nationalobserver--2020-06-10--Indigenous and Black people in Canada share social exclusion and collective outrage

Indigenous and Black people in Canada share in the experience of social exclusion and the deferral of the right to equitable health access , and this needs to change .
The COVID-19 pandemic has alerted us to the opportunities that beckon when we think about the collective .
The collective is no longer an abstract thought .
We socially distance because we understand that our fates are connected , and that by tending to our most vulnerable , we can save many lives .
A similar logic is now informing the collective outrage against anti-Black racism and police brutality that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has reverberated around the globe .
“ No one is free until we are all free.
” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ’ s adage holds true for both human rights and public health .
As a Black woman living in Canada , I have lived and witnessed the disparate systems that produce inequities for Black Canadians .
Discrimination in education and employment , over-policing , second-class treatment in health care and recurrent gaslighting about the realities of racism ; all of which produce inequitable health outcomes for Black Canadians .
• I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
• Black Lives Matter Movement Canada-founder Sandy Hudson on 'the perhaps wild notion that you haven ’ t considered before' • Golden Horseshoe not included in Ontario ’ s stage two reopen — for now Public health research has long since acknowledged that health issues reflect social problems and require social responses .
But rarely do we consider the natural environment as a factor for our collective health .
Indigenous Peoples have long modelled collective-centred governance and concern for the most vulnerable .
The first European settlers to arrive in what is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encountered a community that recognized the inherent value of a single human life .
In modern times , it is apparent that the lessons of our benefactors have been received half-heartedly .
As of May 2020 , there are still 60 long-term water advisories affecting more than 6,000 homes on Indigenous reservations .
Pipeline leaks and oil spills pose a very real threat to the lives of First Nations Peoples .
These projects destroy entire ecological systems and severely limit Indigenous Peoples ’ capacity to hunt , fish , harvest and farm , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In May 2018 , drinking-water advisories rose from 124 to 174 .
Some attributed this spike in activity to the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion .
Researchers estimate that in Saskatchewan alone , more than 18.9 billion litres of natural gas and other chemicals have spilled into the natural environment .
While these numbers are shocking , the aggressive expansion of the Canadian oil sector signals a lack of awareness and compassion for communities who call this land home .
It is First Nations Peoples who face the brunt of exposure to carcinogens and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Indigenous women and girls who face increased sexual violence when working communities and man camps emerge on their doorsteps .
And it is their descendants who will face further displacement as lands occupied by their ancestors become uninhabitable .
Yet , perhaps what is more shocking is the comfort with which the public has accepted Indigenous lives as a fair exchange for “ economic progress.
” `` While the momentum of what is being called Black Spring continues , it is important to address the constant trespasses against Indigenous rights . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the environment and Indigenous communities will come back to all of us .
Canada is already facing unprecedented climate warming — faster than any other country .
With every oil spill , we are contaminating the global drinking-water reserves .
Canada ’ s Great Lakes account for approximately 20 per cent of the world ’ s freshwater supply .
The oilsands stand as both a shameful reminder and a cautionary tale that we have yet to heed of the devastating impact our actions can have on the land .
The Two Row @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the earliest known treaties between Indigenous people and European settlers .
It attempted to chart a path of peace and equality between the two parties .
It depicts two rivers never touching , symbolizing that neither should steer the other ’ s canoe .
Central to the treaty was the right of Indigenous communities to equality and self-determination .
Despite this , ongoing environmental degradation threatens their way of life and their health .
Further , the right of Indigenous people to protest has become criminalized under controversial bills .
The protesters and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world continue to chant “ Water is Life '' because it is clear we have forgotten .
As Alberta ’ s government doubles down on its comments about pursuing pipelines during the pandemic , it does so to the detriment of the Indigenous communities that reside there , as well as all Canadians .
Framing protest as ‘ ideological ’ , as the province ’ s energy minister did in a recent interview , obscures the very real health , social and ecological impacts of pipeline expansion .
Crisis is a ruthless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us many things .
It has taught us that austere practices and ‘ econocentric ’ thinking are bad public health policy .
