nationalobserver--2020-11-25--Lack of Canadian vaccine production means others will get inoculations first: PM

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sought to reassure Canadians on Tuesday that COVID-19 vaccines will start to arrive in the coming months even as he acknowledged that other nations are likely to start inoculating their citizens first .
`` One of the things to remember is Canada no longer has any domestic production capacity for vaccines , '' Trudeau said during his regular COVID-19 news conference outside his home in Ottawa .
`` We used to have it decades ago , but we no longer have it .
Countries like the United States , Germany and the U.K. do have domestic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're obviously going to prioritize helping their citizens first . ''
At the same time , Trudeau underscored the importance of getting inoculations to Canadians .
“ We know we 're not going to get through this pandemic without a vaccine , '' he said .
• Liberals ' climate accountability bill can be saved — but only if we act now • The key to fighting future pandemics ?
Old-growth forests , says mushroom guru Paul Stamets • Nova Scotia First Nation suspends lobster harvest after sighting of endangered right whales The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of doses from a variety of foreign pharmaceutical companies in recent months , he said , and Canada has been pushing the international community to ensure equal access for all .
“ The very first vaccines that roll off an assembly line in a given country are likely to be given to citizens of that particular country , ” he said .
“ But shortly afterwards , they will start honouring and delivering on the contracts that they signed with other countries , including with Canada .
We 've secured millions of doses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidates around the world.
” The expectation is that doses will start to arrive in Canada in the first few months of 2021 , he added .
At the same time , Trudeau said , `` we 've begun to invest once again in ensuring that Canada will have domestic vaccine production capacity because we never want to be caught short again , without the ability to support Canadians directly.
” The federal government announced in August that it was contributing $ 120 million over two years to build a biomanufacturing facility in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Canada no longer has any domestic production capacity for vaccines , '' Trudeau said during a COVID-19 news conference outside his home in Ottawa .
# COVID19 # vaccine # cdnpoli Ottawa previously committed $ 23 million to Saskatoon ’ s VIDO-InterVac operations in March and pledged $ 175 million to Vancouver-based AbCellera Biologics in May to boost its research and production capabilities .
Trudeau said it will take time for Canada ’ s own vaccine-production capability to get up to speed .
Conservative health critic Michelle Rempel Garner blasted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on that front .
She also called on the government to provide a timeline for when Canadians can start to see vaccines in the country .
`` Because until we have that information , there 's no certainty for Canadians and I think that 's leading to a lot of mental health issues , it 's leading to business closures , '' she said .
During a separate news conference , Public Procurement Minister Anita Anand said Canada has signed contracts for more doses per capita than any country in the world and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their arrival in the next few months .
That involves buying 126 freezers , including 26 ultracold ones , to hold millions of doses of vaccines .
Ottawa is also seeking private bidders to run the logistics and considering what role the military could play .
Health Canada has started work on approving three vaccines , Anand added , and deliveries won ’ t start until a vaccine candidate gets that green light .
The number of new COVID-19 cases across the country continued to grow , with more than 1,000 each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 new deaths .
Another 175 new cases were reported in Saskatchewan and 471 in Manitoba , where chief public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin warned the provincial health-care system is being pushed close to capacity .
The Manitoba government also reported it had issued one ticket — with more expected — in connection with a Sunday church service in a rural area near Steinbach , southeast of Winnipeg , that allegedly violated a ban on public gatherings .
There were 37 new cases were reported in Nova Scotia , with new restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Five new cases were reported in New Brunswick and two in Newfoundland and Labrador .
Yukon was also adopting mandatory mask orders despite no new cases being reported .
“ There are more regions of the country with high infection rates , ” Canada ’ s chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam said Tuesday .
“ And it is clear that COVID-19 knows no bounds .
Communities , jurisdictions and whole regions that were little , if at all , impacted in the past ( are ) now seeing community spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates of infection for the first time.
” Meanwhile , the Ontario government said it would start distributing rapid tests for COVID-19 , adding that the new tools are already being used in some hospitals and long-term care homes .
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the province would continue to deploy the 98,000 ID Now tests and 1.2 million Panbio tests it has received from the federal government in the coming weeks .
The Quebec government clarified its plan for the Christmas holidays Tuesday , saying citizens can attend only two events in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's government initially announced it would permit gatherings of a maximum of 10 people for four days between Dec. 24 and 27 , and asked Quebecers to voluntarily quarantine themselves for a week before and after in exchange .
On Tuesday , Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister decided to weigh in on Quebec 's plan , which he called `` dangerous . ''
`` I don ’ t want to get into quarterbacking other provinces .
There are premiers there doing their absolute best , except to say this : I think it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decided to announce on Christmas , '' Pallister said .
In response , Legault said the number of new cases per million residents is currently lower in Quebec than Manitoba .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 24 , 2020 .
—With files from Steve Lambert in Winnipeg , John Chidley-Hill and Paola Loriggio in Toronto , and Morgan Lowrie in Montreal .

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sought to reassure Canadians on Tuesday that COVID-19 vaccines will start to arrive in the coming months even as he acknowledged that other nations are likely to start inoculating their citizens first. "One of the things to remember is Canada no longer has any domestic production capacity for vaccines," Trudeau said during his regular COVID-19 news conference outside his home in Ottawa. "We used to have it decades ago, but we no longer have it. Countries like the United States, Germany and the U.K. do have domestic pharmaceutical facilities, which is why they're obviously going to prioritize helping their citizens first." At the same time, Trudeau underscored the importance of getting inoculations to Canadians. “We know we're not going to get through this pandemic without a vaccine," he said.
The federal government has signed orders for millions of doses from a variety of foreign pharmaceutical companies in recent months, he said, and Canada has been pushing the international community to ensure equal access for all. “The very first vaccines that roll off an assembly line in a given country are likely to be given to citizens of that particular country,” he said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “But shortly afterwards, they will start honouring and delivering on the contracts that they signed with other countries, including with Canada. We've secured millions of doses of the vaccines of the various vaccine candidates around the world.”
The expectation is that doses will start to arrive in Canada in the first few months of 2021, he added. "Canada no longer has any domestic production capacity for vaccines," Trudeau said during a COVID-19 news conference outside his home in Ottawa. #COVID19 #vaccine #cdnpoli At the same time, Trudeau said, "we've begun to invest once again in ensuring that Canada will have domestic vaccine production capacity because we never want to be caught short again, without the ability to support Canadians directly.” The federal government announced in August that it was contributing $120 million over two years to build a biomanufacturing facility in Montreal that includes the National Research Council. Ottawa previously committed $23 million to Saskatoon’s VIDO-InterVac operations in March and pledged $175 million to Vancouver-based AbCellera Biologics in May to boost its research and production capabilities. Trudeau said it will take time for Canada’s own vaccine-production capability to get up to speed.
Conservative health critic Michelle Rempel Garner blasted the Liberals later Tuesday for not moving faster on that front. She also called on the government to provide a timeline for when Canadians can start to see vaccines in the country. "Because until we have that information, there's no certainty for Canadians and I think that's leading to a lot of mental health issues, it's leading to business closures," she said. During a separate news conference, Public Procurement Minister Anita Anand said Canada has signed contracts for more doses per capita than any country in the world and that efforts are now underway to prepare for their arrival in the next few months.


nationalobserver--2020-11-25--Alberta bans home gatherings as COVID-19 cases continue to climb

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney , his province bending precariously under the weight of record COVID-19 cases , imposed new sweeping public health restrictions Tuesday that include a ban on gatherings in people ’ s homes .
Kenney also announced changes to schools , churches , restaurants and retailers , and banned sports teams from playing and sharply curtailed attendance at weddings and funerals .
He said the goal is to slash the rate of infections and keep people alive while preventing the loss of jobs and livelihoods that threaten to make an already dire situation even worse .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone , ” Kenney said Tuesday .
“ I just never imagined I ’ d be in this place in public life where I was telling people who could come visit them at home .
• Liberals ' climate accountability bill can be saved — but only if we act now • The key to fighting future pandemics ?
Old-growth forests , says mushroom guru Paul Stamets • Nova Scotia First Nation suspends lobster harvest after sighting of endangered right whales “ We really just felt we had no option given that 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to private social activity.
” Indoor gatherings are banned immediately , but people who live alone can have two personal contacts they are allowed to meet up with .
Outdoor social gatherings are limited to 10 people , as are funerals and weddings .
Kenney said the government is still working out how officers will enforce the gathering ban , but said there will be not be a “ snitch line ” for people to report on their neighbours .
“ ( Officers ) will be able to write tickets for fines of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is violating these rules against indoor social activities . ''
He added that police and peace officers will have latitude on enforcement # Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has banned gatherings in people ’ s homes to beat back COVID-19 case explosion .
# COVID19 # cdnpoli # ABpoli # secondwave `` They will be able to see if there are obvious signs of a large gathering , a lot of cars parked outside somebody ’ s house , for example , '' Kenney said .
Starting Friday , businesses will remain open at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Places of worship must operate at one-third capacity .
Banquet halls , conference centres and concert venues must also close .
And children in grades 7 through 12 will move to at-home learning at the end of the month and other students will follow after Dec. 18 .
The orders will be reviewed in three weeks .
Dr. Deena Hinshaw , Alberta ’ s chief medical officer of health , reported 1,115 new cases on Tuesday — the sixth consecutive day with numbers above the 1,100 mark .
There were 348 patients in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care .
Sixteen more people died , bringing that total to 492 .
A day earlier , Hinshaw compared the COVID-19 situation in Alberta to a snowball rolling down a hill , growing in size and speed .
Lives and livelihoods have been the crux of the debate in Alberta .
Kenney has maintained that the best approach is targeted health restrictions to keep COVID-19 from overrunning the health-care system while keeping the economy from collapsing .
Others , including many physicians , infectious disease specialists and the Opposition NDP , have called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arguing that if the COVID-19 wave is n't stopped , there won ’ t be an economy left to save .
Kenney ’ s decisions were made after Hinshaw made new undisclosed recommendations Monday to the cabinet subcommittee directing COVID-19 decisions .
NDP Leader Rachel Notley called the new restrictions “ half-measures ” and said they were likely the result of political bargaining instead of advice from public health officials .
“ We can not know , unfortunately , exactly what Dr. Hinshaw recommended to this UCP cabinet .
But I do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
Mike Parker , head of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta , a union representing paramedics and other health professionals , said Kenney tried to find the middle ground and failed .
“ ( Kenney ) continues to put business interests ahead of the well-being of Albertans.
” Jason Schilling , head of the Alberta Teachers ’ Association , said the groups supports the move `` to move to a combination of in-school and at-home learning that will allow schooling to continue in a safer environment . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ government has imposed sweeping rules to combat COVID-19 .
The province shut down many retail businesses , restaurants , recreation centres and schools during the first wave in March .
Most were allowed to reopen in May and June with restrictions .
Schools opened again in the fall .
In recent weeks , the province has limited public gatherings in areas including Edmonton and Calgary and forced bars and restaurants to stop serving booze by 10 p.m. and to close by 11 p.m. Indoor group fitness and team sports , along with group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banned in several large cities .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 24 , 2020 .

