nations, farmers and ranchers, and many other communities who have resisted Keystone XL for more than a decade know this pipeline would derail all plans for climate survival and adaptation." Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has committed $1.5 billion to the expansion, along with a $6-billion loan guarantee, as his United Conservative government extends outreach efforts in the U.S. in hopes of breathing new life into a sector hit hard in recent months by record-low oil prices and the economic impact of COVID-19.


nationalobserver--2020-05-19--Forces begins investigation into 'worst nightmare' Snowbirds crash

A team of military investigators arrived in British Columbia on Monday to begin searching for answers into Sunday 's deadly Snowbird crash , which the aerobatic team 's commander described as a confluence of `` worst-case scenarios , and it became our absolute worst nightmare . ''
The eight-member flight investigation team was deployed from Ottawa to Kamloops , where one of the Snowbirds 's famed Tutor jets went down shortly after takeoff .
The Snowbirds had been in the midst of a cross-country tour aimed at boosting morale during the COVID-19 pandemic .
One Canadian Armed Forces member , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affairs officer from Halifax , was killed while another , Capt .
Richard MacDougall , who was piloting the aircraft , sustained serious but non-life threatening injuries .
During a news conference at 15 Wing Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan , where the Snowbirds are based , team commander Lt.-Col. Mike French said the cross-country tour known as Operation Inspiration has been suspended while the team 's Tutor jets are subject to an `` operational pause . ''
French would not speculate on the cause of the crash , but insisted that safety is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ priority . ''
He added that each aircraft is torn down and rebuilt about every two years and subject to regular maintenance and checks prior to every flight .
• Freeland refrains from discussing details on Canada 's ongoing talks with U.S. on border opening • B.C .
classes will soon be in session , but parents ' reactions are mixed `` Our priorities are always the safety of the public , the safety of our personnel and then the protection of our equipment and property , '' he said , adding what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all those worst-case scenarios and it became our absolute worst nightmare . ''
The crash was actually the second for the Snowbirds since October and the second involving a Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft in as many months after a Cyclone helicopter went down in the Ionian Sea on April 29 , killing all six people on board .
The Cyclone 's voice and flight-data recorders have been recovered , but the fuselage is under about 3,000 metres of water .
Defence officials will update Canadians on efforts to recover the helicopter wreckage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday .
Unlike the Cyclone crash , which was only witnessed by crew from the Halifax-class frigate HMCS Fredericton , Canadians across the country have been able to watch Sunday 's Snowbird crash thanks to videos shot by various bystanders at the Kamloops Airport .
Even as investigators were hitting the ground in Kamloops Monday , retired Air Force officers said it appears based on the videos that the Tutor jet 's engine lost power shortly after taking off .
They point to the plane climbing into the air before plummeting to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a residential neighbourhood in Kamloops .
Nobody on the ground was injured .
`` Certainly it 's an engine loss , '' said retired chief of the defence staff Tom Lawson , who spent most of his military career flying fighter jets .
`` You trade off your speed — whatever little bit you were able to build up — for altitude .
It 's not so you can think of what to do next .
It 's so you can eject at a safe altitude .
It 's called zoom and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andre Deschamps echoed that assessment , saying videos of the incident suggest the Tutor experienced an engine compressor stall .
Such stalls are the result of airflow into an plane 's engine being disrupted , causing dramatic power loss .
`` It 's certainly a power loss , '' said Deschamps , also a former fighter pilot .
`` You could even hear the bang on one of the videos .
The guy was close enough and you heard the airplane go by and you heard the compressor stall .
As soon as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'Yeah , compressor stall . '
'' The question now appears to be what caused the compressor stall , including whether it was a mechanical failure or a bird being sucked into the Tutor 's engine .
Bird strikes , as they are called , have caused compressor stalls on many other aircraft that have crashed .
Bird strikes are an unfortunate occurrence , but where there is perhaps more concern than normal is that engine-power loss has also been blamed for the crash of a Snowbird in the U.S. state of Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under investigation .
While Lawson was hopeful the two Snowbird crashes represented simply a rash of bad luck for the team , Deschamps said investigators will need to ensure there is not a systemic problem within the Tutor fleet that could cause other crashes .
There have been plans to replace the 57-year-old Tutors for years .
Obtained as a training aircraft in 1963 , they were supposed to be retired in 2010 .
A total of seven pilots and two passengers have been killed and several aircraft have been lost over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lawson says the plan was to replace them as part of a larger overhaul of the air force 's training fleet .
The Defence Department in 2015 pegged the cost of replacing the Tutors at between $ 500 million and $ 1.5 billion .
Stephen Harper 's Conservative government instead extended their lives to 2020 as it mulled which new fighter aircraft to buy to replace the CF-18s .
The Trudeau Liberals planned to do the same to 2030 , setting aside up to $ 100 million to upgrade their avionics and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and retired air force commander Mike Hood expressed frustration over the failure of successive governments to obtain a new jet trainer , they were united in praising the Tutor despite its age and uncertainty around the cause of the two recent crashes .
That is because the Air Force has piles of spare parts for the Tutors and the aircraft are well built for their job and well maintained by military technicians .
`` Is it an old aircraft ?
Of course it is , '' said Hood .
`` Can it still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did in 1970 when the Snowbirds started ?
Yes it can .
Can it do safely ?
Yes .
Do we lose that type of aircraft to accidents and incidents along the way ?
You can see the record of them .
And what we do inherently has an element of danger to it . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 18 , 2020 .

A team of military investigators arrived in British Columbia on Monday to begin searching for answers into Sunday's deadly Snowbird crash, which the aerobatic team's commander described as a confluence of "worst-case scenarios, and it became our absolute worst nightmare." The eight-member flight investigation team was deployed from Ottawa to Kamloops, where one of the Snowbirds's famed Tutor jets went down shortly after takeoff. The Snowbirds had been in the midst of a cross-country tour aimed at boosting morale during the COVID-19 pandemic. One Canadian Armed Forces member, Capt. Jennifer Casey, a public affairs officer from Halifax, was killed while another, Capt. Richard MacDougall, who was piloting the aircraft, sustained serious but non-life threatening injuries. During a news conference at 15 Wing Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan, where the Snowbirds are based, team commander Lt.-Col. Mike French said the cross-country tour known as Operation Inspiration has been suspended while the team's Tutor jets are subject to an "operational pause." French would not speculate on the cause of the crash, but insisted that safety is the Snowbirds' "No. 1 priority." He added that each aircraft is torn down and rebuilt about every two years and subject to regular maintenance and checks prior to every flight.
"Our priorities are always the safety of the public, the safety of our personnel and then the protection of our equipment and property," he said, adding what happened Sunday was "the confluence of all those worst-case scenarios and it became our absolute worst nightmare." The crash was actually the second for the Snowbirds since October and the second involving a Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft in as many months after a Cyclone helicopter went down in the Ionian Sea on April 29, killing all six people on board. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The Cyclone's voice and flight-data recorders have been recovered, but the fuselage is under about 3,000 metres of water. Defence officials will update Canadians on efforts to recover the helicopter wreckage during a technical briefing in Ottawa on Tuesday.
Unlike the Cyclone crash, which was only witnessed by crew from the Halifax-class frigate HMCS Fredericton, Canadians across the country have been able to watch Sunday's Snowbird crash thanks to videos shot by various bystanders at the Kamloops Airport. Commander calls Snowbirds crash 'worst nightmare' as Forces begins investigation Even as investigators were hitting the ground in Kamloops Monday, retired Air Force officers said it appears based on the videos that the Tutor jet's engine lost power shortly after taking off. They point to the plane climbing into the air before plummeting to the ground as evidence. The aircraft crashed into a residential neighbourhood in Kamloops. Nobody on the ground was injured. "Certainly it's an engine loss," said retired chief of the defence staff Tom Lawson, who spent most of his military career flying fighter jets. "You trade off your speed — whatever little bit you were able to build up — for altitude. It's not so you can think of what to do next. It's so you can eject at a safe altitude. It's called zoom and boom."
Retired air force commander Andre Deschamps echoed that assessment, saying videos of the incident suggest the Tutor experienced an engine compressor stall. Such stalls are the result of airflow into an plane's engine being disrupted, causing dramatic power loss. "It's certainly a power loss," said Deschamps, also a former fighter pilot. "You could even hear the bang on one of the videos. The guy was close enough and you heard the airplane go by and you heard the compressor stall. As soon as I heard that, I said: 'Yeah, compressor stall.'" The question now appears to be what caused the compressor stall, including whether it was a mechanical failure or a bird being sucked into the Tutor's engine. Bird strikes, as they are called, have caused compressor stalls on many other aircraft that have crashed.