But it has also shown what can happen when we prioritize health and are imaginative and ambitious in our attempts to do so .
Indigenous and Black people living in Canada share in the experience of social exclusion and the deferral of the right to equitable health access .
While the momentum of what is being called Black Spring continues , it is important to address the constant trespasses against Indigenous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we set our ambitions toward rectifying the damage being done to the environment and its impact on the health outcomes of First Nations Peoples .
Afterall , it is our problem , too .

Indigenous and Black people in Canada share in the experience of social exclusion and the deferral of the right to equitable health access, and this needs to change. The COVID-19 pandemic has alerted us to the opportunities that beckon when we think about the collective. The collective is no longer an abstract thought. We socially distance because we understand that our fates are connected, and that by tending to our most vulnerable, we can save many lives. A similar logic is now informing the collective outrage against anti-Black racism and police brutality that has spread across the United States and has reverberated around the globe. “No one is free until we are all free.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s adage holds true for both human rights and public health. As a Black woman living in Canada, I have lived and witnessed the disparate systems that produce inequities for Black Canadians. Discrimination in education and employment, over-policing, second-class treatment in health care and recurrent gaslighting about the realities of racism; all of which produce inequitable health outcomes for Black Canadians.
Public health research has long since acknowledged that health issues reflect social problems and require social responses. But rarely do we consider the natural environment as a factor for our collective health. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Indigenous Peoples have long modelled collective-centred governance and concern for the most vulnerable. The first European settlers to arrive in what is now known as Canada survived because they encountered a community that recognized the inherent value of a single human life. In modern times, it is apparent that the lessons of our benefactors have been received half-heartedly.
As of May 2020, there are still 60 long-term water advisories affecting more than 6,000 homes on Indigenous reservations. Pipeline leaks and oil spills pose a very real threat to the lives of First Nations Peoples. These projects destroy entire ecological systems and severely limit Indigenous Peoples’ capacity to hunt, fish, harvest and farm, while also contaminating vital water supplies. "While the momentum of what is being called Black Spring continues, it is important to address the constant trespasses against Indigenous rights." In May 2018, drinking-water advisories rose from 124 to 174. Some attributed this spike in activity to the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion. Researchers estimate that in Saskatchewan alone, more than 18.9 billion litres of natural gas and other chemicals have spilled into the natural environment. While these numbers are shocking, the aggressive expansion of the Canadian oil sector signals a lack of awareness and compassion for communities who call this land home. It is First Nations Peoples who face the brunt of exposure to carcinogens and endocrine disrupters resulting from leaks. It is Indigenous women and girls who face increased sexual violence when working communities and man camps emerge on their doorsteps. And it is their descendants who will face further displacement as lands occupied by their ancestors become uninhabitable. Yet, perhaps what is more shocking is the comfort with which the public has accepted Indigenous lives as a fair exchange for “economic progress.” We forget that the violence being wrought on the environment and Indigenous communities will come back to all of us. Canada is already facing unprecedented climate warming — faster than any other country. With every oil spill, we are contaminating the global drinking-water reserves. Canada’s Great Lakes account for approximately 20 per cent of the world’s freshwater supply. The oilsands stand as both a shameful reminder and a cautionary tale that we have yet to heed of the devastating impact our actions can have on the land.
The Two Row River Wampum of 1613 is one of the earliest known treaties between Indigenous people and European settlers. It attempted to chart a path of peace and equality between the two parties. It depicts two rivers never touching, symbolizing that neither should steer the other’s canoe. Central to the treaty was the right of Indigenous communities to equality and self-determination. Despite this, ongoing environmental degradation threatens their way of life and their health. Further, the right of Indigenous people to protest has become criminalized under controversial bills. The protesters and water defenders in Canada and all over the world continue to chant “Water is Life'' because it is clear we have forgotten. As Alberta’s government doubles down on its comments about pursuing pipelines during the pandemic, it does so to the detriment of the Indigenous communities that reside there, as well as all Canadians. Framing protest as ‘ideological’, as the province’s energy minister did in a recent interview, obscures the very real health, social and ecological impacts of pipeline expansion.