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, his province bending precariously under the weight of record COVID-19 cases, imposed new sweeping public health restrictions Tuesday that include a ban on gatherings in people’s homes. Kenney also announced changes to schools, churches, restaurants and retailers, and banned sports teams from playing and sharply curtailed attendance at weddings and funerals. He said the goal is to slash the rate of infections and keep people alive while preventing the loss of jobs and livelihoods that threaten to make an already dire situation even worse. “This whole thing is just incredibly tough for everyone,” Kenney said Tuesday. “I just never imagined I’d be in this place in public life where I was telling people who could come visit them at home.
“We really just felt we had no option given that 40 per cent of traceable cases connect back to private social activity.” Indoor gatherings are banned immediately, but people who live alone can have two personal contacts they are allowed to meet up with. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Outdoor social gatherings are limited to 10 people, as are funerals and weddings.
Kenney said the government is still working out how officers will enforce the gathering ban, but said there will be not be a “snitch line” for people to report on their neighbours. #Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has banned gatherings in people’s homes to beat back COVID-19 case explosion. #COVID19 #cdnpoli #ABpoli #secondwave “(Officers) will be able to write tickets for fines of up to $1,000 per individual who is violating these rules against indoor social activities." He added that police and peace officers will have latitude on enforcement "They will be able to see if there are obvious signs of a large gathering, a lot of cars parked outside somebody’s house, for example," Kenney said. Starting Friday, businesses will remain open at reduced capacity or by appointment only.
Places of worship must operate at one-third capacity. Banquet halls, conference centres and concert venues must also close. And children in grades 7 through 12 will move to at-home learning at the end of the month and other students will follow after Dec. 18. The orders will be reviewed in three weeks.


nationalobserver--2020-11-25--Racism, discrimination and trauma are driving Indigenous women out of media — we must do better

It ’ s a journalist ’ s job to speak truth to power and afflict the comfortable .
Newsroom leaders shouldn ’ t expect a free pass from affliction or truth when we are the power .
When we are the comfortable ones .
No one wants to hear that we ’ ve failed at our job .
Or failed people we care about .
But I need you to listen .
Larissa Burnouf first heard about missing and murdered Indigenous women from other reporters .
• Liberals ' climate accountability bill can be saved — but only if we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future pandemics ?
Old-growth forests , says mushroom guru Paul Stamets • Nova Scotia First Nation suspends lobster harvest after sighting of endangered right whales Reporters censor these stories out of self-preservation .
We hide the vicarious trauma .
We sanitize details when we write .
We make them fit to print .
Reality hits , as it did for Larissa when she got her first assignment .
In a courtroom , where a violent death was described one brutal detail at a time , Larissa first understood the hate and cruelty behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watching their pain , taught Larissa that loss makes your chest feel hollow .
“ I remember coming home and crying ... How do you disassociate yourself ?
How do you not connect yourself to that family , when they are in the most traumatic painful experience of their life , and they are telling you about their pain ?
” she asks .
Larissa then reminds me of how many murders she covered .
There were child deaths , too .
So many .
Larissa speaks unfalteringly , with a strong , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learned from years on television .
Indigenous women in the media business face a double burden of discrimination plus the trauma of the stories they cover , @ karyn_pugliese writes .
# humanrights # reconciliation # Indigenousrights But I notice she has started rocking herself .
I don ’ t think she realizes she is doing this .
“ After a long time , it gets to be too much .
And it got to be too much , ” she tells me .
Larissa left journalism .
She ’ s about to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go back and help those families in ways she couldn ’ t as a reporter .
Knowing Larissa , I am certain she ’ ll be brilliant .
But here is a fair question : shouldn ’ t her boss , the one who assigned these stories , have supported her ?
I was her boss .
And yes , I should have .
As she ’ s speaking , I am tempted to interrupt , say `` Yeah , but . ''
I want to defend myself by reminding Larissa of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did — to help .
Only my `` yeah , buts '' are meaningless to Larissa .
Whatever I imagined I was doing to support her , it was not enough , not the right thing .
It didn ’ t help .
And she is not blaming me .
Larissa only wants the media industry to do better for Indigenous women .
The Canadian Commission for UNESCO ( CCUNESCO ) , World Press Freedom Canada and Journalists for Human Rights asked me to contribute to their report “ Half the story is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” For many Indigenous women in the industry today , their story starts with the 1996 Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples .
RCAP called out the news media for stereotyping Indigenous people into noble environmentalists , angry warriors or pitiful victims .
It failed to show our full humanity .
Almost 20 years later , the Truth and Reconciliation Commission pointed out how little had changed .
In those 20 years in between , dozens of Indigenous women entered the field .
The change they might have made fell short of their talent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they experienced racism .
When they pulled out cameras , passersby cat-called them “ dirty squaw , ” co-workers mocked their accents or called them token diversity hires .
Some faced sexual harassment or violence .
They were told to “ suck it up.
” They pushed back against an implicit editorial bias that imagines news as a conversation between white people .
For their efforts , they were labelled as difficult .
Then they hit a glass ceiling .
It should n't surprise anyone that a journalism degree doesn ’ t shield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence and assault faced by other Indigenous women .
Nor that newsrooms are not immune to systemic racism and gender discrimination .
Terri Monture , a CMG union representative and Mohawk woman , has handled employee relations for more than 10 years at a number of media outlets .
She confirms the issues described by the 15 women in this case study are illustrative and found throughout the industry .
“ There ’ s an immediate skepticism with Indigenous women in a way that the men don ’ t encounter ... when you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they think , Indigenous women don ’ t have a voice .
They ’ ve never heard our voices throughout their history , ” Monture says .
This report is not a name-and-shame — in fact , I am the only manager who is identifiable and openly critiqued in the report .
The news industry ’ s job is to shine light in dark places .
When the spotlight illuminates our own shortcomings , we mustn ’ t look away .
Most newsrooms in Canada have failed to create a place where Indigenous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or the work they are trying to do .
It ’ s why , even after years of service and awards , many walk away feeling empty .

It’s a journalist’s job to speak truth to power and afflict the comfortable. Newsroom leaders shouldn’t expect a free pass from affliction or truth when we are the power. When we are the comfortable ones. No one wants to hear that we’ve failed at our job. Or failed people we care about. But I need you to listen. Larissa Burnouf first heard about missing and murdered Indigenous women from other reporters.
Reporters censor these stories out of self-preservation. We hide the vicarious trauma. We sanitize details when we write. We make them fit to print. Reality hits, as it did for Larissa when she got her first assignment. In a courtroom, where a violent death was described one brutal detail at a time, Larissa first understood the hate and cruelty behind the crime. Meeting the family, watching their pain, taught Larissa that loss makes your chest feel hollow. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “I remember coming home and crying ... How do you disassociate yourself? How do you not connect yourself to that family, when they are in the most traumatic painful experience of their life, and they are telling you about their pain?” she asks.
Larissa then reminds me of how many murders she covered. There were child deaths, too. So many. Indigenous women in the media business face a double burden of discrimination plus the trauma of the stories they cover, @karyn_pugliese writes. #humanrights #reconciliation #Indigenousrights She remembers everything. Larissa speaks unfalteringly, with a strong, steady voice. Perhaps a trick she learned from years on television. But I notice she has started rocking herself. I don’t think she realizes she is doing this. “After a long time, it gets to be too much. And it got to be too much,” she tells me.
Larissa left journalism. She’s about to become a lawyer, and she plans to go back and help those families in ways she couldn’t as a reporter. Knowing Larissa, I am certain she’ll be brilliant. But here is a fair question: shouldn’t her boss, the one who assigned these stories, have supported her? I was her boss. And yes, I should have.


