nationalobserver--2020-04-17--First federal inmate dies from COVID-19 complications

Lawyers are strengthening their calls to thin prison populations following the first death related to COVID-19 at a federal institution .
The Correctional Service of Canada said in a statement that an inmate from Mission Institution in B.C .
died Wednesday from an apparent complication related to the novel coronavirus .
The medium-security institution has been one of the hardest hit prisons during the pandemic , where 54 inmates and eight correctional officers have tested positive for the virus .
The inmate , whom the agency did not identify , died at Abbotsford Regional Hospital where a mobile medical unit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to treat prisoners .
`` Given the size of the inmate population it was almost inevitable , but it does n't make it any less tragic , '' said criminal defence lawyer John Hale , who is vice-president of the Criminal Lawyers ' Association .
• Trudeau , G7 leaders confront Trump over cuts to WHO funding • Time to bail out Alberta workers , not billionaire oil company CEOs The correctional service said it was the first death from the novel coronavirus among federally sentenced inmates in the country .
Public Safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government is looking at further measures to ensure that inmates , staff and communities are as safe and healthy as possible during the pandemic .
The correctional service has already suspended work releases for offenders and visits from the public and volunteers .
`` Our greatest responsibility is keeping Canadians safe — that includes those in our correctional institutions , '' Blair said .
`` We know the unique vulnerabilities facing correctional institutions during this public-health crisis .
The situation around COVID-19 is both challenging and rapidly evolving , and our response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent further tragic loss of life . ''
The inmate 's next of kin has been notified and the BC Coroners Service will review the circumstances of death , the correctional service said .
Federal inmate dies from COVID-19 complications at prison in Mission , B.C .
A total of 145 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 at federal prisons .
The largest outbreaks have occurred at the Mission prison and Joliette Institution in Quebec , where 48 inmates and 34 correctional officers have tested positive for the virus .
Hale said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jails and prisons as much as possible in the interest of public safety .
He pointed to an affidavit by physician and epidemiologist Dr. Aaron Orkin that the Criminal Lawyers ' Association has circulated to its 1,600 members for use in court .
Orkin 's affidavit says an outbreak in prisons or jails would be no different than the spread of the virus on cruise ships or at long-term care facilities involving close quarters where outbreaks have proven `` near impossible '' to contain .
It 's extremely likely that COVID-19 will arrive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which means almost all inmates will be exposed in one way or another , the document says .
`` The only available method to substantially reduce the resulting infections and deaths is therefore to reduce the population in those settings . ''
Hale said not every inmate is an appropriate candidate for release , but many are .
`` Obviously there are people in the jails who are dangerous and need to be kept in to protect the community , but there are a lot of people in jail who are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentence or awaiting trial outside of jail , '' Hale said .
Hale said judges have granted release to two of his clients , including one man who was awaiting trial at a minimum-security provincial facility centre in Ottawa .
`` He was really concerned because he was in an open area , he did n't have his own cell , '' he said .
The facility had about 30 beds , each about a foot apart from one another .
Although most of the beds had been vacated , about 10 inmates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showers , sinks and other facilities , Hale said .
Donna Turko said she 's concerned about her own clients at both the medium- and minimum-security institutions in Mission , B.C .
She is trying to convince the parole board to grant them a temporary release or parole by exception , which would allow for their release based on unforeseen circumstances at the time of their sentencing .
But she said the bureaucratic system of applying for parole is showing its weaknesses in an emergency .
The situation has been complicated further because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her medium-security clients since last week and her minimum-security clients since Tuesday , she said .
`` They 're not sentenced to death , they 're not sentenced to come out of prison with lung and other permanent afflictions because they were exposed to COVID , '' she said .
`` The question I have is , is it too little too late ? ''
Turko said she hopes a response she received from the Department of Justice Thursday promising to assign a lawyer `` without delay '' to address her concerns with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving .
The Correctional Service of Canada did not immediately respond to questions about why the inmates could not be reached .
COVID-19 has been confirmed at several other prisons by the federal government and the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers .
The Federal Training Centre in Laval , Que.
, counts 25 inmates and four correctional officers who are sick .
Also , in Quebec , 10 inmates and 15 officers tested positive at the Port-Cartier Institution , alongside two new correctional officer cases at the Drummond Institution .
Eight inmates and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grand Valley Institution for Women in Ontario .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16 , 2020 .

Lawyers are strengthening their calls to thin prison populations following the first death related to COVID-19 at a federal institution. The Correctional Service of Canada said in a statement that an inmate from Mission Institution in B.C. died Wednesday from an apparent complication related to the novel coronavirus. The medium-security institution has been one of the hardest hit prisons during the pandemic, where 54 inmates and eight correctional officers have tested positive for the virus. The inmate, whom the agency did not identify, died at Abbotsford Regional Hospital where a mobile medical unit has been deployed to provide additional capacity to treat prisoners. "Given the size of the inmate population it was almost inevitable, but it doesn't make it any less tragic," said criminal defence lawyer John Hale, who is vice-president of the Criminal Lawyers' Association.
The correctional service said it was the first death from the novel coronavirus among federally sentenced inmates in the country. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said in a statement the government is looking at further measures to ensure that inmates, staff and communities are as safe and healthy as possible during the pandemic. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The correctional service has already suspended work releases for offenders and visits from the public and volunteers.
"Our greatest responsibility is keeping Canadians safe — that includes those in our correctional institutions," Blair said. Federal inmate dies from COVID-19 complications at prison in Mission, B.C. "We know the unique vulnerabilities facing correctional institutions during this public-health crisis. The situation around COVID-19 is both challenging and rapidly evolving, and our response will continue to adapt as required to prevent further tragic loss of life." The inmate's next of kin has been notified and the BC Coroners Service will review the circumstances of death, the correctional service said. A total of 145 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 at federal prisons. The largest outbreaks have occurred at the Mission prison and Joliette Institution in Quebec, where 48 inmates and 34 correctional officers have tested positive for the virus.
Hale said it's time to "aggressively depopulate" jails and prisons as much as possible in the interest of public safety. He pointed to an affidavit by physician and epidemiologist Dr. Aaron Orkin that the Criminal Lawyers' Association has circulated to its 1,600 members for use in court. Orkin's affidavit says an outbreak in prisons or jails would be no different than the spread of the virus on cruise ships or at long-term care facilities involving close quarters where outbreaks have proven "near impossible" to contain.


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--Canada not ready to reopen U.S. border

Canada not ready to reopen U.S. border

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tried to let Donald Trump down gently Thursday , warning that Canada is still a long way from being ready to agree to relax mutual travel restrictions along its border with the United States .
Trudeau said he discussed the issue with the U.S. president during a videoconference with fellow G7 leaders , and the two agreed , given the unique relationship between the two countries , that they would continue to take a different approach to managing bilateral travel with each other from the ones they use with the rest of the world .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a decision to relax the travel ban is imminent , he added .
`` The work that we continue to do to keep our citizens safe , while co-ordinating very carefully , is unlike our approaches with other countries around the world .
There 's a recognition that as we move forward , there will be special thought given to this relationship , '' Trudeau said .
`` But at the same time , we know that there is a significant amount of time still before we can talk about loosening such restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confront Trump over cuts to WHO funding • Time to bail out Alberta workers , not billionaire oil company CEOs Trump , who often makes it abundantly clear that he 's in a hurry to get the American economy back on its feet , seemed to suggest Wednesday that his impatience might well extend to the northern border — a shift in the usual balance of anxieties that has tended to define the Canada-U.S. relationship .
The toll of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. exceeds that of anywhere else in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 33,000 deaths to date .
Canada , by comparison , has about 18,500 active cases and just over 1,000 deaths .
Trump seemed to suggest the two were comparable .
`` Our relationship with Canada is very good — we 'll talk about that .
It will be one of the early borders to be released , '' the president said .
`` Canada 's doing well , we 're doing well , so we 'll see . ''
It 's been nearly a month since the two countries negotiated their 30-day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a remarkable agreement that exempted the flow of trade and commerce , as well as vital health care workers like nurses who live and work on opposite sides of the border .
In terms of permitting the movement of goods and services into the U.S. , the arrangement has held up better than expected , notwithstanding a few hiccups , said Mark Agnew , director of international policy for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce .
Despite White House urgency , Canada closes door to reopening U.S. border `` Most of the challenges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travelling for work purposes , '' Agnew said .
`` Companies are finding a variance in how officers and specific points of entry are interpreting rules for identical situations for travellers going across . ''
Some making legitimate efforts to enter the U.S. have been turned away , he noted .
And he cited a peculiarity of the way traffic is managed by the two countries at entry points : in some cases , Canadians who are denied entry to the U.S. and forced to turn around have then been ordered to quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` This is a quirk in the system that should be looked at , since they have not gone past the point of entry into the United States . ''
The agreement is due to expire by Tuesday , and talks on extending it have been underway for several days , said Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland , who insisted that keeping the restrictions in place would be `` the neighbourly thing to do . ''
Despite those `` extremely friendly , extremely neighbourly and extremely effective '' discussions , however , Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ putting its citizens in jeopardy , she insisted .
`` What I can guarantee is that decisions about Canada 's border are taken by Canadians , full stop , '' Freeland said .
`` Our government will only ( open the border ) when it is appropriate and when it is not a risk to the health and safety of Canadians . ''
Ontario Premier Doug Ford urged Ottawa to `` say no right away , '' and said he wished Canada had closed its doors earlier , although he was quick to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government .
`` Until we have this under containment , we need to keep our borders closed , '' Ford said .
`` We should have shut down the borders a lot sooner . ''
Trump issued national guidelines Thursday aimed at steering the country 's economic recovery , even as congressional and state lawmakers persisted in warning of the dangers of going too fast , too soon .
The president has eased away from his earlier insistence that the decision would be his alone to make — a power that in fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officials in the U.S. , while they point to clear signs of improvement in the effort to slow the rate of infection , continue to drive home the importance of maintaining measures already in place — physical distancing , staying home where possible and aggressive personal and environmental hygiene — as critical to long-term success .
Trump 's three-phase strategy — `` Opening up America Again , '' a riff on his famous campaign slogan — appears to hew to that approach , focusing primarily on those parts of the country with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing regime .
In such regions , physical distancing would persist in public , and non-essential travel and gatherings of more than 10 people would be discouraged .
`` We are not opening up all at once , but one careful step at a time , '' he said .
`` This is a gradual process . ''
Over time , provided infections continue to decline , larger gatherings and recreational travel would be allowed to resume , provided new cases are carefully tracked and isolated .
Nearly 30 per cent of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last seven days , Trump said .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16 , 2020 .