nationalobserver--2020-06-10--Cortes Island affordable housing project at risk after rural directors postpone hearings

An affordable rental housing project on Cortes Island is in peril after a trio of rural directors voted to postpone public hearings in their regions until September .
Strathcona Regional District ’ s rural directors Jim Abram , Brenda Leigh and Gerald Whalley voted to defer the rezoning hearing for Rainbow Ridge , a 20-unit subsidized rental home project for families , singles and seniors , at the May 27 board meeting .
They did so despite staff recommendations to proceed , dismay expressed by fellow directors , and with the knowledge the delay might jeopardize the project ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cortes Island ’ s regional director , who opposed the decision by her three electoral area colleagues , said it undermined a huge community effort and put the multi-million dollar project at risk .
SRD board chair Michele Babchuk also expressed concern around the move , noting however , that only the four electoral area directors could vote on the matter .
• I wonder who will march with Indigenous Peoples ?
• Black Lives Matter Movement Canada-founder Sandy Hudson on 'the perhaps wild notion that you haven ’ t considered before' • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s stage two reopen — for now “ I , too , am going to just exercise my right to say how disappointed I am with this ( decision ) , ” Babchuk said .
“ I think we have done our constituents over on Cortes Island a disservice.
” SRD staff recommended that a hybrid online and in-person hearing for the Cortes Island Seniors Society ( CISS ) housing project take place June 25 , after an April 30 hearing was deferred due to COVID-19 .
The public portion of the meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , would allow residents who could not attend online the opportunity to participate in the hearing .
Additionally , residents could make written submissions to the SRD on the project .
The CISS , which has built other subsidized housing projects on Cortes , needs rezoning in place to ensure a strong application for BC Housing , which issued a call for submissions starting May 27 , and is expected to start allocating funding as early as the fall , Anderson said .
The sooner the CISS can obtain rezoning and apply to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they will get funding , she said .
The project is designed to address a critical shortfall of permanent , affordable rental housing on the island .
“ We can ’ t just put the democratic process on hold when there is a safe and absolutely useful way to conduct business , including public hearings , '' SRD director Claire Moglove , after rural directors defer a housing project 's urgent rezoning meeting .
To date , the Cortes community has fundraised $ 1.5 million to support and purchase land for the Rainbow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if CISS qualifies for the Community Housing Fund , it could mean the award of a $ 2 million grant and an additional annual operating subsidy for the affordable rental homes , Anderson said .
However , director Leigh , representing Oyster Bay-Buttle Lake , said she could not support an in-person meeting with the risks COVID-19 posed to seniors .
“ I am not prepared to risk my life to go to an in-person hearing , ” she said .
“ I think in-person hearings are ideal .
They are the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Anderson offered to be the sole SRD director physically present at the meeting at Mansons Hall , saying the other rural directors could join the meeting remotely .
“ I am under the assumption… that my three rural colleagues could do this from the safety and comfort of their home , and we would indeed encourage anybody and everybody who possibly could , to join us that way.
” The hybrid public hearing option actually offered people more opportunities to participate in the process than a traditional public meeting did , Anderson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leitch said that there was no obligation for all the directors to attend the public hearing “ There is no requirement for all electoral area directors to attend ( public hearings ) … it has been the will of EAs to attend , but there is no requirement to be there , ” he said .
It was also possible to hold the meeting completely online without the public component , Leitch said , adding many other local governments were already holding public meetings virtually .
Director Claire Moglove , of Campbell River @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shift to hold public hearings electronically .
“ I think it ’ s important that the business of government continue if it can be done safely , ” she said .
After Abram , Leigh and Whalley voted down the hearing scheduled for June , Abram , director for Quadra Island , put forth the motion deferring all public hearings until Sept. 7 .
While discussion had focused on COVID-19 , the main issue was of democratic process and the need for holding public hearings in person , he said .
“ Especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Abram added .