nationalobserver--2020-11-25--Canadian labour leader hopes Biden’s efforts pressure Canada on climate, jobs

The president of the Canadian Labour Congress is hoping Joe Biden ’ s efforts while in office will put pressure on Canada and the provinces to “ move much faster ” in adopting ambitious climate and employment policies .
Hassan Yussuff said he felt Biden , the United States president-elect , has been signalling that he ’ s determined to take the climate crisis seriously , and there is now widespread recognition in the U.S. that there can be millions of new jobs for workers in a low-carbon economy — with the right government leadership and significant investments .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration , there will be accelerated and aggressive action to get back into the game as quickly as possible .
And I think that will help Canada recognize that we only have one choice here : We ’ ve got to set some very hard targets that are going to need to be achieved , ” said Yussuff .
Biden said Kerry would sit on the National Security Council , bringing a climate perspective to the White House Situation Room .
Kerry is credited with helping negotiate the Paris climate accord , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environmental issues , from representing the U.S. at international climate summits to working on bipartisan climate change legislation in the U.S. Senate .
In a short speech after Biden introduced him , Kerry wasted no time putting foreign nations on notice , saying , “ No country alone can solve this challenge ” and that “ to end this crisis , the whole world must come together.
” Hassan Yussuff , president of the Canadian Labour Congress , is hoping the U.S. president-elect 's climate policy will push Canada toward more ambitious climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next year ’ s international climate conference in Glasgow , Kerry said , “ all nations must raise ambition together , or we will all fail together .
And failure is not an option.
” “ The road ahead is exciting , actually — it means creating millions of middle-class jobs , it means less pollution in our air and oceans .
It means making life healthier for citizens across the world .
And it means we will strengthen the security of every nation in the world , ” said Kerry .
Any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have an impact on Canada , as the largest foreign supplier of crude oil to the U.S. , noted Yussuff .
Canada accounts for almost half , or 48 per cent , of U.S. crude oil imports and over a fifth of U.S. refinery input .
The U.S. , in turn , is practically Canada ’ s only oil customer : 98 per cent of Canada ’ s oil exports flow south across the border .
Biden said during the presidential debate that his intention was to “ transition from the oil industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and his platform called for the U.S. to achieve net-zero carbon pollution “ no later than 2050.
” Last week , the Trudeau government tabled Bill C-12 , which , if passed , would require that Canada set national carbon emissions targets every five years from 2030 until it reaches net-zero emissions in 2050 .
Canada already has a 2030 emissions reduction target — reducing emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels — that federal government projections have shown the country will overshoot unless more is done to cut pollution .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last election campaign to exceed that 2030 target , although it has not yet explained exactly how it will get there .
The bill also requires the government to draw up emissions reduction plans for achieving the targets , and provides a range of public reporting requirements to demonstrate progress , as well as an advisory body tasked with providing advice to the minister .
Advocates say the bill itself will create a powerful legal incentive that could help Canada finally achieve its targets after missing every one since 1992 .
Yussuff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas reduction plan from the federal government will necessarily impact fossil fuel employment in some way , although it was difficult to judge precisely how without a target and a timeline in place .
He said federal and provincial governments will need to outline how they intend to assist workers going forward .
The Task Force on Just Transition for Canadian Coal Power Workers and Communities that he co-chaired toured facilities , visited communities and met with workers .
It discovered a pervasive fear over the impact to communities of a coal shutdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspicion of government and a frustration over being labelled as dirty .
The group recommended significant federal spending on new infrastructure and financial , jobs and training programs for workers .
The lessons learned from that task force include the importance of starting early , said Yussuff , and creating an inventory of skills that workers currently have , as well as identifying who is likely to retire before facilities close or are converted to other technology .
Some of those workers will need a bridge to retirement , which could mean better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while others will need updated skills where governments could provide support for new programs .
It was important to get the ball rolling while workers are still at their current jobs , he said .

The president of the Canadian Labour Congress is hoping Joe Biden’s efforts while in office will put pressure on Canada and the provinces to “move much faster” in adopting ambitious climate and employment policies. Hassan Yussuff said he felt Biden, the United States president-elect, has been signalling that he’s determined to take the climate crisis seriously, and there is now widespread recognition in the U.S. that there can be millions of new jobs for workers in a low-carbon economy — with the right government leadership and significant investments. “I’m hoping with the new administration, there will be accelerated and aggressive action to get back into the game as quickly as possible. And I think that will help Canada recognize that we only have one choice here: We’ve got to set some very hard targets that are going to need to be achieved,” said Yussuff. The labour leader, who co-chaired a federal task force that looked at how to fairly provide for workers in coal mines and coal-fired power plants across Canada as the government moves to end coal power nationwide, also said setting climate targets will have to go hand-in-hand with developing a strategy around protecting workers. “An absence of that will put people’s livelihoods in jeopardy,” he said. “We’ve got to create jobs to replace the jobs that might be lost in the transitional period ... I’m hoping their (Biden’s) strong leadership and aggressive leadership can certainly boost the efforts here at the provincial and federal level to say, ‘Hey, we’ve got to move much faster,’ because our American friends are going to keep the pressure on Canada.”
U.S. president-elect Joe Biden and former U.S. secretary of state John Kerry in December 2019. Photo by Adam Schultz / Biden for President Paris veteran Kerry selected as Biden climate envoy Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions On Tuesday, Biden and vice-president-elect Kamala Harris announced their administration’s national security and foreign policy positions, naming former secretary of state John Kerry to the post of presidential envoy for climate change.
Biden said Kerry would sit on the National Security Council, bringing a climate perspective to the White House Situation Room. Hassan Yussuff, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, is hoping the U.S. president-elect's climate policy will push Canada toward more ambitious climate and employment policies. #climatechange Kerry is credited with helping negotiate the Paris climate accord, and has a long history of working on environmental issues, from representing the U.S. at international climate summits to working on bipartisan climate change legislation in the U.S. Senate. In a short speech after Biden introduced him, Kerry wasted no time putting foreign nations on notice, saying, “No country alone can solve this challenge” and that “to end this crisis, the whole world must come together.” At next year’s international climate conference in Glasgow, Kerry said, “all nations must raise ambition together, or we will all fail together. And failure is not an option.” “The road ahead is exciting, actually — it means creating millions of middle-class jobs, it means less pollution in our air and oceans. It means making life healthier for citizens across the world. And it means we will strengthen the security of every nation in the world,” said Kerry.
Any broad-based U.S. climate action is going to have an impact on Canada, as the largest foreign supplier of crude oil to the U.S., noted Yussuff. Canada accounts for almost half, or 48 per cent, of U.S. crude oil imports and over a fifth of U.S. refinery input. The U.S., in turn, is practically Canada’s only oil customer: 98 per cent of Canada’s oil exports flow south across the border. Biden said during the presidential debate that his intention was to “transition from the oil industry ... over time” to renewable energy, and his platform called for the U.S. to achieve net-zero carbon pollution “no later than 2050.”


nationalobserver--2020-11-25--First Nations reawaken an ancestral practice: agriculture