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tried to let Donald Trump down gently Thursday, warning that Canada is still a long way from being ready to agree to relax mutual travel restrictions along its border with the United States. Trudeau said he discussed the issue with the U.S. president during a videoconference with fellow G7 leaders, and the two agreed, given the unique relationship between the two countries, that they would continue to take a different approach to managing bilateral travel with each other from the ones they use with the rest of the world. That does not mean, however, that a decision to relax the travel ban is imminent, he added. "The work that we continue to do to keep our citizens safe, while co-ordinating very carefully, is unlike our approaches with other countries around the world. There's a recognition that as we move forward, there will be special thought given to this relationship," Trudeau said. "But at the same time, we know that there is a significant amount of time still before we can talk about loosening such restrictions."
Trump, who often makes it abundantly clear that he's in a hurry to get the American economy back on its feet, seemed to suggest Wednesday that his impatience might well extend to the northern border — a shift in the usual balance of anxieties that has tended to define the Canada-U.S. relationship. The toll of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. exceeds that of anywhere else in the world, with more than 560,000 active cases and 33,000 deaths to date. Canada, by comparison, has about 18,500 active cases and just over 1,000 deaths. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Trump seemed to suggest the two were comparable.
"Our relationship with Canada is very good — we'll talk about that. It will be one of the early borders to be released," the president said. "Canada's doing well, we're doing well, so we'll see." Despite White House urgency, Canada closes door to reopening U.S. border It's been nearly a month since the two countries negotiated their 30-day ban on non-essential travel in both directions, a remarkable agreement that exempted the flow of trade and commerce, as well as vital health care workers like nurses who live and work on opposite sides of the border. In terms of permitting the movement of goods and services into the U.S., the arrangement has held up better than expected, notwithstanding a few hiccups, said Mark Agnew, director of international policy for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. "Most of the challenges that we have received are around individuals travelling for work purposes," Agnew said. "Companies are finding a variance in how officers and specific points of entry are interpreting rules for identical situations for travellers going across." Some making legitimate efforts to enter the U.S. have been turned away, he noted. And he cited a peculiarity of the way traffic is managed by the two countries at entry points: in some cases, Canadians who are denied entry to the U.S. and forced to turn around have then been ordered to quarantine by Canadian Border Services Agency officials.
"This is a quirk in the system that should be looked at, since they have not gone past the point of entry into the United States." The agreement is due to expire by Tuesday, and talks on extending it have been underway for several days, said Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who insisted that keeping the restrictions in place would be "the neighbourly thing to do." Despite those "extremely friendly, extremely neighbourly and extremely effective" discussions, however, Canada won't do anything that would risk putting its citizens in jeopardy, she insisted.


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--Federal wage subsidy payments set to flow first week of May

The first payments from a $ 73-billion federal wage subsidy program will flow by the end of the first week of May , acting as a buttress against the economic shock from COVID-19 .
The Liberals are hoping the 75-per-cent wage subsidy will prompt companies to rehire vast swaths of the six million Canadian workers who have asked for emergency federal aid since the pandemic brought the global economy to a virtual standstill .
Online applications will open April 27 and officials expect to have processed 90 per cent of claims by May 4 with payments landing later that week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finance committee were told Thursday .
Canada 's top central banker told the committee the federal fiscal measure would help maintain employer-employee ties to aid in a recovery .
With expectations the freeze on the economy will be lifted before summer , Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz warned it might still be some time before the economy is back to its pre-crisis level .
• Trudeau , G7 leaders confront Trump over cuts to WHO funding • Time to bail out Alberta workers , not billionaire oil company CEOs `` We 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so down very sharply , then of course back up , but not all the way , '' Poloz said .
`` That 's when it takes another , maybe a year for the economy to get back to the same path that it was on before all this started . ''
The longer it takes for economic activity to resume , though , the more likely that businesses will close for good and the longer workers will face unemployment as they look for new jobs .
On Thursday morning , the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for small and medium-sized businesses , and promised a new support for companies having trouble paying rent .
The Canadian Emergency Business Account will now provide up to $ 40,000 in government-guaranteed loans to businesses that had payrolls last year between $ 20,000 and $ 1.5 million .
It previously offered loans to business with a narrower range of payrolls , between $ 50,000 and $ 1 million .
`` Our government is here to help you through these challenging times .
So when we hear the program is not reaching as many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes , '' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said , acknowledging the criticism the government faced from companies who had felt left out .
Federal wage subsidy payments to flow first week of May , officials tell MPs Since the loan program was launched last month , businesses have taken out 220,000 loans worth $ 8.8 billion , Finance Minister Bill Morneau told the finance committee .
The loans are interest-free until Dec. 31 , 2022 and if they 're paid off by then , up to 25 per cent will be forgiven .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ still not qualify for the help because they pay in dividends or employ contractors , Morneau suggested those workers would qualify for the $ 2,000-a-month Canada Emergency Response Benefit .
The federal government is also working on a program to help businesses and commercial landlords cover their rents for at least three months , though the details still need to be worked out with the provinces and territories , Morneau said .
The federal government has upped its spending by over $ 105 billion to cover fiscal help , with monetary policy playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a tailspin from COVID-19 .
Adding to the shock has been plummeting oil prices — Alberta 's benchmark price is down 90 per cent from the start of the year due to declining demand and a glut of international supply .
Poloz said the central bank would likely have slashed its key interest rate in response to the oil price drop alone .
The Bank of Canada made three rate cuts — two unscheduled announcements — in March to reduce its target overnight rate from 1.75 per cent to 0.25 per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low as it can go .
`` Just on the basis of the drop in commodity prices alone , I would say we would have cut interest rates by at least 100 basis points , such as what we did in 2015 , '' he said during his final scheduled appearance before the committee before he leaves his post in June .
`` Possibly we would have ended up doing all 150 basis points if that were the only shock we were facing . ''
The economic shock from COVID-19 is unlike anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
A preliminary estimate by Statistics Canada suggested the economy contracted by nine per cent last month , which would be the worst one-month drop on record .
The central bank on Wednesday announced plans to start buying provincial and corporate bonds on the secondary market to reduce the risk those markets will lock up .
Those measures are to inject up to $ 60 billion into the economy and will last , tentatively , for a year .
The bank is also increasing the quantity of federal treasury bills it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5-billion-a-week purchase , effectively making more low-interest loans to the government .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16 , 2020 .

The first payments from a $73-billion federal wage subsidy program will flow by the end of the first week of May, acting as a buttress against the economic shock from COVID-19. The Liberals are hoping the 75-per-cent wage subsidy will prompt companies to rehire vast swaths of the six million Canadian workers who have asked for emergency federal aid since the pandemic brought the global economy to a virtual standstill. Online applications will open April 27 and officials expect to have processed 90 per cent of claims by May 4 with payments landing later that week, MPs on the House of Commons finance committee were told Thursday. Canada's top central banker told the committee the federal fiscal measure would help maintain employer-employee ties to aid in a recovery. With expectations the freeze on the economy will be lifted before summer, Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz warned it might still be some time before the economy is back to its pre-crisis level.
"We're going to get a V-shaped trajectory, so down very sharply, then of course back up, but not all the way," Poloz said. "That's when it takes another, maybe a year for the economy to get back to the same path that it was on before all this started." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The longer it takes for economic activity to resume, though, the more likely that businesses will close for good and the longer workers will face unemployment as they look for new jobs.
On Thursday morning, the government announced an expansion to a loan program for small and medium-sized businesses, and promised a new support for companies having trouble paying rent. Federal wage subsidy payments to flow first week of May, officials tell MPs The Canadian Emergency Business Account will now provide up to $40,000 in government-guaranteed loans to businesses that had payrolls last year between $20,000 and $1.5 million. It previously offered loans to business with a narrower range of payrolls, between $50,000 and $1 million. "Our government is here to help you through these challenging times. So when we hear the program is not reaching as many people as it should, we make changes," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, acknowledging the criticism the government faced from companies who had felt left out. Since the loan program was launched last month, businesses have taken out 220,000 loans worth $8.8 billion, Finance Minister Bill Morneau told the finance committee. The loans are interest-free until Dec. 31, 2022 and if they're paid off by then, up to 25 per cent will be forgiven.
Pushed about some small businesses that may still not qualify for the help because they pay in dividends or employ contractors, Morneau suggested those workers would qualify for the $2,000-a-month Canada Emergency Response Benefit. The federal government is also working on a program to help businesses and commercial landlords cover their rents for at least three months, though the details still need to be worked out with the provinces and territories, Morneau said. The federal government has upped its spending by over $105 billion to cover fiscal help, with monetary policy playing a supporting role as the economy went into a tailspin from COVID-19.