Abram also suggested the deferral would allow for summer vacation .
“ This will give everybody and our staff time to go their summer holidays … and then set up a public hearing , ” Abram said .
“ And we ’ ll have proper public hearings , whether they are deemed at that time by government to be a mixture , or strictly in person , or whatever , that can be determined then . ''
Director Whalley , representing Kyuquot/Nootka-Sayward , seconded and supported Abram ’ s motion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided no comment as to why he supported the deferral of the electoral areas public hearings until the fall .
“ We can ’ t just put the democratic process on hold when there is a safe and absolutely useful way to conduct business , including public hearings – but I don ’ t get a vote .
So there you go , ” she said .
In addition to the Cortes housing project , two Quadra Island rezoning hearings for the new BC Ferries berth and land for new a fire hall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Sept. 7 .
Anderson said the three other electoral directors had apparently discussed and agreed to put forth motion prior to the meeting and without involving her .
“ I ’ m really disappointed that my three rural colleagues had knowledge of ( the motion ) , ” she said .
“ I think we have just done a huge disservice to a huge community effort , ” Anderson added .
“ We really need to be able to carry on with the business of the board in a way that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the province .
”

An affordable rental housing project on Cortes Island is in peril after a trio of rural directors voted to postpone public hearings in their regions until September. Strathcona Regional District’s rural directors Jim Abram, Brenda Leigh and Gerald Whalley voted to defer the rezoning hearing for Rainbow Ridge, a 20-unit subsidized rental home project for families, singles and seniors, at the May 27 board meeting. They did so despite staff recommendations to proceed, dismay expressed by fellow directors, and with the knowledge the delay might jeopardize the project’s key funding opportunity. Noba Anderson, Cortes Island’s regional director, who opposed the decision by her three electoral area colleagues, said it undermined a huge community effort and put the multi-million dollar project at risk. SRD board chair Michele Babchuk also expressed concern around the move, noting however, that only the four electoral area directors could vote on the matter.
“I, too, am going to just exercise my right to say how disappointed I am with this (decision),” Babchuk said. “I think we have done our constituents over on Cortes Island a disservice.” SRD staff recommended that a hybrid online and in-person hearing for the Cortes Island Seniors Society (CISS) housing project take place June 25, after an April 30 hearing was deferred due to COVID-19. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The public portion of the meeting, with physical distancing protocols in place, would allow residents who could not attend online the opportunity to participate in the hearing. Additionally, residents could make written submissions to the SRD on the project.
The CISS, which has built other subsidized housing projects on Cortes, needs rezoning in place to ensure a strong application for BC Housing, which issued a call for submissions starting May 27, and is expected to start allocating funding as early as the fall, Anderson said. “We can’t just put the democratic process on hold when there is a safe and absolutely useful way to conduct business, including public hearings," SRD director Claire Moglove, after rural directors defer a housing project's urgent rezoning meeting. The sooner the CISS can obtain rezoning and apply to BC Housing, the greater the likelihood they will get funding, she said. The project is designed to address a critical shortfall of permanent, affordable rental housing on the island. To date, the Cortes community has fundraised $1.5 million to support and purchase land for the Rainbow Ridge project, Andersen added. And if CISS qualifies for the Community Housing Fund, it could mean the award of a $2 million grant and an additional annual operating subsidy for the affordable rental homes, Anderson said. However, director Leigh, representing Oyster Bay-Buttle Lake, said she could not support an in-person meeting with the risks COVID-19 posed to seniors.
“I am not prepared to risk my life to go to an in-person hearing,” she said. “I think in-person hearings are ideal. They are the most democratic way of conducting our government business.” Anderson offered to be the sole SRD director physically present at the meeting at Mansons Hall, saying the other rural directors could join the meeting remotely.


nationalobserver--2020-06-10--Rounding up glyphosate: Is there a danger to human health?

“ When you ’ re using millilitres per acre , for me , I ’ m not concerned , ” he said on his farm in late September .