As a kid , Delbert Good remembers that he would come home from a day of picking potatoes to find a meal made from the fruits of his family ’ s garden .
“ While I was growing up , we were pretty self-sufficient , ” said Good , economic development officer for the Gitanyow Band and a lifelong resident of Gitanyow , a community northeast of Terrace , in northern B.C .
“ We had garden plots everywhere .
Our family stuck to growing potatoes — we had about 100 rows of potatoes every year — but everybody shared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own strengths when it came to growing vegetables.
” Delbert Good , right , explained that as a kid , most of his community 's food was locally grown .
Photo provided by Delbert Good That doesn ’ t surprise John Lutz , a professor of history at the University of Victoria who has studied Indigenous agriculture in the province .
“ There was an agriculture here that wasn ’ t immediately recognizable to Europeans , ” he explained .
For instance , Coast Salish people on the province ’ s south coast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wild potato plantations , but these well-tended clearings weren ’ t recognized by early Europeans as cultivated fields .
As more Europeans arrived in present-day B.C.
, those practices started adapting to a new import : potatoes .
“ We had generations where that sense of connection to certain ancestral food was ... attacked and that is tragic and unfortunate , but I believe that that knowledge is still in us and that we can wake it up again , ” says @ jesshousty .
“ Indigenous people found that potatoes grew well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They very quickly adopted potatoes and at Fort Simpson ( present-day Lax Kw ’ alaams ) , the Tsimshian and the Haida sold … thousands of bushels ( of potatoes ) to Europeans.
” The potato trade wasn ’ t limited to the north coast .
Lutz said communities from southern Vancouver Island to Alaska picked up the potato trade and usually grew them in fertile and moist pockets of land scattered across their territories .
That trade came to a halt in the late 1800s when the Canadian government started forcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because the potato patches were rarely recognized as such by the white surveyors who mapped reserve boundaries , most were left out .
The reserve system also made it difficult for Indigenous people provincewide to profitably practise European-style agriculture — like ranching or crop farming — because most of B.C.
’ s water rights had been stolen by settlers and reserves were rarely large or fertile enough for farming .
While the reserve system and other federal policies made farming commercially almost inaccessible to most Indigenous people in B.C.
, growing food was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ In the early 20th century , you see a lot of extensive kitchen gardens , people who are living out of their gardens .
In part , this is an economic necessity .
Indigenous people in large parts of the province didn ’ t have much access to the cash economy , ” he said .
“ They would take much of their food off the land in terms of hunting and their kitchen garden if they could .
And , of course , like white settlers , they would preserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can their peas and preserve their vegetables and have root cellars , and so on.
” That period ended in the 1950s , he said .
Racist policies prevented Indigenous people from entering many industries , everything from law to hospitality .
Jobs in industries that had once been key employers , like fishing and forestry , were becoming automated , a combination of policy and economics that pushed many First Nations out of the workforce .
And at the same time , increasingly strict hunting and fishing regulations crafted and imposed without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indigenous people found themselves squeezed out of their capitalist economies , squeezed out of their subsistence economies , and literally pushed into the welfare economy , ” Lutz explained .
In addition , intergenerational trauma and loss of cultural knowledge inflicted by the federal government ’ s assimilationist policies — including residential and day schools — exacerbated already difficult social and economic conditions .
Those factors continue to influence Indigenous people ’ s well-being , Lutz said , including food security .
About 40 per cent of on-reserve Indigenous households in B.C .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the University of Northern B.C .
And Health Canada data shows that Canada-wide , about a third of off-reserve Indigenous households don ’ t have enough food .
These are issues Good hopes next year ’ s community agricultural training program can help resolve — and that a similar program in the Haíɫzaqv ( Heiltsuk ) community of Bella Bella on B.C.
’ s central coast has been successfully addressing for several years .
In 2017 , the Qqs ( Eyes ) Projects Society , a Haíɫzaqv youth- and family- focused non-profit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,400-person town , which is only accessible by sea or air .
The project was a big success , said ‘ Cúagilákv ( Jess Housty ) , the organization ’ s executive director , especially this year : Due to the pandemic , the organization decided against making a single communal garden , and instead distributed gardening supplies to households and taught them how to grow food in “ grannie gardens.
” The Qqs Projects Society supported over 100 households this year through the “ granny gardens ” project , explained ‘ Cúagilákv @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2021 .
Photo by ‘ Cúagilákv “ This year , we supported over 100 households , ” she said .
“ And in a recent community food security assessment we conducted , we learned that a third of households in Bella Bella are growing a portion of their own food and another third of households really want to start next year.
” It ’ s a level of interest that isn ’ t only driven by food , she explained .
Growing food is also good for mental health , particularly when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic or other factors out of their control .
Nor is the practice new .
“ I really want people to understand that gardening is actually a Haíɫzaqv ancestral practice … We wanted to remind people that our people have a long history of nourishing themselves through their deep knowledge of plant systems and the climate where they live , and how all things around them interconnect , ” she explained .
A connection actively undermined by federal policies to assimilate Indigenous people across the country .
“ We had generations where that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was really deliberately attacked and that is tragic and unfortunate , but I really strongly believe that that knowledge is still in us and that we can wake it up again , ” she said .

As a kid, Delbert Good remembers that he would come home from a day of picking potatoes to find a meal made from the fruits of his family’s garden. “While I was growing up, we were pretty self-sufficient,” said Good, economic development officer for the Gitanyow Band and a lifelong resident of Gitanyow, a community northeast of Terrace, in northern B.C. “We had garden plots everywhere. Our family stuck to growing potatoes — we had about 100 rows of potatoes every year — but everybody shared in the community and everybody had their own strengths when it came to growing vegetables.” Not anymore. In the past hundred years, a suite of colonial policies suppressed traditions that were essential to many Indigenous people’s access to food, including agricultural ones that were practised for generations. For Good, reawakening them could help pave a better-fed future for his community. About 17 per cent of households in northern B.C. were food insecure before the pandemic, according to the province’s Provincial Health Services Authority. The area around Gitanyow is particularly hard hit: about 27 per cent of the population in the census area is classified as low-income by Statistics Canada, with poverty the driver of food insecurity.
The region is also a 15-hour drive from Vancouver, the distribution hub for roughly 78 per cent of the province’s food. That distance means that the food on grocery store shelves — particularly produce — is expensive and of low nutritional value when compared to urban centres further south. This year, the pandemic exacerbated the problem. Disruptions in global supply chains and high demand for some products emptied local grocery store shelves and highlighted a need to revitalize the community’s self-sufficiency. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “In history, when they had stock market crashes and droughts and stuff like that, it never really affected the First Nations because they were used to living off the land,” Good said.
Delbert Good, right, explained that as a kid, most of his community's food was locally grown. Photo provided by Delbert Good That doesn’t surprise John Lutz, a professor of history at the University of Victoria who has studied Indigenous agriculture in the province. “We had generations where that sense of connection to certain ancestral food was ... attacked and that is tragic and unfortunate, but I believe that that knowledge is still in us and that we can wake it up again,” says @jesshousty. “There was an agriculture here that wasn’t immediately recognizable to Europeans,” he explained. For instance, Coast Salish people on the province’s south coast used controlled burns to maintain camas and wild potato plantations, but these well-tended clearings weren’t recognized by early Europeans as cultivated fields. As more Europeans arrived in present-day B.C., those practices started adapting to a new import: potatoes. “Indigenous people found that potatoes grew well just about wherever they’re planted. They very quickly adopted potatoes and at Fort Simpson (present-day Lax Kw’alaams), the Tsimshian and the Haida sold … thousands of bushels (of potatoes) to Europeans.” The potato trade wasn’t limited to the north coast. Lutz said communities from southern Vancouver Island to Alaska picked up the potato trade and usually grew them in fertile and moist pockets of land scattered across their territories.
That trade came to a halt in the late 1800s when the Canadian government started forcing Indigenous people onto miniscule reserves. And because the potato patches were rarely recognized as such by the white surveyors who mapped reserve boundaries, most were left out. The reserve system also made it difficult for Indigenous people provincewide to profitably practise European-style agriculture — like ranching or crop farming — because most of B.C.’s water rights had been stolen by settlers and reserves were rarely large or fertile enough for farming. While the reserve system and other federal policies made farming commercially almost inaccessible to most Indigenous people in B.C., growing food was still a widespread practice, Lutz explained. “In the early 20th century, you see a lot of extensive kitchen gardens, people who are living out of their gardens. In part, this is an economic necessity. Indigenous people in large parts of the province didn’t have much access to the cash economy,” he said.


nationalobserver--2020-11-25--The key to fighting future pandemics? Old-growth forests, says mushroom guru Paul Stamets

With care bordering on affection , mycologist Paul Stamets hoists up an enormous conk of agarikon to better show it off .
The large , gnarled , woody-looking layered mushroom , more specifically the polypore Fomitopsis officinalis , is about the size of a toddler ’ s torso .
Its dull outward appearance belies the invaluable medical properties agarikon — and a host of other fungi — might possess , said Stamets , who has been on the hunt for the endangered mushroom for decades .
Used for millennia as traditional medicine to treat respiratory illness , Stamets believes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which are potentially more beneficial now than ever during this pandemic age .
“ This rare , old-growth mushroom has a multi-thousand-year history of use in Europe , ” Stamets said while doing research on Cortes Island , B.C .
• Liberals ' climate accountability bill can be saved — but only if we act now • Nova Scotia First Nation suspends lobster harvest after sighting of endangered right whales • Racism , discrimination and trauma are driving Indigenous women out of media — we must do better “ In fact , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elixirium ad longam vitam , ’ or the elixir of long life , ” Stamets said , adding it was used to treat consumption , later determined to be tuberculosis .
Indigenous cultures of the Pacific Northwest also report its use , he said .
“ Through trial and error over thousands of years , surveying the forest for fungi , they came upon several species that were extraordinary with many potential benefits.
” A big deal in the mycology world , Stamets is a kind of mushroom messiah preaching the word on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appears he ’ s making headway .
Not only has he authored several books , but one of his TED Talks , titled , Six Ways Mushrooms Can Save the World , has more than six million views .
More recently , he participated in Fantastic Fungi , a documentary featuring beautiful imagery and a retinue of professional and amateur mycologists .
“ When we cut down the old-growth forests , we are potentially losing genomic libraries that could have a strain of fungi that could have enormous implications for human biosecurity , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says mycologist Paul Stamets .
In the film , they argue that mushrooms — and their larger underground network of fungal filaments , mycelium — are the potential answer to a host of issues , including disease , depression and climate change .
Stamets has participated in a dizzying range of research projects exploring fungi properties and their effects on certain strains of tuberculosis , pox viruses and as a potential means to filter toxins or pollutants from the environment .
He is particularly excited about findings that suggest fungal extracts can help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to colony collapse .
But only a fraction of the millions of existing fungi have been identified or had their potential medical applications explored , Stamets said .
So , maintaining that reservoir of biodiversity is critical to unlocking their known and unknown potential , he adds .
Stamets sees B.C.
’ s old-growth forests as an invaluable resource in terms of their fungal genome , particularly when it comes to agarikon .
# Cloning # Agarikon to # protect it from # extinction One way of protecting the # biodiversity of # @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clone a wild # specimen and get it into # culture .
Click the link for the full video and description !
# mushrooms # pnwhttps : //t.co/J8z5B9zrvI pic.twitter.com/EJWYcDo2iI — Paul Stamets ( @ PaulStamets ) November 1 , 2020 The long-lived mushroom — which can survive up to 75 years but is endangered in Europe and rare in the Pacific Northwest — is typically found sprouting from trees aged 150 years or older , Stamets said .
“ When we cut down the old-growth forests , we are potentially losing genomic libraries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that could have enormous implications for human biosecurity , and moreover , habitat health , ” Stamets said .
“ Which is to say , saving old-growth forests can be seen as a matter of international defence against pandemics , ” Stamets said .
“ And I think those words resonate with a deeper truth , even more so today.
” So Stamets is trying to culture and preserve as many strains of agarikon possible in hopes of finding a potential super strain .
He has around 80 strains banked so far and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cortes Island , which he describes as a haven for the ancient fungus .
“ I just sort of jokingly suggest that Cortes Island be renamed Agarikon Island , ” Stamets said .
“ But , there 's more agarikon on this island than I 've seen in any habitat , anywhere I 've been.
” He even hopes to establish a research unit on the island .
“ I consider Cortes Island as an ideal field station , ” he said .
“ What I plan to do is to create a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these efforts to save the forest and its mycodiversity.
” Stamets stresses he never picks agarikon mushrooms when he finds them .
They are too valuable alive .
He simply takes a small sample to culture them for further testing .
He is currently working to establish clinical studies using the fungus to treat COVID-19 patients in the United States .
And he ’ d love to see similar studies established in Canada .
However , he concedes , it can be difficult to get scientists or physicians to take up research projects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Stamets said , adding that exploring the medical potential of fungi is an emerging field .
“ I mean , when someone first hears this , I can understand why it sounds a little bit out there .
I do n't blame them for that.
” But saving old-growth forests is a potential investment that could go well beyond the value of producing two-by-fours , he said .
“ I think that British Columbia could go down in medical history as being a reservoir for having fungi in the old-growth forests that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the future , ” Stamets said .