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--COVID-19's impact on long-term care homes more devastating than expected

The sweep of COVID-19 throughout Canada 's nursing homes is proving more devastating than expected , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday as he warned that reopening the economy too early would be `` absolutely disastrous . ''
With the number of deaths from COVID-19 in Canada nearing 1,200 — and seniors by far the hardest-hit group — the prime minister said Ottawa would discuss additional supports for provinces in tackling outbreaks in long-term care homes , including a request by Quebec for military relief .
`` I think one of the things we 've seen over the past number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact on a number of seniors ' residences and long-term care centres than we had certainly hoped for , or more than we feared , '' Trudeau said .
`` It is impossible to imagine the anguish families and indeed our elders are going through in this situation — there is just so much fear , so much uncertainty , '' he said .
`` We need to do a better job of being there for them .
The federal government is looking at ways to support the provinces , as they deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , G7 leaders confront Trump over cuts to WHO funding • Time to bail out Alberta workers , not billionaire oil company CEOs While the overall curve of new confirmed COVID-19 cases is `` bending , '' the proportion of outbreaks in long-term care homes has led to a higher death rate than expected , Canada 's top doctor said .
Dr. Theresa Tam , the country 's chief public health officer , said more than 90 per cent of the patients confirmed to have died from the virus are over the age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lived in long-term care homes .
However , seniors are not the only vulnerable group , she said , noting more must be done to help people experiencing homelessness and precarious housing — conditions that also make it difficult to maintain physical distancing and hand-washing protocols .
`` Without immediate action there will be more outbreaks and avoidable deaths with broader societal and public health implications ... We can not crush this curve unless and until everyone is looked after , '' she said .
There are more than 30,000 presumptive and confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including 1,193 deaths and 9,701 resolved cases .
Tam said models are now predicting 1,200 and 1,620 deaths by April 21 .
While some provinces , including New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island , reported no new cases Thursday , the numbers continued to rise by the hundreds in the two provinces hardest hit by the virus .
COVID-19 's impact on nursing homes 'more severe ' than expected : Trudeau Quebec recorded 997 new cases , for a total of 15,857 , including 143 new deaths .
So far , 630 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ province .
Premier Francois Legault said most of the newly recorded deaths had not occurred over the last day but were added following a change in data collection methods .
Some 2,000 doctors responded to Legault 's call for assistance in the province 's overburdened long-term care homes , he said , but the federal government said the province has also formally requested military support .
`` Obviously , it 's going to be a big challenge to have everyone work together , people who are not used to working together , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but he invited everyone to `` put a little bit of water in our wine . ''
`` It will not necessarily be easy , especially in conditions that are really exceptional .
But , I am convinced that with good faith ... we will be able to have these people work together . ''
The prime minister said the two governments are trying to sort out a response , which could involve the Canadian Red Cross , the military or volunteers .
While the Canadian Armed Forces do have doctors , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ natural disasters and other such crises rather than medical crises , Trudeau said , but he noted the pandemic presents an unprecedented challenge .
In Ontario , where 514 new cases and 38 more deaths were reported Thursday , Premier Doug Ford said he would n't hesitate to make a similar request if the situation called for it .
`` Everything 's on the table , '' Ford said .
Economic relief was also at the forefront Thursday , as Ottawa announced more financial help for small businesses struggling to survive the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's economy to a standstill .
The federal government said it was expanding a loan program for small businesses and introducing a new program to help small businesses pay their rent for the next three months .
Some small and medium-sized businesses with payrolls just under or just over the initial threshold had complained that they were not eligible for the loans .
Major tourism attractions joined them in sounding the alarm , with both the Vancouver Aquarium and the Toronto Zoo calling for immediate financial support .
The aquarium said it could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifeline of at least $ 1 million a month , while the zoo announced a fundraising campaign to cover $ 1 million in annual food costs for its animals , which it said were normally funded through parking and admission fees .
While renewing his pledge to help businesses weather the pandemic , Trudeau said Canada is a `` long way '' from even considering reopening its economy .
`` It would be absolutely disastrous for us to open up too early or too quickly and have another wave hit us that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and find ourselves in a situation of having to go back into quarantine the way we are now and have everything we ’ ve done these past weeks be for nothing , '' he said .
It was a much different story across the border Thursday as U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a phased approach to reopen parts of the country .
Trudeau said it will be a while before the U.S.-Canada border reopens .
An agreement between the two countries to limit border crossings to all but goods and a small number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in days , but Trudeau said it will be `` many weeks '' before the restrictions are loosened .
The issue was discussed Thursday morning in a call with other G7 leaders to go over the ongoing global response to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Trudeau was to hold a teleconference call Thursday evening with provincial and territorial premiers , where the discussion is expected to be dominated by the crisis in long-term care facilities .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16 , 2020 .

The sweep of COVID-19 throughout Canada's nursing homes is proving more devastating than expected, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday as he warned that reopening the economy too early would be "absolutely disastrous." With the number of deaths from COVID-19 in Canada nearing 1,200 — and seniors by far the hardest-hit group — the prime minister said Ottawa would discuss additional supports for provinces in tackling outbreaks in long-term care homes, including a request by Quebec for military relief. "I think one of the things we've seen over the past number of weeks is a far more severe impact on a number of seniors' residences and long-term care centres than we had certainly hoped for, or more than we feared," Trudeau said. "It is impossible to imagine the anguish families and indeed our elders are going through in this situation — there is just so much fear, so much uncertainty," he said. "We need to do a better job of being there for them. The federal government is looking at ways to support the provinces, as they deal with this issue."
While the overall curve of new confirmed COVID-19 cases is "bending," the proportion of outbreaks in long-term care homes has led to a higher death rate than expected, Canada's top doctor said. Dr. Theresa Tam, the country's chief public health officer, said more than 90 per cent of the patients confirmed to have died from the virus are over the age of 60, and half of them lived in long-term care homes. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions However, seniors are not the only vulnerable group, she said, noting more must be done to help people experiencing homelessness and precarious housing — conditions that also make it difficult to maintain physical distancing and hand-washing protocols.
"Without immediate action there will be more outbreaks and avoidable deaths with broader societal and public health implications... We cannot crush this curve unless and until everyone is looked after," she said. COVID-19's impact on nursing homes 'more severe' than expected: Trudeau There are more than 30,000 presumptive and confirmed cases of the virus across Canada, including 1,193 deaths and 9,701 resolved cases. Tam said models are now predicting 1,200 and 1,620 deaths by April 21. While some provinces, including New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, reported no new cases Thursday, the numbers continued to rise by the hundreds in the two provinces hardest hit by the virus. Quebec recorded 997 new cases, for a total of 15,857, including 143 new deaths. So far, 630 people have died from the disease in the province. Premier Francois Legault said most of the newly recorded deaths had not occurred over the last day but were added following a change in data collection methods.
Some 2,000 doctors responded to Legault's call for assistance in the province's overburdened long-term care homes, he said, but the federal government said the province has also formally requested military support. "Obviously, it's going to be a big challenge to have everyone work together, people who are not used to working together," Legault said of the new dynamic, but he invited everyone to "put a little bit of water in our wine." "It will not necessarily be easy, especially in conditions that are really exceptional. But, I am convinced that with good faith ... we will be able to have these people work together."