nationalobserver--2020-05-19--Some businesses wary about reopening as COVID restrictions ease

Businesses in some provinces spent the long weekend preparing to reopen ahead of an easing of restrictions aimed at curbing the COVID-19 pandemic , even as others said they 're not yet ready to throw open their doors .
Ontario has given the green light to certain retail stores to open their doors Tuesday as the province enters the first stage of its reopening plan .
The construction industry has also been given the go-ahead to resume operations , and some surgeries will be allowed to proceed .
Some stores , however , said they 're holding off on reopening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permission , citing health and financial concerns .
Peter Birkemoe , who owns The Beguiling comic book shop in Toronto , said the business has been doing well with online orders and , as of last week , curbside pickup .
Safely reopening the store would take more resources to serve fewer customers , which would represent `` a big step backwards , '' he said .
• Freeland refrains from discussing details on Canada 's ongoing talks with U.S. on border opening • B.C .
classes will soon be in session , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he misses interacting with customers face to face , Birkemoe said it 's not worth jeopardizing his health and that of his staff , or the work they 're currently doing .
`` I would really like to have that back , but not at the risk of the small part of my business that is actually working right now , '' he said .
Urban Gardener , a plant and garden store in west-end Toronto , said on social media that reopening now would feel `` irresponsible '' given that customers often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are constantly touching the inventory .
`` We need a bit more time to figure out how we can reorganize the shop to provide a safe ( yet still browse-worthy ! )
experience for our customers , '' it said on Instagram .
Others said they 're eager to open up shop again , but may need more time to prepare .
Stephen Yorke , who owns the Toronto record store Dead Dog Records , said he would will reopen his store 's two locations as soon as possible , but not until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plexiglass screens later this week .
Some businesses wary about reopening as more provinces ease COVID restrictions Even then , the stores will only be able to accommodate two to four customers who will be supplied with latex gloves before they can do any browsing , he said .
Staff will continue to sanitize common areas , including door pulls and card readers , he said .
A partial reopening is also expected Tuesday in British Columbia , but that hinges on businesses and organizations having plans that comply with provincial pandemic guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of AXIS Hair Salon in Vancouver , said the pandemic has upended the way the salon has operated for 30 years .
`` There are some nerves , '' she said in an interview .
`` Nerves about team perception , client perception and safety . ''
Geraghty said the salon is also struggling to deal with a backlog of 800 appointments that had to be cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions .
`` It 's like funnelling six lanes of traffic into one , '' she said , noting the salon will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan for a soft reopening Wednesday and Thursday .
B.C .
's top doctor urged businesses owners and customers to take it slow .
`` It is going to be a bit of an anxiety-provoking week for many , many people , '' Dr. Bonnie Henry said Monday .
`` Then we 'll get used to it . ''
A May long weekend under the shadow of COVID-19 was further dampened after a Snowbird plane crashed in British Columbia on Sunday while on a cross-country tour meant to impart hope during the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public affairs officer with the Canadian Forces , died in the incident , while Capt .
Richard MacDougall , the pilot of the aircraft , was being treated for injuries described as not life-threatening following the incident in Kamloops .
`` Canadians look at the Snowbirds as a source of joy and an exhibition of the incredible feats that our people in uniform are capable of , '' Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan said of the crash that occurred in Kamloops .
`` Operation Inspiration was intended to lift the spirit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Snowbirds accomplished their mission .
I know that all Canadians grieve this tragic loss . ''
In Quebec , the province removed more police checkpoints that have limited non-essential traffic to some regions , including the one between Ottawa and Gatineau .
Premier Francois Legault said Monday that the situation in the Greater Montreal area has stabilized enough to allow retail stores to open on May 25 as planned .
Daycares will open on June 1 , with a limited number of spaces in order to meet distancing requirements , he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Monday is the lowest in several weeks , said Legault .
He added that several hundred health-care workers who had been sidelined due to COVID-19 had returned to work , meaning the hospital system is now better prepared to handle an increase in cases if one occurs .
There have been roughly 78,000 cases of the respiratory illness across Canada as of Monday afternoon , including 5,842 deaths and 39,251 resolved .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 18 , 2020 .

Businesses in some provinces spent the long weekend preparing to reopen ahead of an easing of restrictions aimed at curbing the COVID-19 pandemic, even as others said they're not yet ready to throw open their doors. Ontario has given the green light to certain retail stores to open their doors Tuesday as the province enters the first stage of its reopening plan. The construction industry has also been given the go-ahead to resume operations, and some surgeries will be allowed to proceed. Some stores, however, said they're holding off on reopening their doors for now despite the provincial permission, citing health and financial concerns. Peter Birkemoe, who owns The Beguiling comic book shop in Toronto, said the business has been doing well with online orders and, as of last week, curbside pickup. Safely reopening the store would take more resources to serve fewer customers, which would represent "a big step backwards," he said.
While he misses interacting with customers face to face, Birkemoe said it's not worth jeopardizing his health and that of his staff, or the work they're currently doing. "I would really like to have that back, but not at the risk of the small part of my business that is actually working right now," he said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Urban Gardener, a plant and garden store in west-end Toronto, said on social media that reopening now would feel "irresponsible" given that customers often spend more than an hour inside and are constantly touching the inventory.
"We need a bit more time to figure out how we can reorganize the shop to provide a safe (yet still browse-worthy!) experience for our customers," it said on Instagram. Some businesses wary about reopening as more provinces ease COVID restrictions Others said they're eager to open up shop again, but may need more time to prepare. Stephen Yorke, who owns the Toronto record store Dead Dog Records, said he would will reopen his store's two locations as soon as possible, but not until he can equip the cash area with plexiglass screens later this week. Even then, the stores will only be able to accommodate two to four customers who will be supplied with latex gloves before they can do any browsing, he said. Staff will continue to sanitize common areas, including door pulls and card readers, he said. A partial reopening is also expected Tuesday in British Columbia, but that hinges on businesses and organizations having plans that comply with provincial pandemic guidelines.
Renee Geraghty, the managing partner of AXIS Hair Salon in Vancouver, said the pandemic has upended the way the salon has operated for 30 years. "There are some nerves," she said in an interview. "Nerves about team perception, client perception and safety." Geraghty said the salon is also struggling to deal with a backlog of 800 appointments that had to be cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.