With care bordering on affection, mycologist Paul Stamets hoists up an enormous conk of agarikon to better show it off. The large, gnarled, woody-looking layered mushroom, more specifically the polypore Fomitopsis officinalis, is about the size of a toddler’s torso. Its dull outward appearance belies the invaluable medical properties agarikon — and a host of other fungi — might possess, said Stamets, who has been on the hunt for the endangered mushroom for decades. Used for millennia as traditional medicine to treat respiratory illness, Stamets believes the fungus has antibacterial and antiviral properties, which are potentially more beneficial now than ever during this pandemic age. “This rare, old-growth mushroom has a multi-thousand-year history of use in Europe,” Stamets said while doing research on Cortes Island, B.C.
“In fact, the Greek physician Dioscorides described agarikon as ‘elixirium ad longam vitam,’ or the elixir of long life,” Stamets said, adding it was used to treat consumption, later determined to be tuberculosis. Indigenous cultures of the Pacific Northwest also report its use, he said. “Our ancestors weren't stupid,” Stamets said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “Through trial and error over thousands of years, surveying the forest for fungi, they came upon several species that were extraordinary with many potential benefits.”
A big deal in the mycology world, Stamets is a kind of mushroom messiah preaching the word on mycelium to the masses. And it appears he’s making headway. “When we cut down the old-growth forests, we are potentially losing genomic libraries that could have a strain of fungi that could have enormous implications for human biosecurity, and moreover, habitat health,” says mycologist Paul Stamets. Not only has he authored several books, but one of his TED Talks, titled, Six Ways Mushrooms Can Save the World, has more than six million views. More recently, he participated in Fantastic Fungi, a documentary featuring beautiful imagery and a retinue of professional and amateur mycologists. In the film, they argue that mushrooms — and their larger underground network of fungal filaments, mycelium — are the potential answer to a host of issues, including disease, depression and climate change. Stamets has participated in a dizzying range of research projects exploring fungi properties and their effects on certain strains of tuberculosis, pox viruses and as a potential means to filter toxins or pollutants from the environment.
He is particularly excited about findings that suggest fungal extracts can help protect bees from some viruses that contribute to colony collapse. But only a fraction of the millions of existing fungi have been identified or had their potential medical applications explored, Stamets said. So, maintaining that reservoir of biodiversity is critical to unlocking their known and unknown potential, he adds.


nationalobserver--2020-11-24--Affordable housing shortage in Nova Scotia leading to rise in 'new poor,' advocates say

HALIFAX — Community legal worker Mark Culligan refers to cases of Nova Scotians facing pandemic-era evictions in a hot housing market as `` the new poor . ''
`` We ’ re seeing a growth of a new form of homelessness , or housing precariousness , '' the director of the Dalhousie Legal Aid Service said in an interview Monday .
`` It ’ s not just people who have experienced ongoing poverty , but rather people who ’ ve never lacked housing before . ''
Grace Fogarty is among the recent clients at his downtown Halifax clinic — one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerging as winter approaches .
The 63-year-old woman with a heart condition said in an interview on Friday the owner of her building in the city ’ s west end wants her out of her one-bedroom apartment to conduct renovations .
• Liberals ' climate accountability bill can be saved — but only if we act now • The key to fighting future pandemics ?
Old-growth forests , says mushroom guru Paul Stamets • Nova Scotia First Nation suspends lobster harvest after sighting of endangered right whales A written notice she was given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from $ 725 a month to more than $ 1,300 by next April 1 , a figure she can ’ t afford on her $ 13-an-hour job at a local gas station .
`` It ( the building ) is definitely going to be a high-end unit , '' she said .
`` But at whose expense ?
I have no place to go .
I can ’ t find an apartment I can afford . ''
The developer who purchased her building , United Gulf Developments , didn ’ t respond to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his options for defending tenants are limited in a province without rent control , unless a landlord isn ’ t respecting notice periods for rent hikes or is using rent to retaliate against a tenant .
In cases of renovations , landlords with a building permit can make an application to the Residential Tenancies Program for a hearing to vacate the building .
There are potential appeal processes , but Culligan says that under typical circumstances , the residents may have to leave within one to two months .
`` We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of homelessness , or housing precariousness , '' said community legal worker Mark Culligan .
`` It ’ s not just people who have experienced ongoing poverty , but rather people who ’ ve never lacked housing before . ''
Housing advocacy groups argue the evictions are setting off a chain reaction , where the working poor can not afford housing , shelters fill up and more people end up on the streets .
According to a study released this month by the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia , the city ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , more than double the figure a year ago .
Dean Johnston , director of residential tenancies at Service Nova Scotia , says from July 1 to Nov. 18 this year there were 1,695 applications for evictions from landlords , down from 2,111 applications by landlords for the same time period the year before .
However , he adds the figures are only those cases where a formal application is made by the landlords and don ’ t include voluntary departures that aren ’ t being recorded .
`` Our case management @ @ @ @ @ @ @ renovictions ( evictions due to renovations ) weren ’ t something built into the system , '' he said in an interview on Monday .
In Dartmouth ’ s north end , tenants in two apartment buildings where one-bedroom apartments were in the $ 600 per month range are among those obliged to find new homes .
Cathy Young , 53 , said she can ’ t pay more than the $ 550 she was paying if she wants to continue her medications , so she ’ s moved to her sister ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she would have to move out due to renovations came as a shock .
`` I came over to my sister ’ s house and I started to cry , because I didn ’ t know where I was going to go and what I would do , '' she said in an interview last week .
The building ’ s new owner , Adam Barrett , of Central East Developments , said in an email Thursday that soaring operating costs and deferred maintenance are contributing factors to renovations that lead to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no option but to invest millions in revitalizing the derelict properties to create more safe and quality homes for Nova Scotians , '' he wrote .
`` I do have sympathy for those who were and are living in buildings that are unsafe , unhealthy , and lack minimum living standards , '' he said , adding that Young ’ s former building met that description .
Liberal Premier Stephen McNeil has said his government is looking at ways to assist , but it has yet to announce new measures .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controls ) work .
That doesn ’ t mean the issue is not real , and we will work with our partners to provide other options , '' he told reporters in October .
Ottawa has provided $ 8.7 million for affordable housing in Halifax , and city council is planning a special meeting Tuesday to consider how to use the federal rapid housing money to address the housing crisis in the city .
However , the shelter shortages have been a long time in the making and may require a decade to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive director of the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia .
A study of housing needs in the city carried out in 2015 found about one fifth of people earning $ 30,000 or less weren ’ t able to come near to affording the average market rental price of about $ 934 .
The numbers in search of affordable housing have almost certainly grown since then , Graham says .
Meanwhile , Young , who faces an indefinite stay with her sister , is grateful for her help but also feels lasting remedies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affordable rent that people can pay , and affordable housing that people can pay on a limited wage and limited income , '' she said .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 23 , 2020 .