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--Chief public health officer's decisions must be scrutinized: Scheer

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer refused Thursday to express confidence in Canada 's chief public health officer , arguing the need to question her decisions around the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the reasons Parliament must resume .
The four main parties in the House of Commons are locked in negotiations to determine if and how Parliament resumes on Monday , the deadline set for it to reconvene following its adjournment in mid-March .
If the four do n't all notify the Speaker that it should remain adjourned , it 's back to business as usual for the country 's MPs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bans on non-essential travel in place across the country .
Scheer insisted his party does not want to flout those requirements .
Two previous emergency sittings of the House of Commons are proof that in-person `` accountability sessions '' are possible with a reduced quorum , he said .
They 're also essential , he said , so the minority Liberal government can be grilled regularly on its response to the COVID-19 pandemic .
• Trudeau , G7 leaders confront Trump over cuts to WHO funding • Time to bail out Alberta workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extends to decisions recommended by Tam , the chief public health officer .
`` We do have important questions as to why certain directives were issued by the public health agency , and ultimately ministers are responsible for that , '' Scheer said in response to the second of multiple questions about his confidence in Tam , which he declined to answer directly .
`` Ministers are accountable for the decisions they make based on whichever advice they take . ''
Tam has become a target of some conservatives in recent days as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his rhetoric against the World Health Organization , accusing it of colluding with China and covering up the true potential damage of the novel coronavirus .
Tam and senior Liberal cabinet ministers repeatedly referenced WHO guidelines and information in the early days of the pandemic , as the UN agency began to increasingly raise concerns about the possible spread of the novel coronavirus and its impact .
Decisions made earlier this year to not initially restrict travel into Canada were linked to advice from the WHO that those measures were ineffective , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks should be worn .
Those decisions have changed over time and Canadians need to understand why and to what extent the government relies on the WHO , Scheer said .
`` This government needs to be held accountable for its dependence on the WHO at this time , '' he said .
Scheer and his MPs had called for the government to close borders and restrict travel long before the Liberals acted .
But their calls for greater scrutiny of the WHO have been amplified by Trump 's move .
The Conservatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being given new energy after The Associated Press reported that six days passed between when Chinese officials knew about the real dangers of the virus and when the public was warned , time that likely launched the global public health emergency .
Two candidates for the party 's leadership — Erin O'Toole and Peter MacKay — have used the issue to draw attention to their campaigns , and added their names to an open letter signed by politicians and experts from around the world condemning the Chinese government 's actions .
Conservatives say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growing frustrations with the Liberals ' response .
`` The government 's mistakes have caused confusion and delays and therefore additional hardship , '' Scheer said , arguing that opposition efforts to improve emergency aid bills demonstrates the value of having Parliament sit .
`` There 's too much at stake here to basically allow the government to run , to operate , to make these decisions , without any kind of accountability or transparency . ''
He accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of seeking to `` shut down '' Parliament , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiations continue among all parties about how it should resume .
The Conservatives want four days a week of in-person sittings , potentially supplemented by eventual virtual meetings .
A House of Commons committee is currently tasked with figuring out how virtual sittings could work , but wo n't report back until mid-May .
A government official , speaking on condition of anonymity because they were n't authorized to speak publicly about confidential , behind-the-scenes negotiations , said the Liberals are offering to have a small number of MPs sit in person once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sittings can be worked out .
The Liberal offer includes having two or three hours devoted at each sitting to what 's called committee of the whole — which would allow time for longer questions and more thorough answers than the 35-seconds normally allowed each speaker during the daily 45-minute question period .
According to the official , the Bloc Quebecois and Greens , who are opposed to any in-person sittings , appear willing to go along with the Liberal proposal while the NDP is pushing for two sittings each week .
Earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the role of Parliament , now more than ever .
`` Our democracy is healthy and I know that our institutions must continue to function not in spite of the crisis but because of the crisis , '' he said .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16 , 2020 .

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer refused Thursday to express confidence in Canada's chief public health officer, arguing the need to question her decisions around the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the reasons Parliament must resume. The four main parties in the House of Commons are locked in negotiations to determine if and how Parliament resumes on Monday, the deadline set for it to reconvene following its adjournment in mid-March. If the four don't all notify the Speaker that it should remain adjourned, it's back to business as usual for the country's MPs and senators despite physical distancing protocols and bans on non-essential travel in place across the country. Scheer insisted his party does not want to flout those requirements. Two previous emergency sittings of the House of Commons are proof that in-person "accountability sessions" are possible with a reduced quorum, he said. They're also essential, he said, so the minority Liberal government can be grilled regularly on its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
That extends to decisions recommended by Tam, the chief public health officer. "We do have important questions as to why certain directives were issued by the public health agency, and ultimately ministers are responsible for that," Scheer said in response to the second of multiple questions about his confidence in Tam, which he declined to answer directly. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "Ministers are accountable for the decisions they make based on whichever advice they take."
Tam has become a target of some conservatives in recent days as U.S. President Donald Trump has ratcheted up his rhetoric against the World Health Organization, accusing it of colluding with China and covering up the true potential damage of the novel coronavirus. Chief public health officer's decisions must be scrutinized: Scheer Tam and senior Liberal cabinet ministers repeatedly referenced WHO guidelines and information in the early days of the pandemic, as the UN agency began to increasingly raise concerns about the possible spread of the novel coronavirus and its impact. Decisions made earlier this year to not initially restrict travel into Canada were linked to advice from the WHO that those measures were ineffective, as was early guidance on how and when masks should be worn. Those decisions have changed over time and Canadians need to understand why and to what extent the government relies on the WHO, Scheer said. "This government needs to be held accountable for its dependence on the WHO at this time," he said.
Scheer and his MPs had called for the government to close borders and restrict travel long before the Liberals acted. But their calls for greater scrutiny of the WHO have been amplified by Trump's move. The Conservatives' long-standing concerns about China are also being given new energy after The Associated Press reported that six days passed between when Chinese officials knew about the real dangers of the virus and when the public was warned, time that likely launched the global public health emergency. Two candidates for the party's leadership — Erin O'Toole and Peter MacKay — have used the issue to draw attention to their campaigns, and added their names to an open letter signed by politicians and experts from around the world condemning the Chinese government's actions.


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--Transit workers concerned over lack of COVID-19 protective gear

Jason Watts hides in the washroom right up until the moment his shift as a bus driver in Toronto 's transit system begins .
The Toronto Transit Commission worker is terrified of contracting COVID-19 , so he tries to minimize his exposure .
`` If I 'm standing in the station , people will come up and ask questions and forget about the social distancing — or maybe they do n't care , '' Watts said .
It 's part of a series of procedures he undergoes to protect himself .
He would prefer to wear a mask , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bus operators , he said .
`` I would appreciate the option to have a mask to wear should I feel the need to , '' Watts said .
`` I 'm scared . ''
• Trudeau , G7 leaders confront Trump over cuts to WHO funding • Time to bail out Alberta workers , not billionaire oil company CEOs On Wednesday , more than two dozen of Watts ' colleagues , all TTC bus drivers , refused to work over the lack of personal protective equipment ( PPE ) .
A similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across Canada , said John Di Nino , head of Amalgamated Transit Union Canada , which represents 35,000 workers .
`` They are concerned all the measures in place are not providing adequate protection and they want the next level , which are the masks , '' he said .
So far , about 50 transit workers represented by the union have tested positive for COVID-19 , Di Nino said .
The Toronto chapter of the ATU said 17 TTC workers , including bus and subway operators , have tested positive for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the longer this goes on the more cases will appear , '' said ATU Local 113 president Carlos Santos .
Transit workers across Canada concerned over lack of protective gear `` I think the TTC does have a responsibility to make our workers feel safe — and if making them feel safe is providing them with PPE , then give them PPE . ''
An inspector with the Ministry of Labour ruled the drivers must return to work because the situation did n't meet the conditions of a work refusal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the inspector cited multiple measures that help protect transit operators from COVID-19 , including Plexiglas barricades , blocking off seats immediately behind the bus driver , and the use of rear-door boarding .
The TTC said it 's in the process of acquiring reusable and washable masks for all staff , but it is weeks away from being able to distribute them .
The only operators being given masks are those who drive Wheel-Trans buses to transport people with disabilities .
In Halifax , transit union leaders have been expressing concern about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic , calling for a pause in operations to clean the buses and negotiate safety provisions .
Ken Wilson , president of Local 508 of the Amalgamated Transit Union , said many passengers are not travelling to essential jobs and do not respect physical distancing rules on the buses and ferries .
Halifax Transit recently imposed added safety measures with alternating seats blocked off in buses and in stations , while capacity on ferries is reduced to 25 passengers per trip .
Wilson said it 's not going far enough as it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 12-metre bus .
In Montreal , Renato Carlone , president of the union that represents 4,700 of the city 's bus and metro employees , said at least 15 bus drivers have already become infected with COVID-19 .
Hundreds more of his members are off work for various reasons related to the pandemic , he said .
The union launched an advertising campaign asking public transit users to wear masks .
Carlone said he is also calling on the city 's transit authority to limit bus capacity to 15 passengers and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Quebec begins re-opening the economy , his members fear buses and metros will only get more crowded , putting workers at risk .
`` It 's hard enough to maintain a two-metre distance from someone on a bus , '' he said .
`` That 's why we are asking people to wear masks .
It 's the least we can do . ''
Philippe Dery , spokesman for the city 's transit authority , the Societe de transport de Montreal , said the agency is following the province 's public health directives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usage .
In an ugly turn last week in Edmonton , police said they charged a man with COVID-19 for allegedly coughing on a bus driver and police officers last week .
The 38-year-old man faces two counts of assault and contravening an order by the chief medical officer .
Over the weekend , an unnamed Metro Vancouver bus driver took to YouTube to share his fears about COVID-19 and plead with the public .
`` Do n't get on the bus , '' he said .
`` You do n't need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bus — it 's that simple . ''
Watts , the Toronto bus driver , deals with his own cognitive dissonance .
On one hand , he believes he 's more essential than ever as he drives health-care workers and others to the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis .
On the other hand , he worries about the coronavirus sneaking onto a bus he 's driving .
`` In this job , all you have is time — time to think and think and think , '' he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the netherworld . ''
— with files from Michael Tutton in Halifax and Giuseppe Valiante in Montreal This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16 , 2020 .