While dairy farmer Jeff Hamilton has glyphosate ( pronounced gli-fa-sate ) sprayed on his crops every spring , he ’ s made peace with the herbicide prevalent in farming across Canada .
“ We don ’ t have much choice , ” he said .
“ How do you control your weeds if you do n't have these chemicals ?
” Still , Hamilton keeps his distance from the substance .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ t sprayed near the well where he draws water for his farm and home .
Hamilton has heard about the dangers of handling the herbicide , but said it ’ s a necessary evil as long as there ’ s no viable alternative for the farming industry .
He believes it is safe to use , as long as farmers follow the guidelines .
It has been applied on his crops for 30 to 40 years , he said .
On his 250-acre farm , he also grows hay , corn , barley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technology has changed since his grandfather ran the business , weeds are still an issue .
He said he could lose up to 50 per cent of a given yield if the weeds are left unchecked .
His family has lived on the same plot of land , east of Ottawa , for nearly 100 years .
His father and grandfather were dairy farmers .
His son was expected to join the business .
In August 2018 , a California judge ordered Monsanto to pay $ 289 million US in damages after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancer was linked to Roundup .
Another judge later reduced that amount to $ 78 million .
The verdict is being appealed by Bayer in the California Court of Appeal .
According to the most recent sales data from the federal government , more than 50 million kilograms of glyphosate were sold in Canada in 2017 .
Glyphosate was also the most common active ingredient in all pesticides sold that year .
The sales data also noted an upward trend in the overall quantity of pesticides sold in the country .
Part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are treated to resist the substance so that when the herbicide is applied , all that ’ s left standing are the crops grown from those treated seeds .
Roundup — which Germany is reportedly set to ban in 2023 — is the brand-name product marketed by Monsanto , owned by the German chemical and pharmaceutical company Bayer , as safe for human use and a less labour-intensive way of dealing with weeds .
Roundup went on the market in the 1970s and was registered for use in Canada in 1976 .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Roundup , a weed killer that contains glyphosate .
Monsanto ’ s glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup can be found on the shelves of hardware stores .
Photo by Qais Azimy ndividual lawsuits against Monsanto and Bayer have been launched in B.C .
and Quebec , with class-action suits being filed , but not necessarily certified , in Saskatchewan , Ontario , Alberta , B.C .
and Manitoba .
Three of those proposed class action lawsuits in Ontario , Alberta and British Columbia , were filed by a national personal injury law firm Diamond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including Bayer .
In total , those three lawsuits seek more than $ 500 million in damages for more than 60 plaintiffs .
In 2015 , the International Agency for Research on Cancer ( IARC ) — an intergovernmental agency part of the World Health Organization — labelled the chemical as “ probably carcinogenic to humans.
” I Two other court cases in the United States have ruled that Roundup led to cancers in plaintiffs , who were both given multimillion-dollar awards .
Bayer is also appealing those decisions .
In addition to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are also questions about water .
Bruce Dewar , who runs a supply store that sells glyphosate for poison ivy , doesn ’ t think that runoff is an issue because its use , per acre , is so small .
The risk with glyphosate , he said , comes from trace amounts in the food we eat .
He , like the Ottawa-area dairy farmer Jeff Hamilton , agrees that glyphosate should be sprayed early in the farming season to minimize the risk of exposure .
According to research from the Université @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cent of the surface water samples collected from the tributaries of the St. Lawrence River , including the Ottawa River , were positive for at least one of the chemicals scientists targeted — one of which was glyphosate .
The researchers looked at surface water samples collected along the river between Montreal and Ottawa .
When they tested those samples , they found glyphosate in 84 per cent of the water they tested .
Still , the researchers didn ’ t look at how much of that surface water might be used for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with what I 've seen , in terms of ( glyphosate in drinking water ) , that this is in an area of concern , ” said Sébastien Sauvé , an environmental chemistry professor at the school .
He was supervising the work of Juan Manuel Montiel-León , a recent PhD graduate .