nationalobserver--2020-05-19--Asylum seekers find work in Quebec's COVID-19 hard-hit care homes

Some of the of asylum seekers who have come to Canada in recent years have found the path to a new life has taken them straight to the front lines of Quebec 's COVID-19 crisis , where hundreds are believed to be working in hard-hit long-term care homes .
Ze Benedicte Carole , an asylum seeker from Cameroon , is recovering at home after being infected with COVID-19 .
She was working as a volunteer at a long-term care home in Montreal 's west end .
The 34-year-old , who arrived in Canada four years ago as a temporary foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way to help her adopted country after being laid off from her job in food services .
When Premier Francois Legault called for more people to sign up to become `` guardian angels , '' as he has repeatedly called those working in health and long-term care homes , she volunteered .
`` My dream has always been to work in a ( long-term care home ) to help people who are in trouble , and to feel important in society , '' she said .
• Freeland refrains from discussing details @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on border opening • B.C .
classes will soon be in session , but parents ' reactions are mixed Ze Benedicte said she was assigned to what was supposed to be a `` cold '' zone of a care home , where she helped with tasks such as cleaning .
But soon after , residents in her area were found to be carrying the virus .
Three days later she started experiencing headaches , fevers and muscle pain , despite having worn a mask , gloves , gowns and visors .
When she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she says she was told by a health-care employee that she could n't get a test because she did n't have a medicare card — despite having a social insurance number and having worked in a COVID-positive environment .
Feeling demoralized , she started to cry .
`` When we die at the front lines , we 're called guardian angels , '' she said .
`` But when we need to be treated on equal footing , we 're not guardian angels .
We 're nobody , we 're invisible .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to get tested after seeking help from a migrant rights group , says she 's finally feeling better two weeks later despite persistent fatigue and aches .
She says she 's eager to return to work and hoping to eventually work in a long-term care home full time .
Asylum seekers on front line of Quebec 's COVID-19 battle in care homes She is one of thousands of asylum seekers who have taken jobs in long-term care homes or other front-line services , where some are paying the price for their decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where many asylum seekers have settled , has the highest infection rate in the city , spurred by crowded housing conditions that make social distancing impossible and a population that largely works in essential jobs such as food production , health care or security .
Ruth Pierre-Paul , who advocates on behalf of Montreal 's Haitian community , says hundreds of those who crossed the border irregularly in recent years have sought out jobs in long-term care homes as a quick way to enter the workforce , due to a short training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She and other advocates are calling on the Quebec and Canadian governments to grant permanent residence to the many asylum seekers who are working in essential services as a recognition of their work during the pandemic .
`` These people are living a double stress : they have to work and are on the front lines of a battle that could put them in the grave , with a status that gives them no benefits and makes them more vulnerable , '' Pierre-Paul said .
She said asylum seekers do n't have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cards and are n't covered by the provincial workplace health and safety board despite working some of the riskiest jobs .
Ze Benedicte , who supports the calls for permanent residency , also worries about those who are undocumented , who ca n't access emergency financial aid .
Last week , independent legislature member Catherine Fournier tabled a motion to recognize the contribution of `` hundreds of asylum seekers , mostly of Haitian origin , '' working in long-term care homes , and to ask Ottawa to `` quickly regularize their status , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the current health crisis . ''
The motion was rejected by Legault 's party , with the premier later appearing to suggest it could encourage more asylum seekers to cross the border , which is currently closed due to the pandemic .
`` They 're asking me to support the arrival of asylum seekers , '' he said when questioned .
`` Neither the government of Quebec or Canada supports that now . ''
Pierre Kiosa Nakatala , 45 , brought his family to Canada last year through the unofficial border crossing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on the Canada-U.S. border , after fleeing violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo .
Motivated by his Christian faith and a love of caring for the elderly that began with his own grandmother , he trained to become an orderly .
Now , he 's working long shifts tending to the sick and sometimes the dying in a hard-hit care home in Montreal North .
Many of his colleagues have gotten sick , meaning that two workers now have to do the work of three or four .
He worries about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his wife and three young children , who do n't always understand they ca n't hug their father until he 's had a shower .
While he hopes to be granted permanent residency , he says it 's not his main motivator in working in the care home .
`` We did n't do this to have documents , '' he said .
`` We did it to help . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 18 , 2020

Some of the of asylum seekers who have come to Canada in recent years have found the path to a new life has taken them straight to the front lines of Quebec's COVID-19 crisis, where hundreds are believed to be working in hard-hit long-term care homes. Ze Benedicte Carole, an asylum seeker from Cameroon, is recovering at home after being infected with COVID-19. She was working as a volunteer at a long-term care home in Montreal's west end. The 34-year-old, who arrived in Canada four years ago as a temporary foreign worker, said she started looking for a way to help her adopted country after being laid off from her job in food services. When Premier Francois Legault called for more people to sign up to become "guardian angels," as he has repeatedly called those working in health and long-term care homes, she volunteered. "My dream has always been to work in a (long-term care home) to help people who are in trouble, and to feel important in society," she said.
Ze Benedicte said she was assigned to what was supposed to be a "cold" zone of a care home, where she helped with tasks such as cleaning. But soon after, residents in her area were found to be carrying the virus. Three days later she started experiencing headaches, fevers and muscle pain, despite having worn a mask, gloves, gowns and visors. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions When she called the province's COVID-19 telephone line, she says she was told by a health-care employee that she couldn't get a test because she didn't have a medicare card — despite having a social insurance number and having worked in a COVID-positive environment. Feeling demoralized, she started to cry.
"When we die at the front lines, we're called guardian angels," she said. "But when we need to be treated on equal footing, we're not guardian angels. We're nobody, we're invisible." Asylum seekers on front line of Quebec's COVID-19 battle in care homes Ze Benedicte, who was eventually able to get tested after seeking help from a migrant rights group, says she's finally feeling better two weeks later despite persistent fatigue and aches. She says she's eager to return to work and hoping to eventually work in a long-term care home full time. She is one of thousands of asylum seekers who have taken jobs in long-term care homes or other front-line services, where some are paying the price for their decision to care for others. Montreal North, where many asylum seekers have settled, has the highest infection rate in the city, spurred by crowded housing conditions that make social distancing impossible and a population that largely works in essential jobs such as food production, health care or security.
Ruth Pierre-Paul, who advocates on behalf of Montreal's Haitian community, says hundreds of those who crossed the border irregularly in recent years have sought out jobs in long-term care homes as a quick way to enter the workforce, due to a short training period and large bank of available jobs. She and other advocates are calling on the Quebec and Canadian governments to grant permanent residence to the many asylum seekers who are working in essential services as a recognition of their work during the pandemic. "These people are living a double stress: they have to work and are on the front lines of a battle that could put them in the grave, with a status that gives them no benefits and makes them more vulnerable," Pierre-Paul said.


nationalobserver--2020-05-19--The global pandemic can, and should, transform everything.