Jason Watts hides in the washroom right up until the moment his shift as a bus driver in Toronto's transit system begins. The Toronto Transit Commission worker is terrified of contracting COVID-19, so he tries to minimize his exposure. "If I'm standing in the station, people will come up and ask questions and forget about the social distancing — or maybe they don't care," Watts said. It's part of a series of procedures he undergoes to protect himself. He would prefer to wear a mask, but the TTC is not providing them to bus operators, he said. "I would appreciate the option to have a mask to wear should I feel the need to," Watts said. "I'm scared."
On Wednesday, more than two dozen of Watts' colleagues, all TTC bus drivers, refused to work over the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE). A similar situation is playing out with work refusals across Canada, said John Di Nino, head of Amalgamated Transit Union Canada, which represents 35,000 workers. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "They are concerned all the measures in place are not providing adequate protection and they want the next level, which are the masks," he said.
So far, about 50 transit workers represented by the union have tested positive for COVID-19, Di Nino said. Transit workers across Canada concerned over lack of protective gear The Toronto chapter of the ATU said 17 TTC workers, including bus and subway operators, have tested positive for the disease. "Our members are scared, and the longer this goes on the more cases will appear," said ATU Local 113 president Carlos Santos. "I think the TTC does have a responsibility to make our workers feel safe — and if making them feel safe is providing them with PPE, then give them PPE." An inspector with the Ministry of Labour ruled the drivers must return to work because the situation didn't meet the conditions of a work refusal, Santos said.
TTC spokesman Stuart Green said the inspector cited multiple measures that help protect transit operators from COVID-19, including Plexiglas barricades, blocking off seats immediately behind the bus driver, and the use of rear-door boarding. The TTC said it's in the process of acquiring reusable and washable masks for all staff, but it is weeks away from being able to distribute them. The only operators being given masks are those who drive Wheel-Trans buses to transport people with disabilities. In Halifax, transit union leaders have been expressing concern about their safety since the earliest days of the pandemic, calling for a pause in operations to clean the buses and negotiate safety provisions.


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--Trudeau, G7 leaders confront Trump over cuts to WHO funding

Canada and its G7 allies confronted U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday over his decision to cut funding to the World Health Organization , as they stressed solidarity with a key international organization during the COVID-19 crisis .
The concerns were raised during the videoconference that the American president hosted for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his fellow G7 leaders .
Trump went into the meeting impatient and far more anxious than his G7 counterparts about the need to ease restrictions meant to control the spread of the novel coronavirus .
Trump has expressed enthusiasm about easing restrictions to reboot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential election .
He led the teleconference with his counterparts because the U.S. holds the rotating chair of the G7 this year .
But two days before the talks , Trump cut funding to the WHO , believing it is too cozy with China , while other countries see it as a vital agency to fighting the global pandemic .
The Trudeau government has defended the WHO as a key ally in the pandemic fight .
And that continued during the G7 discussion .
• Time to bail out Alberta workers , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we all recognized on the call how important it is to continue to co-ordinate and collaborate the science around the pandemic , to work on public health measures around the world , to share information around vaccine development , around treatments that can work , '' Trudeau said after the meeting .
`` There is a need for international co-ordination and the WHO is an important part of that collaboration and co-ordination . ''
That includes supporting international efforts `` to develop a vaccine , expand treatment , expand testing and ensure the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lines , '' the prime minister added .
Also , on Thursday , Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne took part in another international videoconference with a group of countries — minus the U.S. — that is committed to bolstering international institutions .
Canada helped found the ad-hoc group known as the Alliance for Multilateralism along with France and Germany to bolster the international order that has come under repeated attacks from Trump .
Champagne said in an interview that Trump 's decision to drop WHO funding was a topic of discussion with his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And while they agree that some organizations need reform so that they work better , `` now is not the time '' to be doing that work .
Trudeau , G7 leaders affirm importance of WHO amid differences with Trump `` The time now is to support these international agencies and the important work that they have to do .
There will be a time for us to see how we can look at processes , do a post-mortem and make sure these institutions would really serve the purpose for what they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Thursday 's G7 meeting unfolded as most of its members faced an array of formidable challenges in their fight against the virus .
Italy is the worst hit G7 country after the United States , and while the virus is showing signs of declining there , the Italian health-care system is facing crushing demands .
Italy 's ambassador to Canada , Claudio Taffuri , has appealed to Canadians to help his country by giving money to the Canadian Red Cross in a special program that will funnel funds to the Italian Red @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appealing to Canadians who were `` inspired by the love that you feel for Italy , by the solidarity we have for those on the front lines of this battle , by the human bond we share with those men and women who are exposed to the disease and its fatal consequences , for the part of them that is in each of us , in support of all human lives . ''
The death rate from the virus continued to rise in Britain as the government was expected to announce an extension @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks .
Britain is also coping with the recent week-long hospitalization of Prime Minister Boris Johnson to treat his COVID-19 infection .
Earlier Thursday , Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared an expanded state of emergency covering the entire country , expanding on a previous order that covered only Tokyo and six other regions that were deemed to have the highest infection rates .
Germany , Europe 's largest economy , announced this week that while it will still adhere to strict physical distancing measures , it will let some stores open next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While the outbreak has slowed in recent weeks , Chancellor Angela Merkel says Germany must move in `` small steps '' and achieved only a `` fragile intermediate success '' containing the virus .
France was dealing with COVID-19 fallout on various fronts this week .
A French court ruled Amazon was n't doing enough to protect its workers , so the company said it was temporarily suspending operations .
The iconic Tour de France cycling race was postponed to late August and early September .

Canada and its G7 allies confronted U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday over his decision to cut funding to the World Health Organization, as they stressed solidarity with a key international organization during the COVID-19 crisis. The concerns were raised during the videoconference that the American president hosted for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his fellow G7 leaders. Trump went into the meeting impatient and far more anxious than his G7 counterparts about the need to ease restrictions meant to control the spread of the novel coronavirus. Trump has expressed enthusiasm about easing restrictions to reboot the American economy ahead of the November presidential election. He led the teleconference with his counterparts because the U.S. holds the rotating chair of the G7 this year. But two days before the talks, Trump cut funding to the WHO, believing it is too cozy with China, while other countries see it as a vital agency to fighting the global pandemic. The Trudeau government has defended the WHO as a key ally in the pandemic fight. And that continued during the G7 discussion.
"I think we all recognized on the call how important it is to continue to co-ordinate and collaborate the science around the pandemic, to work on public health measures around the world, to share information around vaccine development, around treatments that can work," Trudeau said after the meeting. "There is a need for international co-ordination and the WHO is an important part of that collaboration and co-ordination." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions That includes supporting international efforts "to develop a vaccine, expand treatment, expand testing and ensure the critical medical supplies get to the front lines," the prime minister added.
Also, on Thursday, Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne took part in another international videoconference with a group of countries — minus the U.S. — that is committed to bolstering international institutions. Trudeau, G7 leaders affirm importance of WHO amid differences with Trump Canada helped found the ad-hoc group known as the Alliance for Multilateralism along with France and Germany to bolster the international order that has come under repeated attacks from Trump. Champagne said in an interview that Trump's decision to drop WHO funding was a topic of discussion with his fellow foreign ministers from the alliance. And while they agree that some organizations need reform so that they work better, "now is not the time" to be doing that work. "The time now is to support these international agencies and the important work that they have to do. There will be a time for us to see how we can look at processes, do a post-mortem and make sure these institutions would really serve the purpose for what they were created," Champagne said. Meanwhile, Thursday's G7 meeting unfolded as most of its members faced an array of formidable challenges in their fight against the virus.
Italy is the worst hit G7 country after the United States, and while the virus is showing signs of declining there, the Italian health-care system is facing crushing demands. Italy's ambassador to Canada, Claudio Taffuri, has appealed to Canadians to help his country by giving money to the Canadian Red Cross in a special program that will funnel funds to the Italian Red Cross. Taffuri wrote that he was appealing to Canadians who were "inspired by the love that you feel for Italy, by the solidarity we have for those on the front lines of this battle, by the human bond we share with those men and women who are exposed to the disease and its fatal consequences, for the part of them that is in each of us, in support of all human lives."