Still , Sauvé said concentrations of any substance are typically lower in drinking water than in unprocessed surface water , even if the drinking water is drawn from the same area , and the levels the two scientists detected in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Close to Montreal , it was between about two and 200 ( nanograms per litre ) .
And in rivers , from intensive agriculture area up to 3,000 nanograms per litre.
” But Sauvé , noting the two areas tested are downstream from where crops are grown , said it ’ s still uncertain what safe levels of glyphosate are for drinking water .
The real question people should be asking , he said , is how safe are farmers who have long-term exposure ?
He believes this substance is also creating a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead to serious problems .
“ You 're stuck in a system where you need to buy the seeds from the supplier who is also happy to supply the pesticide , ” Sauvé said .
“ And those seeds are usually not fertile , so that you will not be able to reuse those seeds.
” He calls this a “ vicious cycle , ” where farmers become dependent on suppliers .
At least one City of Ottawa worker isn ’ t concerned about glyphosate in drinking water .
“ Glyphosate , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Ian Douglas , a chemical engineer working in the city ’ s water treatment plants .
“ We ’ ve never detected it in the river or our drinking water.
” Glyphosate is primarily applied to crops in the springtime , but when these water facilities send off samples for testing as the weather gets warmer , they find no trace of the substance .
The rivers are also higher in the spring , with more water flowing to dilute glyphosate , even if it were to be found in higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of observed that chemicals like glyphosate can have higher concentrations during different seasons , with peaks being observed in spring and fall .
Video of Professor at Université de Montréal says herbicide levels in surface water vary depending on season Sébastien Sauvé , an environmental chemistry professor at the school , says concentrations of the herbicide in water varies according to the time of year .
Health Canada has set the acceptable level of glyphosate at .28 milligrams per litre , Douglas said .
Still , if glyphosate is found in Ottawa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not currently capable of removing it , the city engineer said .
‘ It ’ s more of an environmental issue ’ “ In terms of being a problem here , there 's a lot of opposition to how widespread it is used , ” said Kathleen Cooper , senior researcher at the Canadian Environmental Law Association , “ particularly among people who are opposed to genetically modified crops.
” Cooper said the science is still out on what the long-term effects of glyphosate are on both seeds and people .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavily used ” and infused in both Ontario ’ s agriculture and forestry sectors .
Still , she said the chemical seems like the only solution to handle certain problems , like phragmites , an aggressive reed that is highly invasive in Ontario wetlands and chokes out other plants for water and nutrients .
The reed often grows near wetlands or beaches where glyphosate should only be applied carefully .
While glyphosates can be sprayed directly on the plant , it ’ s recommended to be diluted to five per cent or less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cooper said some weeds are developing resistance to glyphosate , which might suggest the farming industry will need a new approach to handle certain weeds or have to rely on older , more toxic , solutions .
Dewar said that glyphosate needs to be mixed with other chemicals to remain an effective weed killer .
Canada fleabane , for example , has been shown to have developed glyphosate-resistant populations in nine U.S. states and is also present in Ontario .
“ Mother Nature is amazing in the way it can adapt , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use is also leading to monocultures , only growing one single crop or plant in a field , which could leave crops vulnerable if disease begins working its way through a specific crop species in which there is little genetic diversity .
If glyphosate is part of runoff , it ’ s unlikely to affect people ’ s drinking water , Cooper said .
“ It ’ s more of an environmental issue , ” she said .
“ It ( glyphosate ) breaks down quickly .
It 's just used in such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Such selective breeding could alter the food we eat in unforeseen ways , she said .
With phosphorus being one of its core components , it will instead lead to harmful algae blooms , which sucks up the oxygen from a body of water , and could indirectly affect ecosystems by leaving fish and plant-life oxygen-starved .
This is particularly troubling , as phragmites — the reed the herbicide is particularly suited to kill — grows in wetlands .
The regulation and oversight of agricultural chemicals such as glyphosate is split between two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to how glyphosate is regulated , the provincial government decides when and where the chemical can be used .
The federal government decides whether you can use it at all .
A re-evaluation of glyphosate is required every 15 years .