In Milan , the mayor says the coronavirus crisis has made it more politically feasible to transform swaths of the city into walking and cycling zones .
Lithuania ’ s capital , Vilnius , is transforming its public square and spaces into open-air cafés and restaurants in an effort to get the hospitality industry back on its feet .
Vancouver is toying with the same idea .
It ’ s hard to talk about “ upsides ” when referring to a disease that has killed more than 300,000 people worldwide .
But there are , in spite of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive outcomes .
Many commentators , notably U.S. environmentalist Bill McKibben , have talked about how the coronavirus crisis will cast a spotlight on the importance of listening to the science .
That ’ s a huge takeaway , for sure .
But there is arguably an even bigger takeaway — though it doesn ’ t get as much attention .
The virus has , once again , shown concerted collective action is what makes the difference when it comes to solving complex problems , from the fight against climate change to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights .
With respect to the coronavirus crisis , countries that got a quick handle on the pandemic were the ones defined by a stronger sense of community — a feeling people could work collectively to solve complex political problems , and that government could be trusted to actually work .
• Freeland refrains from discussing details on Canada 's ongoing talks with U.S. on border opening • B.C .
classes will soon be in session , but parents ' reactions are mixed Add to that sense of efficacy the faith in science @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s “ scientist ” leader Angela Merkel , and you get some of the best-case scenarios in terms of the pandemic response .
Then , look at the places where the emphasis has long been on the individual — the U.S. , the U.K. and , to a lesser extent , Canada — and you get a less impressive response .
The sense people can work together to solve complex issues is one of the biggest determinants of how we respond to fear and danger .
But for the past four decades , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the defining features of countries like the U.S.
It ’ s survival of the fittest , with the least amount of government intervention possible .
If the rich got richer , their wealth would simply trickle down to the rest of us , or so the thinking went .
The coronavirus crisis has exposed , once and for all , the “ bankruptcy ” of the idea of ‘ trickle-down ’ economics .
And so , the coronavirus crisis boils down to a crisis of justice , and of inequality .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposed the chronic underfunding of public health , the poor cousin of the medical system .
But it has also exposed the various class inequalities in our society .
It ’ s the meat cutters , home-care workers , grocery-store workers and communities of colour largely bearing the brunt of this crisis .
Then there is the tragedy at long-term-care homes — COVID-19 has exposed how we treat our seniors , too .
`` In an era of individualism , COVID-19 has made us realize how badly we depend on in real life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and with family , friends and fellow citizens . ''
There are obvious moral considerations for addressing such gross inequalities .
But there are other reasons for acting , too ; for the first time , we ’ re also taking stock that there are serious economic costs to continuing with the status quo .
Industrial development pulled millions out of poverty , but it also poisoned the air , land and water , costs the world is only now taking stock of .
Neoliberalism made a few people very rich , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mode , if one considers being burdened by huge levels of household debt “ neutral.
” Transnational capitalism meant you could buy a good TV for less than $ 500 at the local big-box store , but it also often meant turning a blind eye to good governance ( including human rights , rule of law , environmental rights ) in the developing world .
So , when international bankers like Mark Carney talk about the starting point of industrial capitalism in the 21st century being the protection of the natural world , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of moral considerations that they ’ re saying that .
The chickens have come home to roost — failing to confront our assumptions about how the world works comes with a huge price tag attached .
Yes , we ’ re all socialists now , as evidenced by the Republicans ’ embrace of a universal basic income in the U.S .
But the new post-COVID-19 world isn ’ t one that ’ s going to all of a sudden result in the collapse of capitalism — nor should it .
Instead , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knows ) the virus will herald a new era where everyone at least recognizes there is the need for a fairer , slower , more humane way forward — a world where capitalism begins from the starting point of protecting the planet , not from enriching the select few .
Already , change is happening .
More and more news stories are looking at what ’ s working , and who is leading the way .
It ’ s happening in Milan , Vilnius , Vancouver .
And it ’ s happening in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a plan to clean up abandoned oil wells in Alberta .
The plan will put people back to work , and help clean up the environment .
Could a program for building retrofits be next ?
In an era of individualism , COVID-19 has made us realize how badly we depend on in real life social interaction , within our communities , and with family , friends and fellow citizens .

In Milan, the mayor says the coronavirus crisis has made it more politically feasible to transform swaths of the city into walking and cycling zones. Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, is transforming its public square and spaces into open-air cafés and restaurants in an effort to get the hospitality industry back on its feet. Vancouver is toying with the same idea. It’s hard to talk about “upsides” when referring to a disease that has killed more than 300,000 people worldwide. But there are, in spite of the virus’s tragic toll, many potential positive outcomes. Many commentators, notably U.S. environmentalist Bill McKibben, have talked about how the coronavirus crisis will cast a spotlight on the importance of listening to the science. That’s a huge takeaway, for sure. But there is arguably an even bigger takeaway — though it doesn’t get as much attention. The virus has, once again, shown concerted collective action is what makes the difference when it comes to solving complex problems, from the fight against climate change to the fight for civil rights, or gay rights. With respect to the coronavirus crisis, countries that got a quick handle on the pandemic were the ones defined by a stronger sense of community — a feeling people could work collectively to solve complex political problems, and that government could be trusted to actually work.
Add to that sense of efficacy the faith in science, embodied most notably by Germany’s “scientist” leader Angela Merkel, and you get some of the best-case scenarios in terms of the pandemic response. Then, look at the places where the emphasis has long been on the individual — the U.S., the U.K. and, to a lesser extent, Canada — and you get a less impressive response. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The sense people can work together to solve complex issues is one of the biggest determinants of how we respond to fear and danger. But for the past four decades, a growing cult of individuality has been one of the defining features of countries like the U.S. It’s survival of the fittest, with the least amount of government intervention possible.
If the rich got richer, their wealth would simply trickle down to the rest of us, or so the thinking went. The coronavirus crisis has exposed, once and for all, the “bankruptcy” of the idea of ‘trickle-down’ economics. "In an era of individualism, COVID-19 has made us realize how badly we depend on in real life social interaction, within our communities, and with family, friends and fellow citizens." And so, the coronavirus crisis boils down to a crisis of justice, and of inequality. Among other things, it’s exposed the chronic underfunding of public health, the poor cousin of the medical system. But it has also exposed the various class inequalities in our society. It’s the meat cutters, home-care workers, grocery-store workers and communities of colour largely bearing the brunt of this crisis. Then there is the tragedy at long-term-care homes — COVID-19 has exposed how we treat our seniors, too. There are obvious moral considerations for addressing such gross inequalities. But there are other reasons for acting, too; for the first time, we’re also taking stock that there are serious economic costs to continuing with the status quo. Industrial development pulled millions out of poverty, but it also poisoned the air, land and water, costs the world is only now taking stock of. Neoliberalism made a few people very rich, but it left most everyone else in neutral mode, if one considers being burdened by huge levels of household debt “neutral.” Transnational capitalism meant you could buy a good TV for less than $500 at the local big-box store, but it also often meant turning a blind eye to good governance (including human rights, rule of law, environmental rights) in the developing world.
So, when international bankers like Mark Carney talk about the starting point of industrial capitalism in the 21st century being the protection of the natural world, it’s presumably not just out of moral considerations that they’re saying that. The chickens have come home to roost — failing to confront our assumptions about how the world works comes with a huge price tag attached. Yes, we’re all socialists now, as evidenced by the Republicans’ embrace of a universal basic income in the U.S. But the new post-COVID-19 world isn’t one that’s going to all of a sudden result in the collapse of capitalism — nor should it. Instead, it’s hoped (though nobody really knows) the virus will herald a new era where everyone at least recognizes there is the need for a fairer, slower, more humane way forward — a world where capitalism begins from the starting point of protecting the planet, not from enriching the select few. Already, change is happening. More and more news stories are looking at what’s working, and who is leading the way. It’s happening in Milan, Vilnius, Vancouver. And it’s happening in politics. The Canadian government recently announced a plan to clean up abandoned oil wells in Alberta. The plan will put people back to work, and help clean up the environment. Could a program for building retrofits be next?