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--Concerns about food supply grows as pandemic crisis deepens

That April 3 letter to the Prime Minister and the Canadian Ministers of Agriculture , Fisheries , and the Environment urges “ transformative ” change to our food system .
Below , is an open letter initially signed by 158 food and environmental organizations , academics , farmers , and sustainable-food advocates from across the country .
Since then the list has grown to 163 signatures as of the publishing of the letter .
As COVID-19 continues to batter the economy , an increasing number of sectors are sounding the alarm about Canada 's food security .
We , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Canada ’ s food , agriculture , and fisheries systems from an industrial to an agroecological model .
Agroecology is farming with nature to improve soil health , biodiversity , and natural ecosystem function ; to increase the capability of land to sequester carbon ; and to provide local , seasonal , healthy food .
Its basic principles can also be applied to fisheries .
The coronavirus pandemic underscores the emergency need for this transformative change in order to enable ecological resilience and food security across Canada in the months and years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ single greatest opportunity for a resilient economy , meaning one that is decentralized , ecological , meets local needs , and offers widespread employment .
The United Nations and many non-governmental organizations , including Canada ’ s National Farmers Union , have made clear that industrial food , agriculture , and fisheries systems are major contributors to the climate crisis , the global loss of biodiversity , and the imminent extinction of one million species world-wide .
In Canada , we have lost one-third of bird populations since 1970 , and now risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and other species upon which our ecosystems and food systems depend .
Besides environmental impacts , the industrial food , agricultural , and fisheries systems have resulted in negative social , economic , and health impacts , including collapsed rural economies , massive farm debt , decreased food security , and physical and mental health issues in both rural and urban populations .
Food systems that do not respect nature , we are now learning , also greatly increase the risk of pandemics ; as David Quammen , author of Spillover : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently wrote , “ We disrupt ecosystems , and we shake viruses loose from their natural hosts .
When that happens , they need a new host .
Often , we are it.
” The UN and NGOs see agroecology as the solution to these crises .
The UN ’ s 2013 report Wake Up Before It ’ s Too Late states , “ we need to see a move from a linear to a holistic approach…which recognizes that a farmer is…a manager of an agro-ecological system.
” Likewise , the NFU ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Climate Crisis : A Transformative Strategy for Canadian Farmers and Food Systems notes , “ agriculture must increasingly re-merge with nature and culture to create a much more integrated , life-sustaining , and community-sustaining agroecological model of human food provision , nutrition , and health.
” And the International Commission on the Future of Food and Agriculture states in its 2019 report Food for Health that agroecology “ combines quantity and quality and maximizes the benefits to the health and wellbeing of the planet and its people.
” Agroecology , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focuses on long-term resiliency , not short-term profit , and therefore is part of an entirely different , but certainly not new , food system .
Agroecology is already well understood and projects around the world have proven its benefits .
Such benefits are even possible over massive areas : John D. Liu ’ s documentary Hope in a Changing Climate depicts the large-scale ecosystem rehabilitation accomplished on the Loess Plateau in China , and the lessons from that project are now being applied to restoration projects in Jordan , Ethiopia , Rwanda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the rest of the world , Canada does not have time to spare .
We can not subject our lands , rivers , oceans , health , and economy to another year of the industrial food system .
We call for the following shifts from an industrial model to an agroecological model to begin in spring 2020 : 1 .
An immediate ban on the use of neonicotinoids , glyphosate , and other harmful pesticides ( including herbicides , insecticides , and fungicides ) .

As COVID-19 continues to batter the economy, an increasing number of sectors are sounding the alarm about Canada's food security. Below, is an open letter initially signed by 158 food and environmental organizations, academics, farmers, and sustainable-food advocates from across the country. Since then the list has grown to 163 signatures as of the publishing of the letter. That April 3 letter to the Prime Minister and the Canadian Ministers of Agriculture, Fisheries, and the Environment urges “transformative” change to our food system.
April 3, 2020 Dear Prime Minister Trudeau, and Ministers Marie-Claude Bibeau, Bernadette Jordan, and Jonathan Wilkinson: Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions We, the undersigned, call for immediate transformative change to Canada’s food, agriculture, and fisheries systems from an industrial to an agroecological model. Agroecology is farming with nature to improve soil health, biodiversity, and natural ecosystem function; to increase the capability of land to sequester carbon; and to provide local, seasonal, healthy food. Its basic principles can also be applied to fisheries.
The coronavirus pandemic underscores the emergency need for this transformative change in order to enable ecological resilience and food security across Canada in the months and years to come. Agroecology also provides the single greatest opportunity for a resilient economy, meaning one that is decentralized, ecological, meets local needs, and offers widespread employment. "As with the rest of the world, Canada does not have time to spare. We cannot subject our lands, rivers, oceans, health, and economy to another year of the industrial food system." The United Nations and many non-governmental organizations, including Canada’s National Farmers Union, have made clear that industrial food, agriculture, and fisheries systems are major contributors to the climate crisis, the global loss of biodiversity, and the imminent extinction of one million species world-wide. In Canada, we have lost one-third of bird populations since 1970, and now risk losing wild bees, salmon, caribou, and other species upon which our ecosystems and food systems depend. Besides environmental impacts, the industrial food, agricultural, and fisheries systems have resulted in negative social, economic, and health impacts, including collapsed rural economies, massive farm debt, decreased food security, and physical and mental health issues in both rural and urban populations. Food systems that do not respect nature, we are now learning, also greatly increase the risk of pandemics; as David Quammen, author of Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic recently wrote, “We disrupt ecosystems, and we shake viruses loose from their natural hosts. When that happens, they need a new host. Often, we are it.” The UN and NGOs see agroecology as the solution to these crises. The UN’s 2013 report Wake Up Before It’s Too Late states, “we need to see a move from a linear to a holistic approach…which recognizes that a farmer is…a manager of an agro-ecological system.” Likewise, the NFU’s 2019 report Tackling the Farm Crisis and the Climate Crisis: A Transformative Strategy for Canadian Farmers and Food Systems notes, “agriculture must increasingly re-merge with nature and culture to create a much more integrated, life-sustaining, and community-sustaining agroecological model of human food provision, nutrition, and health.” And the International Commission on the Future of Food and Agriculture states in its 2019 report Food for Health that agroecology “combines quantity and quality and maximizes the benefits to the health and wellbeing of the planet and its people.” Agroecology, while far more productive than industrial agriculture, focuses on long-term resiliency, not short-term profit, and therefore is part of an entirely different, but certainly not new, food system.
Agroecology is already well understood and projects around the world have proven its benefits. Such benefits are even possible over massive areas: John D. Liu’s documentary Hope in a Changing Climate depicts the large-scale ecosystem rehabilitation accomplished on the Loess Plateau in China, and the lessons from that project are now being applied to restoration projects in Jordan, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya, and Spain. As with the rest of the world, Canada does not have time to spare. We cannot subject our lands, rivers, oceans, health, and economy to another year of the industrial food system. We call for the following shifts from an industrial model to an agroecological model to begin in spring 2020:


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--COVID-19 is leaving refugees and asylum seekers trapped between borders

On March 17 , the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada postponed all in-person hearings for asylum claims until at least April 13 .
On March 20 , the Canadian government announced it would close its borders to asylum seekers from other countries .
For those crossing the Canada-U.S. border , Canada is turning away irregular asylum seekers and sending them back to the United States , whose current plan is to send them back to the countries they came from .
These actions violate non-refoulement — the core principle of the 1951 Refugee Convention , which asserts that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom .
Sending people back to violence also violates the fundamental principle of non-derogable human rights , and is logistically impossible in the current travel ban era .
Although going home is not an option for the forcibly displaced , languishing in detention is an appalling alternative .
Canada seems complicit in this .
Travel ban policies are rapidly evolving around the world .
Many countries have either implemented measures to close their borders or are quickly preparing to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasons for barred entry .
It is easy for those with citizenship status to forget that nations ’ decisions about how they treat those within and without their borders are a major cause of precarity for forced migrants and asylum seekers .
Pandemics amplify the contradictions apparent in our state-based international system , founded on claims to land or blood-based citizenship ( jus soli/jus sanguinis ) .
Viruses have historically been and continue to be a thinly veiled excuse for latent xenophobia and nativism .
U.S. President Donald Trump ’ s insistence on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a stark reminder of this mentality .
Canada and other countries have made certain exemptions to their travel bans to allow the flow of certain groups of people , such as family members and international students , so why have asylum seekers been excluded ?
Asylum seekers must be included in national response plans , not simply ignored and left to fall through the cracks .
If we continue to ignore this , the spread of the virus will be exacerbated and accelerated .
We face this challenge here in Canada , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the world .
• Trudeau , G7 leaders confront Trump over cuts to WHO funding • Time to bail out Alberta workers , not billionaire oil company CEOs Refugee camps in Jordan and Bangladesh are on lockdown .
In Greece , the Ritsona refugee camp was put under quarantine after 20 people tested positive for the virus .
While the physical movement of refugees is now more restricted than before , they have even less access to health care .
Humanitarian workers are leaving camps .
Doctors working with non-governmental organizations such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision of remaining in the camps with little equipment or going back to their countries to support efforts there .
Simultaneously , countries are monopolizing personal protective equipment by preventing exports of masks , ventilators , gloves and drugs .
Consequently , the already-strapped camps are left with even less protection , with the camps lacking basic necessities , like soap and running water to begin with .
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit , refugees and asylum seekers were living in positions of vulnerability and marginalization .
Having to grapple with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education , employment , and sustenance while healthy is debilitating .
Now , in light of COVID-19 ’ s repercussions on health and well-being , the situation for communities without legal status and in positions of forced migration is increasingly unbearable .
People who find themselves between borders are some of the world ’ s most vulnerable .
Saifullah Rohin of the Canadian Rohingya Development Initiative states that even though there has been some awareness-raising around the virus , in speaking about Kutupalong , the largest refugee camp in the world , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precaution materials for the refugees .
The internet ban remains still a big issue .
I hope the outbreak does n't reach there .
If so , it will be a disaster for our people.
” On April 14 , Trump halted funding to the World Health Organization .
But if there were ever a time for international co-operation , it is now .
Countries becoming insular and suspending international co-operation will only continue to hurt the most vulnerable , and such tendencies will prolong the pandemic .
Policy responses to support vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerge .
Canada pledged $ 50 million to help the world ’ s most desperate people , including those displaced by conflict and living in refugee communities .
However , urgent questions arise around the dollar amount , the timelines , and the specifics of how the government will implement its commitment .
`` Canada has made exemptions from their travel bans to allow the flow of certain groups of people such as family members and international students , so why have asylum seekers been excluded ? ''
What we are left with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to asylum seekers while telling those on the outside looking in that we promise to support them .
Contradictory , vague and seemingly haphazard responses by any government will continue to delay a long-term solution to COVID-19 — not only for the world ’ s most vulnerable communities , but for non-citizens and citizens alike .
Canada must be proactive in including asylum seekers and refugees in policy responses that address this global pandemic .