HALIFAX — Community legal worker Mark Culligan refers to cases of Nova Scotians facing pandemic-era evictions in a hot housing market as "the new poor." "We’re seeing a growth of a new form of homelessness, or housing precariousness," the director of the Dalhousie Legal Aid Service said in an interview Monday. "It’s not just people who have experienced ongoing poverty, but rather people who’ve never lacked housing before." Grace Fogarty is among the recent clients at his downtown Halifax clinic — one of a steady stream of hardship stories emerging as winter approaches. The 63-year-old woman with a heart condition said in an interview on Friday the owner of her building in the city’s west end wants her out of her one-bedroom apartment to conduct renovations.
A written notice she was given last month says her rent would go from $725 a month to more than $1,300 by next April 1, a figure she can’t afford on her $13-an-hour job at a local gas station. "It (the building) is definitely going to be a high-end unit," she said. "But at whose expense? I have no place to go. I can’t find an apartment I can afford." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The developer who purchased her building, United Gulf Developments, didn’t respond to requests for an interview.
Culligan says his options for defending tenants are limited in a province without rent control, unless a landlord isn’t respecting notice periods for rent hikes or is using rent to retaliate against a tenant. "We’re seeing a growth of a new form of homelessness, or housing precariousness," said community legal worker Mark Culligan. "It’s not just people who have experienced ongoing poverty, but rather people who’ve never lacked housing before." In cases of renovations, landlords with a building permit can make an application to the Residential Tenancies Program for a hearing to vacate the building. There are potential appeal processes, but Culligan says that under typical circumstances, the residents may have to leave within one to two months. Housing advocacy groups argue the evictions are setting off a chain reaction, where the working poor cannot afford housing, shelters fill up and more people end up on the streets. According to a study released this month by the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia, the city’s homeless population has grown to 477 people, more than double the figure a year ago.
Dean Johnston, director of residential tenancies at Service Nova Scotia, says from July 1 to Nov. 18 this year there were 1,695 applications for evictions from landlords, down from 2,111 applications by landlords for the same time period the year before. However, he adds the figures are only those cases where a formal application is made by the landlords and don’t include voluntary departures that aren’t being recorded. "Our case management system is quite old ... Things like renovictions (evictions due to renovations) weren’t something built into the system," he said in an interview on Monday. In Dartmouth’s north end, tenants in two apartment buildings where one-bedroom apartments were in the $600 per month range are among those obliged to find new homes.


nationalobserver--2020-11-24--Tough talk on China could hurt efforts to free Kovrig, Spavor, Canada's foreign minister warns

Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne warned Monday that tough talk about China could hurt efforts to gain the release of two arbitrarily detained Canadians .
Testifying before the House of Commons Canada-China relations committee , Champagne urged MPs to keep the fate of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig in mind when they spout off about the perils and perfidy of China 's Communist regime .
`` I know , Mr .
Chair , that some like to talk tough on China , '' Champagne told the committee .
`` To those who are seduced by this one-dimensional view , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be tough , let 's continue to be smart .
Let 's not fall into the temptation of tough and irresponsible rhetoric that will generate no tangible result for Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor , our farmers and entrepreneurs , and human rights victims and advocates . ''
The two Michaels , as they 've come to be known , have been imprisoned in China for almost two years in retaliation for Canada 's arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on an extradition request from the United States .
• Liberals ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but only if we act now • The key to fighting future pandemics ?
Old-growth forests , says mushroom guru Paul Stamets • Nova Scotia First Nation suspends lobster harvest after sighting of endangered right whales Canadian farmers , fishers and exporters have also been hurt by retaliatory measures taken by China in the wake of Meng 's arrest .
Champagne 's plea came a week after the House of Commons passed a Conservative motion calling on the government to decide by Dec. 18 whether to allow Huawei to be involved in development @ @ @ @ @ @ @ network .
The motion , passed with the support of all opposition parties over the objections of the government , also called on the government to unveil within 30 days a robust plan to deal with growing intimidation by China of Canadians within Canada 's borders .
The motion is not binding and Champagne told the committee that government action on both fronts will be guided by national security requirements , not by arbitrary deadlines .
Since taking over the helm of the Conservatives last August , Erin O'Toole has made standing up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pitch to Canadian voters .
The Conservative leader has accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 's Liberal government of being `` willing to look past the Chinese government ’ s numerous human rights abuses , flagrant trade abuses and security issues because the potential to sell into the massive Chinese market was so lucrative . ''
Tough talk about # China could hurt chances for release for two Canadians , Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne warns .
# cdnpoli # kovrig # spavor `` Trudeau ’ s approach to China has failed , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world .
We must stand up for our citizens who have been detained as bargaining chips in an extradition case , even if it leads to more reprisals from Beijing , '' O'Toole argued in an op-ed in the National Post in September .
O'Toole has called for an `` eyes wide open '' approach to relations with China .
But Champagne contended that 's precisely the approach his government is taking .
He argued that Canada 's policy towards China has evolved as China itself has evolved , increasingly flouting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights of Uighurs in Xinjiang province and democracy protesters in Hong Kong , and engaging in `` coercive diplomacy '' to get its way .
`` The China of 2020 is not the China of 2015 or even the China of 2018 , '' Champagne said .
`` We see a country and a leadership increasingly prepared to throw its weight around to advance its interests . ''
Champagne said the government has adopted a new framework for dealing with China .
He described it as a three-pronged approach in which there will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abuses , where Canada needs to challenge China .
In other areas , such as trade matters , he said Canada needs to compete with China , and still other areas where Canada needs to co-operate with China , such as the fight against climate change .
China 's more aggressive posture is not just a challenge for Canada , he argued .
Countries around the world are grappling with it .
Champagne said the best antidote is for all liberal democracies to band together to speak with one voice to pressure China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada has rallied other countries to speak out against the detention of Kovrig and Spavor .

Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne warned Monday that tough talk about China could hurt efforts to gain the release of two arbitrarily detained Canadians. Testifying before the House of Commons Canada-China relations committee, Champagne urged MPs to keep the fate of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig in mind when they spout off about the perils and perfidy of China's Communist regime. "I know, Mr. Chair, that some like to talk tough on China," Champagne told the committee. "To those who are seduced by this one-dimensional view, I say this: while it is easy to be tough, let's continue to be smart. Let's not fall into the temptation of tough and irresponsible rhetoric that will generate no tangible result for Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, our farmers and entrepreneurs, and human rights victims and advocates." The two Michaels, as they've come to be known, have been imprisoned in China for almost two years in retaliation for Canada's arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on an extradition request from the United States.
Canadian farmers, fishers and exporters have also been hurt by retaliatory measures taken by China in the wake of Meng's arrest. Champagne's plea came a week after the House of Commons passed a Conservative motion calling on the government to decide by Dec. 18 whether to allow Huawei to be involved in development of Canada's next generation 5G wireless network. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The motion, passed with the support of all opposition parties over the objections of the government, also called on the government to unveil within 30 days a robust plan to deal with growing intimidation by China of Canadians within Canada's borders.
The motion is not binding and Champagne told the committee that government action on both fronts will be guided by national security requirements, not by arbitrary deadlines. Tough talk about #China could hurt chances for release for two Canadians, Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne warns. #cdnpoli #kovrig #spavor Since taking over the helm of the Conservatives last August, Erin O'Toole has made standing up to China a central pillar of his pitch to Canadian voters. The Conservative leader has accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government of being "willing to look past the Chinese government’s numerous human rights abuses, flagrant trade abuses and security issues because the potential to sell into the massive Chinese market was so lucrative." "Trudeau’s approach to China has failed, and it’s weakened our standing in the world. We must stand up for our citizens who have been detained as bargaining chips in an extradition case, even if it leads to more reprisals from Beijing," O'Toole argued in an op-ed in the National Post in September. O'Toole has called for an "eyes wide open" approach to relations with China. But Champagne contended that's precisely the approach his government is taking.
He argued that Canada's policy towards China has evolved as China itself has evolved, increasingly flouting the international rules-based order, violating the human rights of Uighurs in Xinjiang province and democracy protesters in Hong Kong, and engaging in "coercive diplomacy" to get its way. "The China of 2020 is not the China of 2015 or even the China of 2018," Champagne said. "We see a country and a leadership increasingly prepared to throw its weight around to advance its interests."


nationalobserver--2020-11-24--Quebec city opts not to kill white-tailed deer, will relocate them instead