nationalobserver--2020-05-19--Provinces and municipalities are failing LGBTQ2+ communities

Soon after the Liberals were elected to form a majority government in 2016 , they implemented a series of LGBTQ2+ policies on an unprecedented scale in Canadian history .
They announced the creation of a federal LGBTQ2+ secretariat , $ 20 million in funding for LGBTQ2+ community organizations and helped pass the federal trans-rights bill , C-16 .
While these are commendable efforts — though I would argue $ 20 million is far from sufficient — the fact is that community , health and social services are within the purview of provincial and municipal governments , which have been almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ontario , the majority Progressive Conservative provincial government doesn ’ t have much to say about LGBTQ2+ people or LGBTQ2+ issues .
Despite the fact that some members of Premier Doug Ford ’ s cabinet — most notably Christine Elliott — were integral to Ontario passing necessary human-rights legislation to protect LGBTQ2+ communities under the previous Liberal government , Ford and his government have done absolutely nothing to improve the lives of LGBTQ2+ communities since coming into office .
Rather than investing in LGBTQ2+ community organizations , or enhancing LGBTQ2+ community , health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent the first year in office targeting LGBTQ2+ students by revoking the 2015 update to the health and physical education curriculum — an update that was celebrated across the province for groundbreaking steps toward LGBTQ2+ inclusion .
While we all applaud the work of the federal government in taking some initial steps to support LGBTQ2+ communities , enacting necessary legislation and creating the phenomenal LGBTQ2+ secretariat , it ’ s time provincial governments across Canada follow that lead .
• Freeland refrains from discussing details on Canada 's ongoing talks with U.S. on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon be in session , but parents ' reactions are mixed Though many of us don ’ t realize it , provincial and municipal governments play the most active role in our day-to-day lives .
These governments are responsible for our welfare , our housing , our roads , our health care , our social services and so much more .
Despite that , we ’ re often less engaged in local politics .
We often expect less from our provincial governments despite their capacity to seriously improve — or worsen — everyday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for LGBTQ2+ communities , we need real action from our provincial and municipal governments .
We need a break from the norm .
Even large urban centres often applauded as safer spaces for LGBTQ2+ people are complicit in underfunding our communities .
Ottawa , a city of more than a million people , spends less than $ 700,000 a year on the crucial services LGBTQ2+ people need .
Despite these urban spaces being praised for their inclusion , I ’ ve lost count of how many times I ’ ve been harassed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community , and I ’ ve heard too many accounts of the same happening in Toronto .
We need the Ontario government to create dedicated , annual funding programs for LGBTQ2+ community organizations .
We need to ensure every community in this province — big or small — has core services like peer support programs , education programs and housing services specific to LGBTQ2+ people .
We need provincial action to set a standard on access to transition-related health care for trans and gender-diverse people .
We need public awareness campaigns to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out by homophobic and transphobic parents , and to address the terrifying rates of street harassment experienced by LGBTQ2+ communities .
The COVID-19 pandemic has been shown to disproportionately impact marginalized communities , particularly those that are poor or low-income .
We know from research trans and gender-diverse people are drastically more likely to live in poverty , with almost 50 per cent of trans people living below the poverty line .
`` The COVID-19 pandemic has been shown to disproportionately impact marginalized communities , particularly those that are poor or low-income .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think about the LGBTQ2+ kids stuck in unsafe homes where their identities are not accepted .
I can not imagine how traumatic this experience must be for them .
As we move forward and our cities , our provinces and our country try to recoup from this crisis , we need to commit to substantial change — for everyone , and for those communities most severely impacted .
If we want to create a world in which everyone is safe , everyone has the resources they need and everyone has an inclusive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our governments to finally put in place the necessary funding so LGBTQ2+ communities can thrive in this country .

Soon after the Liberals were elected to form a majority government in 2016, they implemented a series of LGBTQ2+ policies on an unprecedented scale in Canadian history. They announced the creation of a federal LGBTQ2+ secretariat, $20 million in funding for LGBTQ2+ community organizations and helped pass the federal trans-rights bill, C-16. While these are commendable efforts — though I would argue $20 million is far from sufficient — the fact is that community, health and social services are within the purview of provincial and municipal governments, which have been almost entirely absent from these conversations. In Ontario, the majority Progressive Conservative provincial government doesn’t have much to say about LGBTQ2+ people or LGBTQ2+ issues. Despite the fact that some members of Premier Doug Ford’s cabinet — most notably Christine Elliott — were integral to Ontario passing necessary human-rights legislation to protect LGBTQ2+ communities under the previous Liberal government, Ford and his government have done absolutely nothing to improve the lives of LGBTQ2+ communities since coming into office. Rather than investing in LGBTQ2+ community organizations, or enhancing LGBTQ2+ community, health and social services, the Ford government spent the first year in office targeting LGBTQ2+ students by revoking the 2015 update to the health and physical education curriculum — an update that was celebrated across the province for groundbreaking steps toward LGBTQ2+ inclusion. While we all applaud the work of the federal government in taking some initial steps to support LGBTQ2+ communities, enacting necessary legislation and creating the phenomenal LGBTQ2+ secretariat, it’s time provincial governments across Canada follow that lead.
Though many of us don’t realize it, provincial and municipal governments play the most active role in our day-to-day lives. These governments are responsible for our welfare, our housing, our roads, our health care, our social services and so much more. Despite that, we’re often less engaged in local politics. We often expect less from our provincial governments despite their capacity to seriously improve — or worsen — everyday life. If we want real change for LGBTQ2+ communities, we need real action from our provincial and municipal governments. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions We need a break from the norm. Even large urban centres often applauded as safer spaces for LGBTQ2+ people are complicit in underfunding our communities. Ottawa, a city of more than a million people, spends less than $700,000 a year on the crucial services LGBTQ2+ people need. Despite these urban spaces being praised for their inclusion, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been harassed on the streets of my own downtown Ottawa community, and I’ve heard too many accounts of the same happening in Toronto.
We need the Ontario government to create dedicated, annual funding programs for LGBTQ2+ community organizations. We need to ensure every community in this province — big or small — has core services like peer support programs, education programs and housing services specific to LGBTQ2+ people. "The COVID-19 pandemic has been shown to disproportionately impact marginalized communities, particularly those that are poor or low-income." We need provincial action to set a standard on access to transition-related health care for trans and gender-diverse people. We need public awareness campaigns to help ensure LGBTQ2+ kids aren’t kicked out by homophobic and transphobic parents, and to address the terrifying rates of street harassment experienced by LGBTQ2+ communities. The COVID-19 pandemic has been shown to disproportionately impact marginalized communities, particularly those that are poor or low-income. We know from research trans and gender-diverse people are drastically more likely to live in poverty, with almost 50 per cent of trans people living below the poverty line. My heart aches each day as I think about the LGBTQ2+ kids stuck in unsafe homes where their identities are not accepted. I cannot imagine how traumatic this experience must be for them. As we move forward and our cities, our provinces and our country try to recoup from this crisis, we need to commit to substantial change — for everyone, and for those communities most severely impacted.