Yuriko Cowper-Smith, Tyler Valiquette, Yvonne Su

On March 17, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada postponed all in-person hearings for asylum claims until at least April 13. On March 20, the Canadian government announced it would close its borders to asylum seekers from other countries. For those crossing the Canada-U.S. border, Canada is turning away irregular asylum seekers and sending them back to the United States, whose current plan is to send them back to the countries they came from.
These actions violate non-refoulement — the core principle of the 1951 Refugee Convention, which asserts that a refugee or asylum seeker should not be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom. Sending people back to violence also violates the fundamental principle of non-derogable human rights, and is logistically impossible in the current travel ban era. Although going home is not an option for the forcibly displaced, languishing in detention is an appalling alternative. Canada seems complicit in this.
Travel ban policies are rapidly evolving around the world. Many countries have either implemented measures to close their borders or are quickly preparing to do so, citing safety and security as reasons for barred entry. It is easy for those with citizenship status to forget that nations’ decisions about how they treat those within and without their borders are a major cause of precarity for forced migrants and asylum seekers.
Pandemics amplify the contradictions apparent in our state-based international system, founded on claims to land or blood-based citizenship (jus soli/jus sanguinis). Viruses have historically been and continue to be a thinly veiled excuse for latent xenophobia and nativism. U.S. President Donald Trump’s insistence on calling COVID-19 the “Chinese virus” is a stark reminder of this mentality. Canada and other countries have made certain exemptions to their travel bans to allow the flow of certain groups of people, such as family members and international students, so why have asylum seekers been excluded?
Asylum seekers must be included in national response plans, not simply ignored and left to fall through the cracks. If we continue to ignore this, the spread of the virus will be exacerbated and accelerated. We face this challenge here in Canada, as do the people of affected countries around the world.


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--History, intrigue and turmoil in Babylon Berlin, pet-friendly Murmur and bad memories of Rob Ford

The streaming challenge to movie theatres just keeps on growing .
Universal Pictures reported that last weekend Trolls World Tour was the highest-grossing video-on-demand title ever .
Netflix , meanwhile , has seen a jump in its stock price and Disney+ reports it now has 50 million subscribers .
It got them in just five months .
Netflix has 167 million , but has been in business for 13 years .
The series has very high production values .
It ’ s the most expensive ever made in Germany and recreates the look and feel of the 1920s there perfectly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tom Tykwer in the lead .
He ’ s best known to us for the hit Run Lola Run and the charming comedy Good Bye , Lenin !
There ’ s quite a bit of sex and nudity ( apropos of the freewheeling good times of the era ) and an ever-present unease of what was to come .
By the end of the first two seasons , there 's been one demonstration by the brown shirts and just one throwaway mention of Hitler .
One complaint : the series is dubbed into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can ’ t imagine Germans back then called an apartment a “ pad ” or , as one does repeatedly , referred to women as “ broads.
” ( Netflix ) 4 out of 5 At the centre are two people doing police work , a detective on the vice squad ( Volker Bruch ) brought in from Cologne to take down a pornographic film trade and a typist ( Liv Lisa Fries ) trying to get on to the homicide squad .
Their paths cross repeatedly , principally over an unrelated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Russia and is now in Berlin .
Anti-Stalinists want to divert it to Leon Trostky in Istanbul and the Soviet embassy is demanding to gain possession of it .
It ’ s a sprawling storyline , taken from a series of novels .
A crowd of interesting ( and often suspect ) characters appear , like “ The Armenian , ” some plotting military types , a shady industrialist , a countess who cross-dresses as a cabaret singer and , most impressively , a tough chief inspector played by stocky Peter Kurth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s a good or a bad guy .
Film noir influences are everywhere .
BABYLON BERLIN : Of the few extended series that I ’ ve watched or tasted during this lockdown , this has been the most compelling .
Not perfect .
There are stretches when it drags , but most of the time , it clicks .
History buffs will be especially interested because it takes a wide scope from political to pop cultural .
It has a lot of material to draw on , being set in 1929 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republic where the flappers danced in the cabarets , the poor huddled in crowded rooms , generals dreamed of rearming despite the Treaty of Versailles and both left- and right-wing protests made noise in the streets .
Shan plays a woman assigned to a job at an animal shelter after an impaired driving conviction .
Her daughter won ’ t talk to her .
But a sickly dog named Charlie comforts her and she takes him home .
“ He deserves a chance , ” she says , despite his heart failure , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her small apartment , he proves incontinent , too .
But she dotes on him .
“ He loves me no matter what I do.
” Then she brings him other animals as friends .
Naturally that can ’ t last once there are six or seven pets lounging around her living room .
We ’ re waiting for what would get in the way and when it does , it becomes intensely moving , yet completely in keeping with the gentle mood of the film .
It played at VIFF , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but is available in a virtual screening at a modest price .
( https : //thecinematheque.ca/ ) 3½ out of 5 CANE RIVER : Also streaming by The Cinematheque is this legendary American film that was lost for 30 years .
When he made it back in 1982 , Horace B. Jenkins told a love story and at the same time illuminated the lives of Black people .
The legacy of slavery is a strong theme in the story .
Jenkins , an Emmy winner for his TV work , including for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrange distribution and his film disappeared .
A print was found in a lab a few years ago and has been restored for festival screenings .
Reviews have been more than enthusiastic .
It ’ s available at https : //thecinematheque.ca/ starting today .
RUN THIS TOWN : This one was here briefly and unnoticed last month , and starting Tuesday , gets a new life in video on demand .
This is the Rob Ford movie , about the late mayor of Toronto who tried to deny his drug use and became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oddly , his brother is now the premier of Ontario and a voice of sanity in the COVID-19 pandemic ) .
Rob is portrayed by Damian Lewis ( and through the direction and screenplay by Ricky Tollman ) as an erratic , sometimes bullying , sometimes threatening inebriate with a gregarious hugging side .
But do n't expect a full portrait of the craziness that people have identified around him .
The film is n't focused on him ; it 's mostly about his staff and others .
Kamal ( Mena Massoud ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up for him .
Ashley ( Nina Dobrev ) deals with the press for him and gets the most offensive sexual allusion in one of his outbursts .
The main character is a young newspaper reporter ( Ben Platt ) working for two bosses ( Scott Speedman and Jennifer Ehle ) .
He 's offered an incriminating cellphone video of Ford and argues that he ’ s the one to pursue the story .
The film is about youthful idealism and ambition .
Ordinarily that 's fine ; here it 's not what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In real life , it was a female reporter who did the digging .
Also , the film is oddly verbose , not concise like newspapers should be .
It ’ s a minor take on real journalism .
2 out of 5 THE DECLINE : Canada has been pushing Netflix to produce more content here in Canada .
This is the first effort from Quebec .
Don ’ t expect much that ’ s unique , though .
The story , the look , the characters are all generic .
The snowy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they tell us it is .
Six guests have arrived at remote training camp run by a survivalist ( Réal Bossé ) .
He ’ s spent 10 years building a lodge , a geodesic dome and , in the woods , trails to allow quick escape .
They ’ re equipped with booby traps to catch intruders and sensors to pinpoint their location .
Clearly he ’ s obsessed .
So are his guests , who talk about preparing for an epidemic , economic collapse , climate refugees or , in one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ when 5,000 immigrants invade your neighbourhood with machetes.
” The film , directed and co-written by Patrice Laliberté , starts with a discussion of that kind of paranoid thinking and then takes the easy way out : action .
The guests split over what to do after one dies in an accident .
They start shooting and tracking each other through the woods .
An ex-soldier ( Marie-Evelyne Lessard ) breaks out of her funk to do her part .
The film becomes a terse and snappy thriller and leaves the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of 5 CANADA FILM DAY : It ’ s this coming Wednesday , April 22 , and celebrates our own movies by getting them shown .
Since the theatres are closed , though , the streaming services have been encouraged to join in .
All sorts have and a huge variety of films are available this year , many for free .
There are recent gems like Antigone and The Grizzlies , classics like The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz , and masterpieces like Atanarjuat : The Fast Runner , and Away From @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Trailer Park Boys in ?
There are B.C .
films , Double Happiness and Meditation Park , also Room , which brought Jacob Tremblay to our attention and won Brie Larson as Oscar , and The Decline , a Netflix film I reviewed above .
You can see the whole list at https : //canadianfilmday.ca/20+20/ .
For more info , including availability , just click on individual titles .
ROJO : The VanCity Theatre has added another good one to the films it 's streaming for us during the shutdown .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moral decline that happened there leading up to the right-wing coup of 1976 .
Almost everyone is corrupt in some way in this story which works as both a straightforward film noir or an allegory .
A TV detective investigates the case of a missing man and a lawyer has to divert suspicion from himself .
It ’ s an intriguing and hypnotic puzzle .
( https : //viff.org ) 3½ out of 5 FREE SOLO : Disney+ is rich with content , but if you haven ’ t yet seen this one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your mind off every other anxiety of the day and give you a bit of a tingle with your fear of heights .
Watch Alex Honnold try a free solo climb ( no ropes or harness ) up El Capitan , a fabled mountain in California ’ s Yosemite National Park .
It ’ s an astonishing feat ; you ’ ll see it from above , below , each side as he grasps for tiny cracks in the rock wall and , many times , for just a slight bulge .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He lived in a van for 10 years ; his father was remote and his girlfriend impatient .
No mention of his climbing trips to Squamish , though .
Even then , the film won an Academy Award .
( Disney+ ) 4 out of 5