Following a 2015 re-evaluation by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency , a federal government agency under Health Canada that regulates pest control products , it approved the substance ’ s continued use in 2017 .
“ The World Health Organization 's International Agency for Research on Cancer recently assigned a hazard classification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humans.
’ It is important to note that a hazard classification is not a health risk assessment , ” the agency ’ s summary of its 2015 assessment reads .
What these risk assessments do is take hazard assessment information , like the one completed by IARC , and multiply it by a risk of exposure , Cooper said .
“ The level of human exposure , which determines the actual risk , was not taken into account by ( IARC ) , ” the agency stated in 2015 .
“ Pesticides are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the level of exposure to Canadians does not cause any harmful effects , including cancer.
” In 2019 , Health Canada released another statement in reaction to growing public concern about glyphosate use .
“ No pesticide regulatory authority in the world currently considers glyphosate to be a cancer risk to humans at the levels at which humans are currently exposed , ” its statement reads .
Chemistry professor Sébastien Sauvé is concerned regulatory bodies are offering contradictory information on glyphosate , which he believes means someone has to be wrong .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good example that they can not all be trusted , ” he said .
Still , despite the ongoing debate over its use , dairy farmer Jeff Hamilton doesn ’ t see a change coming any time soon for agriculture .
While he ’ s heard of farmers using steam , dry ice and even robots to eliminate weeds , none of these seem to be game-hangers , in terms of effectiveness or being market-ready , compared to Roundup .
“ There 's all kinds of ideas out there , but it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ and you have to be able to cover a lot of acres quickly.
” While he used to apply the chemical himself , he ’ s let his licence lapse .
Now he pays an agronomist to determine the mix needed for his crops and hires a company to come in and apply it evenly .
Although the chemical is necessary for the industry ’ s health right now , Hamilton said farmers have to be flexible .
“ Put the money into research to replace it , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then it will be adopted like that .
”

Georgia Andromidas, Qais Azimy, John Gallardo, Joseph Tunney

On his 250-acre farm, he also grows hay, corn, barley, wheat and soybeans. While farming technology has changed since his grandfather ran the business, weeds are still an issue. He said he could lose up to 50 per cent of a given yield if the weeds are left unchecked.
His family has lived on the same plot of land, east of Ottawa, for nearly 100 years. His father and grandfather were dairy farmers. His son was expected to join the business.
“When you’re using millilitres per acre, for me, I’m not concerned,” he said on his farm in late September.
While dairy farmer Jeff Hamilton has glyphosate ( pronounced gli-fa-sate ) sprayed on his crops every spring, he’s made peace with the herbicide prevalent in farming across Canada.
“We don’t have much choice,” he said. “How do you control your weeds if you don't have these chemicals?”
Still, Hamilton keeps his distance from the substance. He makes sure the chemical isn’t sprayed near the well where he draws water for his farm and home.
Hamilton has heard about the dangers of handling the herbicide, but said it’s a necessary evil as long as there’s no viable alternative for the farming industry. He believes it is safe to use, as long as farmers follow the guidelines. It has been applied on his crops for 30 to 40 years, he said.
But scientists are researching the effects of chemicals in Roundup , a weed killer that contains glyphosate.
Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup can be found on the shelves of hardware stores. Photo by Qais Azimy
Part of glyphosate’s success is that seeds are treated to resist the substance so that when the herbicide is applied, all that’s left standing are the crops grown from those treated seeds.
Roundup — which Germany is reportedly set to ban in 2023 — is the brand-name product marketed by Monsanto, owned by the German chemical and pharmaceutical company Bayer, as safe for human use and a less labour-intensive way of dealing with weeds. Roundup went on the market in the 1970s and was registered for use in Canada in 1976.
According to the most recent sales data from the federal government, more than 50 million kilograms of glyphosate were sold in Canada in 2017. Glyphosate was also the most common active ingredient in all pesticides sold that year. The sales data also noted an upward trend in the overall quantity of pesticides sold in the country.