nationalobserver--2020-05-19--Questions remain as post-secondary students start seeking relief

Post-secondary students unable to work due to the COVID-19 pandemic started applying for federal relief late last week , while questions about the benefit 's terms remain unanswered .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last month the Canada Emergency Student Benefit ( CESB ) would provide eligible students with $ 1,250 a month from May to August of this year , and up to $ 1,750 for students with dependants or disabilities .
Students have complained the amount is not enough to cover living expenses after many lost their prime summer earnings opportunities to the pandemic , which has shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount for students with children or disabilities was later increased to $ 2,000 — the same amount workers who lost their jobs can receive via the Canada Emergency Response Benefit ( CERB ) — in order to get NDP support for the passage of the legislation .
But at the urging of the Conservatives , the final version also included a condition that students prove they are looking for work .
• Freeland refrains from discussing details on Canada 's ongoing talks with U.S. on border opening • B.C .
classes will soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reactions are mixed It is not clear , however , if a student must accept any job offer .
Regulations to flesh out the details of the law have not yet been made public .
The portal to apply for the benefits opened on Friday .
“ There are some rumours going around — somebody told me they called the CRA ( Canada Revenue Agency , which is administering the benefit ) and the agent told them they would have to accept any job they were offered , ” said Alex Gold-Apel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been advocating for students to get more help .
“ It ’ s creating a lot of worry and panic , ” he said .
“ The enforcement of the requirement to work might be toothless , it might mean nothing , but unfortunately , it ’ s creating a lot of doubt at the moment for people.
” A spokeswoman for the federal employment minister did not respond directly to a query about whether a student was obliged to accept a job offer .
“ If a Canadian student is able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking for a job and attest to that in order to be eligible to receive the CESB , ” Marielle Hossack , press secretary for Carla Qualtrough , said in an emailed response to queries .
The government is encouraging students to register with a federal job bank where employers can post their vacancies , and says applicants should keep a daily record of their efforts to find work .
As students start applying for federal relief , some question whether they can refuse a job offer without penalty while others earn less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by staying home .
Gold-Apel also questioned why parent-students were only eligible for the additional amount if their child is younger than 12 years old , which pushes the benefit out of the reach of mature-age students and is lower than other programs such as the Canada child benefit ( CCB ) , which is paid to eligible families raising children under 18 years of age .
He also said it was not clear whether students living with immunocompromised people would be considered unable to work due to COVID-19 and therefore be eligible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age limit aligns with existing student financial support , such as the Canada Student Loans program .
It is also unclear whether those whose summer jobs have been delayed rather than canceled can apply for initial help without looking for interim work .
Meanwhile , those earning more than the $ 1,000 a month threshold , but less than they need to pay their bills , also find themselves in a difficult situation .
“ Should someone earning $ 1,200 ask their employer to cut their hours to under $ 1,000 ?
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefit is one part of a larger relief program for students , which also includes the Canada Student Services Grant that offers up to $ 5,000 toward tuition payments for students who perform volunteer work , the doubling of student grants and enhancements to a student loan program .
Hannah Estabrook had been planning to work over the summer at an outdoor education centre , but it was canceled with short notice .
So , the 21-year old University of Victoria student accepted an offer of increased hours at her part-time grocery-store job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or about $ 1,600 per month .
While she would otherwise have been eligible for either the CERB or CESB , she now finds herself unable to apply for either while coming into contact with hundreds of customers a day .
“ If I were to quit , I ’ m ineligible for any benefits , while going to work five days a week , I earn less than my roommates who stay home , ” she said .
Trudeau said on April 15 low-income workers in hospitals and nursing homes , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the food supply or providing essential retail services , would receive a wage increase , but those benefits , which require co-ordination with provincial governments have , for the most part , not yet arrived .
“ It feels like the government is exploiting low-income workers , knowing that we have no other choice , but to keep showing up to work in essential positions that keep our society functioning , ” Estabrook said .

Post-secondary students unable to work due to the COVID-19 pandemic started applying for federal relief late last week, while questions about the benefit's terms remain unanswered. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last month the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) would provide eligible students with $1,250 a month from May to August of this year, and up to $1,750 for students with dependants or disabilities. Students have complained the amount is not enough to cover living expenses after many lost their prime summer earnings opportunities to the pandemic, which has shut down much of public life. The amount for students with children or disabilities was later increased to $2,000 — the same amount workers who lost their jobs can receive via the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) — in order to get NDP support for the passage of the legislation. But at the urging of the Conservatives, the final version also included a condition that students prove they are looking for work.
It is not clear, however, if a student must accept any job offer. Regulations to flesh out the details of the law have not yet been made public. The portal to apply for the benefits opened on Friday. “There are some rumours going around — somebody told me they called the CRA (Canada Revenue Agency, which is administering the benefit) and the agent told them they would have to accept any job they were offered,” said Alex Gold-Apel, a postgraduate University of Toronto student who has been advocating for students to get more help. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “It’s creating a lot of worry and panic,” he said. “The enforcement of the requirement to work might be toothless, it might mean nothing, but unfortunately, it’s creating a lot of doubt at the moment for people.”
A spokeswoman for the federal employment minister did not respond directly to a query about whether a student was obliged to accept a job offer. As students start applying for federal relief, some question whether they can refuse a job offer without penalty while others earn less delivering essential services than they could get by staying home. “If a Canadian student is able to work, they must be actively looking for a job and attest to that in order to be eligible to receive the CESB,” Marielle Hossack, press secretary for Carla Qualtrough, said in an emailed response to queries. The government is encouraging students to register with a federal job bank where employers can post their vacancies, and says applicants should keep a daily record of their efforts to find work. Gold-Apel also questioned why parent-students were only eligible for the additional amount if their child is younger than 12 years old, which pushes the benefit out of the reach of mature-age students and is lower than other programs such as the Canada child benefit (CCB), which is paid to eligible families raising children under 18 years of age. He also said it was not clear whether students living with immunocompromised people would be considered unable to work due to COVID-19 and therefore be eligible for the funds. Hossack said the age limit aligns with existing student financial support, such as the Canada Student Loans program.
It is also unclear whether those whose summer jobs have been delayed rather than canceled can apply for initial help without looking for interim work. Meanwhile, those earning more than the $1,000 a month threshold, but less than they need to pay their bills, also find themselves in a difficult situation. “Should someone earning $1,200 ask their employer to cut their hours to under $1,000?” Gold-Apel said.