A Quebec municipality that had planned to cull about 15 white-tailed deer in the coming days relented late Monday amid pressure on officials to relocate the animals .
Longueuil Mayor Sylvie Parent said in a statement the threat of people intervening or attempting to thwart the cull has forced the city to consider other options .
Parent noted the plan to capture and slaughter the deer , approved by Quebec 's Forests , Wildlife and Parks Department , was supported by a `` broad consensus within the scientific community . ''
But given the circumstances , she 's asking the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up with a plan to move the deer from Michel-Chartrand Park to a sanctuary authorized by provincial officials .
Parent 's announcement came hours after an animal rescue group and a lawyer who champions animal rights urged the Montreal-area city to reconsider its plan to kill half the white-tailed deer in the park and donate the meat to a food bank .
• Liberals ' climate accountability bill can be saved — but only if we act now • The key to fighting future pandemics ?
Old-growth forests , says mushroom guru Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lobster harvest after sighting of endangered right whales The organization , Sauvetage Animal Rescue , along with well-known Montreal lawyer Anne-France Goldwater , had urged Parent to consider its own plan to relocate the animals to a sanctuary , free of charge .
Ultimately , the city relented but Parent said the deer situation would need to be resolved quickly .
`` Considering the importance for the city of proceeding with the reduction of the herd in the short term , this move must be done in the coming weeks , '' Parent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the deer population is twice what the park can support and that they have exhausted options to deal with the problem .
Earlier Monday , a city spokeswoman confirmed that Longueil had a permit to begin the cull on Monday but could not say if the operation had begun .
Eric Dussault , head of the animal rescue group , said police and traps were spotted at the park .
Longueuil 's plan has faced fierce opposition , and police have made arrests in connection with alleged threats against the mayor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans to cull about 15 white-tailed deer ; will relocate instead .
# deer # cull # Quebecpoli # Longueuil # MichelChartrandPark Dussault said his plan sent to city officials last week called for trapping the animals , quarantining them , treatment by a veterinarian and transportation to a refuge or sanctuary next summer .
They said the plan wo n't cost the city anything .
Goldwater , an animal rights activist , urged the city to meet with her to discuss the situation .
She said the animals will be treated well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ears to the tip of their hooves '' before they are sedated and transported to a sanctuary .
`` These deer are semi-domestic , they have no predators in the park and they are accustomed to the company of humans , '' she said .
Goldwater also called on those opposed to the cull to stop threatening local officials .
Police have arrested at least three people for threats in recent days .
`` I want people to stop attacking the city of Longueuil and its councillors and its mayor , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to solve this problem with aggression , hostility and confrontation . ''
Goldwater also suggested the money saved by not going ahead with the planned cull could still be used to help local food banks .

A Quebec municipality that had planned to cull about 15 white-tailed deer in the coming days relented late Monday amid pressure on officials to relocate the animals. Longueuil Mayor Sylvie Parent said in a statement the threat of people intervening or attempting to thwart the cull has forced the city to consider other options. Parent noted the plan to capture and slaughter the deer, approved by Quebec's Forests, Wildlife and Parks Department, was supported by a "broad consensus within the scientific community." But given the circumstances, she's asking the city's top civil servant to come up with a plan to move the deer from Michel-Chartrand Park to a sanctuary authorized by provincial officials. Parent's announcement came hours after an animal rescue group and a lawyer who champions animal rights urged the Montreal-area city to reconsider its plan to kill half the white-tailed deer in the park and donate the meat to a food bank.
The organization, Sauvetage Animal Rescue, along with well-known Montreal lawyer Anne-France Goldwater, had urged Parent to consider its own plan to relocate the animals to a sanctuary, free of charge. Ultimately, the city relented but Parent said the deer situation would need to be resolved quickly. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "Considering the importance for the city of proceeding with the reduction of the herd in the short term, this move must be done in the coming weeks," Parent said in the statement.
Officials have said the deer population is twice what the park can support and that they have exhausted options to deal with the problem. A Quebec municipality halts plans to cull about 15 white-tailed deer; will relocate instead. #deer #cull #Quebecpoli #Longueuil #MichelChartrandPark Earlier Monday, a city spokeswoman confirmed that Longueil had a permit to begin the cull on Monday but could not say if the operation had begun. Eric Dussault, head of the animal rescue group, said police and traps were spotted at the park. Longueuil's plan has faced fierce opposition, and police have made arrests in connection with alleged threats against the mayor and local officials. Dussault said his plan sent to city officials last week called for trapping the animals, quarantining them, treatment by a veterinarian and transportation to a refuge or sanctuary next summer. They said the plan won't cost the city anything. Goldwater, an animal rights activist, urged the city to meet with her to discuss the situation. She said the animals will be treated well and examined from "the tip of the ears to the tip of their hooves" before they are sedated and transported to a sanctuary.
"These deer are semi-domestic, they have no predators in the park and they are accustomed to the company of humans," she said. Goldwater also called on those opposed to the cull to stop threatening local officials. Police have arrested at least three people for threats in recent days. "I want people to stop attacking the city of Longueuil and its councillors and its mayor," Goldwater said. "We're not going to solve this problem with aggression, hostility and confrontation."


nationalobserver--2020-11-24--Atlantic bubble bursts while COVID-19 cases continue to rise elsewhere in Canada

COVID-19 's second wave tightened its grip on the Prairies on Monday , while two eastern provinces pulled out of the Atlantic bubble in an effort to rein in the virus .
Manitoba reached a new peak in daily infections , reporting 543 new cases , while Alberta 's numbers , at 1,549 , were just shy of Sunday 's record .
It marked the first time Manitoba 's daily count has surpassed 500 , though the province has led all others in recent weeks in terms of infection rates .
Still , chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , noting the growth in daily case counts has slowed .
The change came after a series of increasingly tight restrictions were imposed on public gatherings and store openings .
`` But for the restrictions , we could have been seeing much more numbers , possibly , '' Roussin said .
• Liberals ' climate accountability bill can be saved — but only if we act now • The key to fighting future pandemics ?
Old-growth forests , says mushroom guru Paul Stamets • Nova Scotia First Nation suspends lobster harvest after sighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to enact more restrictions amid rising cases , but Premier Jason Kenney has said the province will continue to take a more `` holistic '' approach to the pandemic .
He suggested over the weekend new measures would likely be implemented , but rejected the idea of broad closures .
Kenney was set to meet with his COVID-19 steering committee Monday and leave isolation after coming in contact with someone with the illness and then testing negative .
Alberta 's daily case counts have more than doubled in recent weeks , and hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than any other province that day , despite having far fewer residents than Ontario or Quebec .
Saskatchewan 's premier , Scott Moe , announced Monday he will self-isolate due to a possible exposure to COVID-19 that took place on Nov. 15 .
The province announced 235 new cases Monday and four new deaths .
In Eastern Canada , two provinces announced their temporary withdrawal from the Atlantic bubble on Monday in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 .
Anyone travelling to Newfoundland and Labrador from the Atlantic region will have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , just like visitors from other parts of the country .
COVID-19 's second wave tightens grip on Prairies while two eastern provinces pull out of the Atlantic bubble .
# AtlanticBubble # COVID19 # SecondWave # Canada Speaking in St. John 's , N.L.
, Premier Andrew Furey said the decision was made in `` an effort to avoid a full lockdown . ''
Prince Edward Island is barring all non-essential travel to the province for two weeks , in what Premier Dennis King called a preventive move .
Newfoundland and Labrador @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and New Brunswick , were part of the so-called Atlantic bubble that allowed residents to travel freely within the four provinces ' borders without isolating .
Newfoundland and Labrador reported two new cases Monday , and P.E.I .
reported one .
All of P.E.I .
's 69 cases since the pandemic began have been travel-related .
Stricter limits on social gatherings also took effect in the Halifax region and a neighbouring county on Monday .
Meanwhile , two major urban centres in Ontario where COVID-19 cases have been surging entered the lockdown stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Monday , where they will remain for at least 28 days .
As a result , all non-essential retailers in Toronto and neighbouring Peel Region are reduced to curbside pickup only , and restaurants are limited to takeout and delivery orders .
Personal services such as hair salons are also closed , but schools and child-care centres remain open .
Some noted the measures will disproportionately affect small businesses , while larger corporations will likely continue to thrive .
`` The structure of the lockdowns in Toronto and Peel will likely have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are now forced to shut down , driving shoppers to big-box stores , '' BMO analyst Benjamin Reitzes wrote in a morning note .
`` This is where the real damage is going to be from this government decision . ''
Asked why the province did n't try to level the playing field by preventing big-box stores from selling non-essential items like Manitoba did recently , Ontario Premier Doug Ford said it would be a `` logistical nightmare '' for business owners to cordon off areas of their stores and monitor shoppers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The mayors of several municipalities in the Toronto and Hamilton area urged any retailers who remain open not to hold `` large in-person sales '' on Black Friday , noting these would `` inevitably produce crowd scenes which would only serve to undermine the fight against COVID-19 and negate the sacrifices being made by so many , including other businesses . ''
Other areas of Ontario , which reported 1,589 new cases of COVID-19 and 19 new deaths on Monday , are also seeing tighter restrictions as they move to higher alert levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ford suggested things would get `` back to normal '' once COVID-19 vaccines are in circulation , announcing the former head of the Canadian Forces , retired general Rick Hillier , would lead the province 's vaccine distribution .
`` Once approved , once in mass production , these vaccines will finally bring an end to this pandemic .
The vaccine is what will get life back to normal , '' he said Monday .
Quebec , another province hit hard by the pandemic , reported 1,164 new cases of COVID-19 and 13 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Yukon jumped to 38 , 14 more than just a week ago .
Yukon increased restrictions last week as infection rates jumped in jurisdictions around it , requiring all but critical services workers to self-isolate for two weeks when they enter the territory .
Over the weekend , four provinces — Ontario , New Brunswick , Saskatchewan and Alberta — reported new records in daily infections .
Canada 's top public health doctor , Dr. Theresa Tam , said cases are increasing nationally among older adults , with more and larger outbreaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living settings .
`` These developments are deeply concerning as they put countless Canadians at risk of life-threatening illness , cause serious disruptions to health services and present significant challenges for areas not adequately equipped to manage complex medical emergencies , '' Tam said in a written statement .
An increasing number of people are also experiencing severe illness as a result of the novel coronavirus , with more being treated in intensive care units , she said .
`` This situation is putting pressure on local health-care resources and forcing hospitals to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surgeries and procedures in several areas of the country , '' Tam said .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 23 , 2020 .