The streaming challenge to movie theatres just keeps on growing. Universal Pictures reported that last weekend Trolls World Tour was the highest-grossing video-on-demand title ever. Netflix, meanwhile, has seen a jump in its stock price and Disney+ reports it now has 50 million subscribers. It got them in just five months. Netflix has 167 million, but has been in business for 13 years.
BABYLON BERLIN : Of the few extended series that I’ve watched or tasted during this lockdown, this has been the most compelling. Not perfect. There are stretches when it drags, but most of the time, it clicks. History buffs will be especially interested because it takes a wide scope from political to pop cultural. It has a lot of material to draw on, being set in 1929 Germany, the era of the Weimar Republic where the flappers danced in the cabarets, the poor huddled in crowded rooms, generals dreamed of rearming despite the Treaty of Versailles and both left- and right-wing protests made noise in the streets.
The series has very high production values. It’s the most expensive ever made in Germany and recreates the look and feel of the 1920s there perfectly. Three directors created it, with Tom Tykwer in the lead. He’s best known to us for the hit Run Lola Run and the charming comedy Good Bye, Lenin! There’s quite a bit of sex and nudity (apropos of the freewheeling good times of the era) and an ever-present unease of what was to come. By the end of the first two seasons, there's been one demonstration by the brown shirts and just one throwaway mention of Hitler. One complaint: the series is dubbed into English that sounds way too American. I can’t imagine Germans back then called an apartment a “pad” or, as one does repeatedly, referred to women as “broads.” (Netflix) 4 out of 5
At the centre are two people doing police work, a detective on the vice squad (Volker Bruch) brought in from Cologne to take down a pornographic film trade and a typist (Liv Lisa Fries) trying to get on to the homicide squad. Their paths cross repeatedly, principally over an unrelated case: a train that was hijacked in Russia and is now in Berlin. Anti-Stalinists want to divert it to Leon Trostky in Istanbul and the Soviet embassy is demanding to gain possession of it. It’s a sprawling storyline, taken from a series of novels. A crowd of interesting (and often suspect) characters appear, like “The Armenian,” some plotting military types, a shady industrialist, a countess who cross-dresses as a cabaret singer and, most impressively, a tough chief inspector played by stocky Peter Kurth. You can’t tell whether he’s a good or a bad guy. Film noir influences are everywhere.
MURMUR: This is a modest and minimal film that’s also immensely engaging. It’s from Nova Scotia, made by Heather Young, whose previous films were shorts, and starring Shan MacDonald, in her first acting job. Both deliver tremendously.
[Insert caption here]
Shan plays a woman assigned to a job at an animal shelter after an impaired driving conviction. Her daughter won’t talk to her. But a sickly dog named Charlie comforts her and she takes him home. “He deserves a chance,” she says, despite his heart failure, skin problems and ear infection. In her small apartment, he proves incontinent, too. But she dotes on him. “He loves me no matter what I do.” Then she brings him other animals as friends. Naturally that can’t last once there are six or seven pets lounging around her living room. We’re waiting for what would get in the way and when it does, it becomes intensely moving, yet completely in keeping with the gentle mood of the film. It played at VIFF, was supposed to open today at the Cinematheque, but is available in a virtual screening at a modest price. (https://thecinematheque.ca/) 3½ out of 5
CANE RIVER: Also streaming by The Cinematheque is this legendary American film that was lost for 30 years. When he made it back in 1982, Horace B. Jenkins told a love story and at the same time illuminated the lives of Black people. The legacy of slavery is a strong theme in the story. Jenkins, an Emmy winner for his TV work, including for Sesame Street, died before he could arrange distribution and his film disappeared. A print was found in a lab a few years ago and has been restored for festival screenings. Reviews have been more than enthusiastic. It’s available at https://thecinematheque.ca/ starting today.
RUN THIS TOWN: This one was here briefly and unnoticed last month, and starting Tuesday, gets a new life in video on demand. This is the Rob Ford movie, about the late mayor of Toronto who tried to deny his drug use and became internationally known because of it. (Oddly, his brother is now the premier of Ontario and a voice of sanity in the COVID-19 pandemic). Rob is portrayed by Damian Lewis (and through the direction and screenplay by Ricky Tollman) as an erratic, sometimes bullying, sometimes threatening inebriate with a gregarious hugging side.
[Insert caption here]
But don't expect a full portrait of the craziness that people have identified around him. The film isn't focused on him; it's mostly about his staff and others. Kamal (Mena Massoud) is the assistant who has to cover up for him. Ashley (Nina Dobrev) deals with the press for him and gets the most offensive sexual allusion in one of his outbursts. The main character is a young newspaper reporter (Ben Platt) working for two bosses (Scott Speedman and Jennifer Ehle). He's offered an incriminating cellphone video of Ford and argues that he’s the one to pursue the story. The film is about youthful idealism and ambition. Ordinarily that's fine; here it's not what we came for. Or correct. In real life, it was a female reporter who did the digging. Also, the film is oddly verbose, not concise like newspapers should be. It’s a minor take on real journalism. 2 out of 5
THE DECLINE: Canada has been pushing Netflix to produce more content here in Canada. This is the first effort from Quebec. Don’t expect much that’s unique, though. The story, the look, the characters are all generic. The snowy landscape is Quebec for sure, because they tell us it is.
[Insert caption here]
Six guests have arrived at remote training camp run by a survivalist (Réal Bossé). He’s spent 10 years building a lodge, a geodesic dome and, in the woods, trails to allow quick escape. They’re equipped with booby traps to catch intruders and sensors to pinpoint their location. Clearly he’s obsessed. So are his guests, who talk about preparing for an epidemic, economic collapse, climate refugees or, in one laughable fear cited with a straight face, “when 5,000 immigrants invade your neighbourhood with machetes.” The film, directed and co-written by Patrice Laliberté, starts with a discussion of that kind of paranoid thinking and then takes the easy way out: action. The guests split over what to do after one dies in an accident. They start shooting and tracking each other through the woods. An ex-soldier (Marie-Evelyne Lessard) breaks out of her funk to do her part. The film becomes a terse and snappy thriller and leaves the thinking behind. (Netflix) 3 out of 5
CANADA FILM DAY: It’s this coming Wednesday, April 22, and celebrates our own movies by getting them shown. Since the theatres are closed, though, the streaming services have been encouraged to join in. All sorts have and a huge variety of films are available this year, many for free. There are recent gems like Antigone and The Grizzlies, classics like The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, and masterpieces like Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner, and Away From Her. What category would you put The Trailer Park Boys in? There are B.C. films, Double Happiness and Meditation Park, also Room, which brought Jacob Tremblay to our attention and won Brie Larson as Oscar, and The Decline, a Netflix film I reviewed above. You can see the whole list at https://canadianfilmday.ca/20+20/. For more info, including availability, just click on individual titles.
ROJO: The VanCity Theatre has added another good one to the films it's streaming for us during the shutdown. This one is from Argentina and dramatizes the moral decline that happened there leading up to the right-wing coup of 1976. Almost everyone is corrupt in some way in this story which works as both a straightforward film noir or an allegory. A TV detective investigates the case of a missing man and a lawyer has to divert suspicion from himself. It’s an intriguing and hypnotic puzzle. (https://viff.org) 3½ out of 5
FREE SOLO: Disney+ is rich with content, but if you haven’t yet seen this one, do. It’ll take your mind off every other anxiety of the day and give you a bit of a tingle with your fear of heights. Watch Alex Honnold try a free solo climb (no ropes or harness) up El Capitan, a fabled mountain in California’s Yosemite National Park.
[Insert caption here]
It’s an astonishing feat; you’ll see it from above, below, each side as he grasps for tiny cracks in the rock wall and, many times, for just a slight bulge. We learn a few details of his life. He lived in a van for 10 years; his father was remote and his girlfriend impatient. No mention of his climbing trips to Squamish, though. Even then, the film won an Academy Award. (Disney+) 4 out of 5