nationalobserver--2020-05-19--Emerging from coronavirus: Three provinces start to reopen

Ontario , Saskatchewan and British Columbia launch COVID-19 economic reopening measures this week , and all three provinces are tackling the issue on their own terms .
In Ontario , for example , some outdoor recreation will be permitted , but gatherings of more than five people are still banned .
In Saskatchewan , personal services such as hairstylists can reopen , while in B.C .
restaurants can offer dine-in service if following a strict health protocol .
Here ’ s a rundown of some different ways the three provinces are opening up : Retailers with street entrances that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen , with physical distancing measures in place .
Recreational activities for individual or single competitors are also allowed , including training and sports competitions by a recognized national or provincial sports organization .
This includes indoor and outdoor competitions for non-team sports that can be played while maintaining physical distancing and without spectators ( examples are tennis , track and field and horse racing ) .
Ontario , Saskatchewan and British Columbia launch COVID-19 economic reopening measures this week , and all three provinces are tackling the issue on their own terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different measures : Some outdoor recreational amenities are permitted , including outdoor sports facilities and multi-use fields , off-leash dog areas , and outdoor picnic sites , benches and shelters in parks and recreational areas ( playgrounds , fitness equipment , public swimming pools and splash pads remain closed for now ) .
Pet care services ( grooming , training and veterinary appointments ) as well as housekeepers , cooks , cleaning and maintenance work are allowed , both indoor and outdoor as long as physical distance is respected .
Drive-in religious gatherings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ includes no more than five people who must be from the same household , cars are two metres apart and the service is not conducted by more than five people who are properly distanced .
Finally , all construction projects , and some health and medical services , such as in-person counselling and scheduled surgeries are allowed .
For more information on the current COVID-19 situation in Ontario , visit covid-19.ontario.ca .
Phase 2 of Re-Open Saskatchewan continues on Tuesday , May 19th , with retail businesses , shopping malls , public & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services , subject to their own guidelines .
# COVID19SK To learn more , visit : https : //t.co/IyTpiFtGpF pic.twitter.com/eLEw5xViid — Government of Saskatchewan ( @ SKGov ) May 16 , 2020 Further restrictions were lifted over the May long weekend .
As of Friday , golf courses and drive-in theatres were able to begin operations .
Additional restrictions that were put in place for residents in the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District ( NSAD ) are now limited to the western half of that district , where most new COVID-19 cases are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas are now on the same reopening schedule as the rest of the province .
The NSAD is a large geographic area that covers almost half the province and accounts for less than four per cent of the population .
It is divided into the provincial electoral districts of Cumberland in the northeast and Athabasca in the northwest .
Northwest communities that remain restricted include La Loche , Beauval , Buffalo Narrows , Île-à-la-Crosse and Pinehouse while northeast communities including La Ronge , Air Ronge and Pelican Narrows are now part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and employees of outfitting operations are allowed to travel to outfitting camps , including those in the NSAD .
Outfitters operating south of the NSAD that were not impacted by northern travel restrictions could begin operations as of May 15 .
On Tuesday , Saskatchewan had seven new confirmed cases of COVID-19 , bringing the provincial total to 599 .
According to the Saskatchewan government , businesses that can begin operation in the next reopening phase include retail businesses , shopping malls , select personal services such as a hairstylist or barber , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' markets .
In the northwest part of the NSAD , restrictions remain in place .
This includes all non-critical travel , including those with primary residences into and out of the NSAD , as well as all non-critical travel between northern communities .
Northwest residents are ordered to remain in their local communities and to practice appropriate physical distancing .
Travel related to the delivery of essential services will continue to be permitted .
As of May 20 , supply limits on prescription drugs that were introduced to guard against drug shortages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Authority is resuming services such as outpatient physiotherapy appointments , kidney health services , some laboratory services , home care and expanded immunizations .
For more information on the current COVID-19 situation in Saskatchewan , visit www.saskatchewan.ca/COVID19 .
Developing your COVID-19 workplace safety plan : A six-step process for employers : https : //t.co/zURFJaNA3P Healthy and safe workplaces contribute to a safe and healthy province .
# LetsDoOurPartBC # COVIDBC pic.twitter.com/ynSHq5z55q — WorkSafeBC ( @ WorkSafeBC ) May 18 , 2020 B.C.
’ s four-phase Restart Plan sees the province opening a range @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that were released on Friday for each industry sector .
The province never aggressively moved to disperse all public gatherings as much as some others .
B.C .
banned gatherings of more than 50 people , a number that is much larger than Ontario ’ s ban , for example , on gatherings of more than five people not from the same household , or Alberta ’ s ban on more than 15 people in one indoor location .
But provincial health officer Bonnie Henry also told B.C.ers back in March that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and has portrayed the limit of 50 as a ceiling .
B.C .
also began advising those returning from abroad to self-quarantine earlier than the federal government did .
The impact on businesses has still been severe , with 41 per cent of businesses in an April 21 BC Chamber of Commerce survey reporting that they laid off employees , and almost a quarter having to close temporarily .
The list of businesses allowed to reopen this week includes everything from dine-in restaurants , cafes , and pubs to museums , art @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services , counsellors , dentists , therapists , chiropractors , hair salons , sports and child care .
The 1,200-word safety protocol for dine-in restaurants , for example , includes requirements for posting COVID-19 safety plans , and limits capacity to 50 per cent at one time , with no table having more than six people , and tables spaced two metres apart .
The protocol also includes a playbook for servers , to do things such as remove one chair per table , and use the space to take orders or place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them around themselves and pour their own water .
Condiments such as salt and pepper should be removed and menus should be disposable or digital .
As well , employers , “ if practicable , ” are required to “ retain the contact information for one member of every party ” for 30 days in the event that the government needs to conduct contract tracing following a virus outbreak .
They should also stagger break times and provide hand sanitizer , put floor decals to show distancing and develop handwashing procedures , among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Phase 2 guidelines should be cautiously heeded , so people only expand their social circles slightly , keep visits short and outside if possible , and continue practicing physical distancing , washing hands , not touching your face and avoiding sharing any food or drinks .
For more information on the current COVID-19 situation in British Columbia , visit gov.bc.ca/covid19 .