COVID-19's second wave tightened its grip on the Prairies on Monday, while two eastern provinces pulled out of the Atlantic bubble in an effort to rein in the virus. Manitoba reached a new peak in daily infections, reporting 543 new cases, while Alberta's numbers, at 1,549, were just shy of Sunday's record. It marked the first time Manitoba's daily count has surpassed 500, though the province has led all others in recent weeks in terms of infection rates. Still, chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said there is room for optimism, noting the growth in daily case counts has slowed. The change came after a series of increasingly tight restrictions were imposed on public gatherings and store openings. "But for the restrictions, we could have been seeing much more numbers, possibly," Roussin said.
Alberta appeared poised to enact more restrictions amid rising cases, but Premier Jason Kenney has said the province will continue to take a more "holistic" approach to the pandemic. He suggested over the weekend new measures would likely be implemented, but rejected the idea of broad closures. Kenney was set to meet with his COVID-19 steering committee Monday and leave isolation after coming in contact with someone with the illness and then testing negative. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Alberta's daily case counts have more than doubled in recent weeks, and hit a record 1,584 on Sunday — more than any other province that day, despite having far fewer residents than Ontario or Quebec.
Saskatchewan's premier, Scott Moe, announced Monday he will self-isolate due to a possible exposure to COVID-19 that took place on Nov. 15. The province announced 235 new cases Monday and four new deaths. COVID-19's second wave tightens grip on Prairies while two eastern provinces pull out of the Atlantic bubble. #AtlanticBubble #COVID19 #SecondWave #Canada In Eastern Canada, two provinces announced their temporary withdrawal from the Atlantic bubble on Monday in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. Anyone travelling to Newfoundland and Labrador from the Atlantic region will have to self-isolate for 14 days starting Wednesday, just like visitors from other parts of the country. Speaking in St. John's, N.L., Premier Andrew Furey said the decision was made in "an effort to avoid a full lockdown." Prince Edward Island is barring all non-essential travel to the province for two weeks, in what Premier Dennis King called a preventive move.
Newfoundland and Labrador and P.E.I., along with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, were part of the so-called Atlantic bubble that allowed residents to travel freely within the four provinces' borders without isolating. Newfoundland and Labrador reported two new cases Monday, and P.E.I. reported one. All of P.E.I.'s 69 cases since the pandemic began have been travel-related. Stricter limits on social gatherings also took effect in the Halifax region and a neighbouring county on Monday.


nationalobserver--2020-11-24--B.C. Indigenous man files human rights complaints over Bank of Montreal detainment

An Indigenous man from British Columbia has filed complaints with the BC Human Rights Tribunal and the Canadian Human Rights Commission after he and his granddaughter were handcuffed when they tried to open a bank account .
Maxwell Johnson 's complaint says both he and his 12-year-old granddaughter were detained last December by Vancouver police officers when they tried to open an account at the Bank of Montreal using their Indigenous status cards .
His complaint alleges that the bank called 911 over an identification issue because they are Indigenous , while it accuses the police of racial profiling that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of handcuffs .
Johnson released details of the human rights complaint in a news release issued on the website of the Heiltsuk First Nation .
He and his granddaughter are members of the First Nation in Bella Bella .
He said in an interview on Monday that the incident has led to a resurgence in his panic and anxiety attacks .
• Liberals ' climate accountability bill can be saved — but only if we act now • The key to fighting future pandemics ?
Old-growth forests , says mushroom guru Paul Stamets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harvest after sighting of endangered right whales `` It 's affected me quite a bit , '' Johnson said .
`` When this happened to us , my anxiety just went through the roof .
I started counselling again .
It 's affected my motivation , my thought process , quite a bit of stuff . ''
Johnson is seeking compensation and wants a public apology from the Vancouver Police Board , the police department and the bank .
Const .
Tania Visintin of the Vancouver Police Department said in a statement that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions of the responding officers are being investigated by the Office of Police Complaints Commissioner .
The department is also reviewing its policy for future situations with a report to be submitted to the police board , she said .
The Bank of Montreal said in a statement that it `` deeply regrets the situation that took place in Vancouver in December 2019 involving Mr. Johnson and his granddaughter . ''
The bank apologized again and said it was `` humbled and honoured '' to be invited by the Heiltsuk Nation to participate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family in Bella Bella .
Since then , it has established an Indigenous advisory council and conducted cultural training for bank staff .
B.C .
# Indigenous man files human rights complaints after he and his granddaughter were handcuffed at Bank of Montreal .
# SystemicRacism # BankofMontreal # FirstNations # racialprofiling `` We continue to seek ways to ensure we are doing better for our Indigenous customers , '' the statement says .
Johnson questioned the actions of police , particularly why officers placed him and his granddaughter in handcuffs if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was so hard when we were detained .
We had to prove who we were and where we came from , '' he said .
`` It gets so tiring trying to prove who you are as a First Nations person . ''
Marilyn Slett , the chief councillor of the Heiltsuk First Nation , said her community wants to see changes in the way the Bank of Montreal and the Vancouver Police Department handle Indigenous issues .
`` We 're a long ways away from reconciliation when these types of things happen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to open up a bank account , '' she said in an interview .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 23 , 2020 .

An Indigenous man from British Columbia has filed complaints with the BC Human Rights Tribunal and the Canadian Human Rights Commission after he and his granddaughter were handcuffed when they tried to open a bank account. Maxwell Johnson's complaint says both he and his 12-year-old granddaughter were detained last December by Vancouver police officers when they tried to open an account at the Bank of Montreal using their Indigenous status cards. His complaint alleges that the bank called 911 over an identification issue because they are Indigenous, while it accuses the police of racial profiling that led to their detention and the use of handcuffs. Johnson released details of the human rights complaint in a news release issued on the website of the Heiltsuk First Nation. He and his granddaughter are members of the First Nation in Bella Bella. He said in an interview on Monday that the incident has led to a resurgence in his panic and anxiety attacks.
"It's affected me quite a bit," Johnson said. "When this happened to us, my anxiety just went through the roof. I started counselling again. It's affected my motivation, my thought process, quite a bit of stuff." Johnson is seeking compensation and wants a public apology from the Vancouver Police Board, the police department and the bank. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Const. Tania Visintin of the Vancouver Police Department said in a statement that the circumstances are regrettable and that the actions of the responding officers are being investigated by the Office of Police Complaints Commissioner.
The department is also reviewing its policy for future situations with a report to be submitted to the police board, she said. B.C. #Indigenous man files human rights complaints after he and his granddaughter were handcuffed at Bank of Montreal. #SystemicRacism #BankofMontreal #FirstNations #racialprofiling The Bank of Montreal said in a statement that it "deeply regrets the situation that took place in Vancouver in December 2019 involving Mr. Johnson and his granddaughter." The bank apologized again and said it was "humbled and honoured" to be invited by the Heiltsuk Nation to participate in a healing ceremony for the Johnson family in Bella Bella. Since then, it has established an Indigenous advisory council and conducted cultural training for bank staff. "We continue to seek ways to ensure we are doing better for our Indigenous customers," the statement says. Johnson questioned the actions of police, particularly why officers placed him and his granddaughter in handcuffs if they were only being detained.
"It was so hard when we were detained. We had to prove who we were and where we came from," he said. "It gets so tiring trying to prove who you are as a First Nations person." Marilyn Slett, the chief councillor of the Heiltsuk First Nation, said her community wants to see changes in the way the Bank of Montreal and the Vancouver Police Department handle Indigenous issues. "We're a long ways away from reconciliation when these types of things happen to our people when they're trying to open up a bank account," she said in an interview.


nationalobserver--2020-11-24--Bill mandating sexual-assault law training for judges passes House of Commons

A long-awaited bill that would require judges to commit to take training in sexual assault law has passed unanimously in the House of Commons .
The proposed legislation originated as a private member 's bill from former interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose , which the Liberal government supported .
The bill had made it all the way to the Senate , but it was held up there and in turn , failed to pass before the 2019 federal election .
The Liberals reintroduced it after they won , and again after they prorogued Parliament in August .
The bill will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Liberals ' climate accountability bill can be saved — but only if we act now • The key to fighting future pandemics ?
Old-growth forests , says mushroom guru Paul Stamets • Nova Scotia First Nation suspends lobster harvest after sighting of endangered right whales Ambrose said she was pleased to see the bill pass unanimously through the Commons .
`` I encourage the Senate to work quickly to pass the bill so that victims of sexual assault can have more confidence in the justice system , '' she said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need added training to hear sexual assault cases was driven by rulings that critics have said relied on stereotypes about victims of sexual abuse .
The bill would also require the Canadian Judicial Council to report on continuing education seminars offered on matters related to sexual assault law and social context .
It also amends the Criminal Code to require judges to put their reasons for decisions in sexual assault proceedings on the record .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 23 , 2020 .

A long-awaited bill that would require judges to commit to take training in sexual assault law has passed unanimously in the House of Commons.
The proposed legislation originated as a private member's bill from former interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose, which the Liberal government supported.
The bill had made it all the way to the Senate, but it was held up there and in turn, failed to pass before the 2019 federal election.
The Liberals reintroduced it after they won, and again after they prorogued Parliament in August.
The bill will now return to the Senate for consideration.