Emma McIntosh, Michael Bramadat-Willcock, Carl Meyer

Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia launch COVID-19 economic reopening measures this week, and all three provinces are tackling the issue on their own terms. In Ontario, for example, some outdoor recreation will be permitted, but gatherings of more than five people are still banned. In Saskatchewan, personal services such as hairstylists can reopen, while in B.C. restaurants can offer dine-in service if following a strict health protocol. Here’s a rundown of some different ways the three provinces are opening up: http://twitter.com/ONgov/status/1262752422021091334
Ontario Canada’s most populous province started the first stage of its reopening plan Tuesday, allowing many retail shops to reopen and residents to resume some outdoor recreational activities. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Plenty of restrictions remain in place, and Premier Doug Ford has extended the province’s emergency orders until May 29 — that means gatherings of more than five people, visits with family and friends outside your household, bars, dine-in restaurants, hair salons and more will remain verboten until the end of next week at least.
On Tuesday, the provincial government said schools would remain shut for the rest of the academic year and also cancelled overnight summer camps. Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia launch COVID-19 economic reopening measures this week, and all three provinces are tackling the issue on their own terms. Here's a rundown of the different measures: Retailers with street entrances that are not in shopping malls are allowed to reopen, with physical distancing measures in place. Recreational activities for individual or single competitors are also allowed, including training and sports competitions by a recognized national or provincial sports organization. This includes indoor and outdoor competitions for non-team sports that can be played while maintaining physical distancing and without spectators (examples are tennis, track and field and horse racing). Some outdoor recreational amenities are permitted, including outdoor sports facilities and multi-use fields, off-leash dog areas, and outdoor picnic sites, benches and shelters in parks and recreational areas (playgrounds, fitness equipment, public swimming pools and splash pads remain closed for now).
Pet care services (grooming, training and veterinary appointments) as well as housekeepers, cooks, cleaning and maintenance work are allowed, both indoor and outdoor as long as physical distance is respected. Drive-in religious gatherings are now OK, if each car includes no more than five people who must be from the same household, cars are two metres apart and the service is not conducted by more than five people who are properly distanced. Finally, all construction projects, and some health and medical services, such as in-person counselling and scheduled surgeries are allowed.


nationalobserver--2020-05-19--High schoolers across Canada get ready for a virtual prom

High school proms are among the long list of social gatherings cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic , but high-school seniors in Toronto and across the country are not letting that stop them from celebrating .
This Friday night , thousands of students will tune in to a virtual party featuring the prime minister and a string of actors and musicians acknowledging their accomplishments .
“ We wanted to take this negative impact that is happening and turn it into a positive by celebrating the end of high school together virtually , ” says Sophia Divita , a senior at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ont.
, and one of the student organizers of the virtual ‘ Prom Is On ’ event .
She bought her prom dress back in December , and is hopeful that she will eventually get to wear it to an in-person event .
But for now , she ’ s focused on getting as many other students as possible signed up to join the online version organized by Student Life Network , which is connected to around 1.3 million high school and post-secondary students across the country .
• Freeland refrains from discussing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. on border opening • Ontario cancels rest of the school year , no overnight summer camps Some three dozen senior high-schoolers from across the country were selected from among hundreds wanting to help organize the event , which will be streamed online this Friday starting at 8 p.m. Eastern .
“ There was a flood of responses that were like , ‘ Yes please , I ’ ve bought my dress ’ , ” said Laura DaSilva , a spokesperson for Student Life Network .
Students on the organizing committee meet online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtual prom .
Photo supplied by Student Life Network Another student selected to help pull the event together was Rey Duff , who had wanted to be on her school ’ s prom committee since she was in Grade 9 .
“ I ’ ve always viewed prom as this treat for working so hard , ” said the student from Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts in Toronto .
While acknowledging the experience won ’ t make up for the in-person celebration she had imagined , Duff said she is happy to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and will be hosting a Zoom meeting with around 20 friends .
When high school proms got cancelled across the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemics , hundreds of graduating seniors volunteered to help Student Life Network create a virtual version .
Zaiboon Azhar , from Toronto 's Woburn Collegiate Institute , sees the event as a way for students to process the sudden interruption to their lives in the broader context of society ’ s upheaval .
“ A lot of students , I know classmates of mine , have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything being cancelled and senior year coming to an end so abruptly and not knowing how to deal with those emotions , because everything else seems so much bigger and more serious , ” she said .
Student Life Network ’ s DaSilva said CIBC , a long-time backer of the group , has set aside more than $ 100,000 it plans to donate to Kids Help Phone , a 24/7 national hotline serving young people in distress .
She said other companies have stepped forward with smaller donations and prizes for students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lead-up to and during the event .
The streamed event will include video messages from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau , the NDP ’ s Jagmeet Singh and Toronto Mayor John Tory .
It will also feature actors Finn Wolfhard from Stranger Things and Jacob Tremblay from Wonder , Maple Leafs hockey player Mitch Marner , businesswoman Arlene Dickinson from Dragons ’ Den , internet icon Rebecca Black , and comedian Rick Mercer , among others .
Sophia Divita applies makeup before a formal school event last year .
Photo supplied by Sophia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that students across the country will be watching and the smaller events that friends can arrange to supplement it is at least a small consolation , the student organizers said .
“ It ’ s no fun celebrating your accomplishments alone , ” Azhar said .
“ It ’ s really nice to know that people are proud of you and that you are proud of each other .
”

High school proms are among the long list of social gatherings cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but high-school seniors in Toronto and across the country are not letting that stop them from celebrating. This Friday night, thousands of students will tune in to a virtual party featuring the prime minister and a string of actors and musicians acknowledging their accomplishments. “We wanted to take this negative impact that is happening and turn it into a positive by celebrating the end of high school together virtually,” says Sophia Divita, a senior at Notre Dame High School in Burlington, Ont., and one of the student organizers of the virtual ‘Prom Is On’ event. She bought her prom dress back in December, and is hopeful that she will eventually get to wear it to an in-person event. But for now, she’s focused on getting as many other students as possible signed up to join the online version organized by Student Life Network, which is connected to around 1.3 million high school and post-secondary students across the country.
Some three dozen senior high-schoolers from across the country were selected from among hundreds wanting to help organize the event, which will be streamed online this Friday starting at 8 p.m. Eastern. “There was a flood of responses that were like, ‘Yes please, I’ve bought my dress’,” said Laura DaSilva, a spokesperson for Student Life Network. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Students on the organizing committee meet online to plan for Student Life Network's virtual prom. Photo supplied by Student Life Network
Another student selected to help pull the event together was Rey Duff, who had wanted to be on her school’s prom committee since she was in Grade 9. When high school proms got cancelled across the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemics, hundreds of graduating seniors volunteered to help Student Life Network create a virtual version. “I’ve always viewed prom as this treat for working so hard,” said the student from Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts in Toronto. While acknowledging the experience won’t make up for the in-person celebration she had imagined, Duff said she is happy to have "the next best thing” and will be hosting a Zoom meeting with around 20 friends. Zaiboon Azhar, from Toronto's Woburn Collegiate Institute, sees the event as a way for students to process the sudden interruption to their lives in the broader context of society’s upheaval. “A lot of students, I know classmates of mine, have been experiencing a lot of sadness over everything being cancelled and senior year coming to an end so abruptly and not knowing how to deal with those emotions, because everything else seems so much bigger and more serious,” she said.
Student Life Network’s DaSilva said CIBC, a long-time backer of the group, has set aside more than $100,000 it plans to donate to Kids Help Phone, a 24/7 national hotline serving young people in distress. She said other companies have stepped forward with smaller donations and prizes for students who take part in various activities in the lead-up to and during the event. The streamed event will include video messages from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the NDP’s Jagmeet Singh and Toronto Mayor John Tory. It will also feature actors Finn Wolfhard from Stranger Things and Jacob Tremblay from Wonder, Maple Leafs hockey player Mitch Marner, businesswoman Arlene Dickinson from Dragons’ Den, internet icon Rebecca Black, and comedian Rick Mercer, among others.