In August 2018, a California judge ordered Monsanto to pay $289 million US in damages after a jury found a school groundkeeper’s cancer was linked to Roundup. Another judge later reduced that amount to $78 million. The verdict is being appealed by Bayer in the California Court of Appeal.
Two other court cases in the United States have ruled that Roundup led to cancers in plaintiffs, who were both given multimillion-dollar awards. Bayer is also appealing those decisions.
In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) — an intergovernmental agency part of the World Health Organization — labelled the chemical as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
I
ndividual lawsuits against Monsanto and Bayer have been launched in B.C. and Quebec, with class-action suits being filed, but not necessarily certified, in Saskatchewan, Ontario, Alberta, B.C. and Manitoba. Three of those proposed class action lawsuits in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, were filed by a national personal injury law firm Diamond & Diamond against producers of glyphosate, including Bayer. In total, those three lawsuits seek more than $500 million in damages for more than 60 plaintiffs.
In addition to questions raised by the lawsuits, there are also questions about water.
Bruce Dewar, who runs a supply store that sells glyphosate for poison ivy, doesn’t think that runoff is an issue because its use, per acre, is so small. The risk with glyphosate, he said, comes from trace amounts in the food we eat.
He, like the Ottawa-area dairy farmer Jeff Hamilton, agrees that glyphosate should be sprayed early in the farming season to minimize the risk of exposure.
Found in surface water
The Rideau River near Carleton University in Ottawa. The river is home to 10 species of fish, according to the Rideau Canal website. Photo by John Gallardo
According to research from the Université de Montréal in 2019, 99 per cent of the surface water samples collected from the tributaries of the St. Lawrence River, including the Ottawa River, were positive for at least one of the chemicals scientists targeted — one of which was glyphosate.
The researchers looked at surface water samples collected along the river between Montreal and Ottawa. When they tested those samples, they found glyphosate in 84 per cent of the water they tested.
Still, the researchers didn’t look at how much of that surface water might be used for drinking.
“I don't think with what I've seen, in terms of (glyphosate in drinking water), that this is in an area of concern,” said Sébastien Sauvé, an environmental chemistry professor at the school. He was supervising the work of Juan Manuel Montiel-León, a recent PhD graduate.
Sébastien Sauvé pictured with then post-grad student Juan Manuel Montiel-León. The two were part of a study on glyphosate runoff in 2019. Photo by John Gallardo
Still, Sauvé said concentrations of any substance are typically lower in drinking water than in unprocessed surface water, even if the drinking water is drawn from the same area, and the levels the two scientists detected in surface water were fairly low.
“Close to Montreal, it was between about two and 200 (nanograms per litre). And in rivers, from intensive agriculture area up to 3,000 nanograms per litre.”
But Sauvé, noting the two areas tested are downstream from where crops are grown, said it’s still uncertain what safe levels of glyphosate are for drinking water.
The real question people should be asking, he said, is how safe are farmers who have long-term exposure?
He believes this substance is also creating a dependency within the farming industry that could lead to serious problems.
“You're stuck in a system where you need to buy the seeds from the supplier who is also happy to supply the pesticide,” Sauvé said. “And those seeds are usually not fertile, so that you will not be able to reuse those seeds.”
He calls this a “vicious cycle,” where farmers become dependent on suppliers.
‘We’ve never detected it’
At least one City of Ottawa worker isn’t concerned about glyphosate in drinking water.
“Glyphosate, we’ve tested for 25 years,” said Ian Douglas, a chemical engineer working in the city’s water treatment plants. “We’ve never detected it in the river or our drinking water.”
Glyphosate is primarily applied to crops in the springtime, but when these water facilities send off samples for testing as the weather gets warmer, they find no trace of the substance.
The rivers are also higher in the spring, with more water flowing to dilute glyphosate, even if it were to be found in higher concentrations.
But another study Sauvé was part of observed that chemicals like glyphosate can have higher concentrations during different seasons, with peaks being observed in spring and fall.
Video of Professor at Université de Montréal says herbicide levels in surface water vary depending on season
Sébastien Sauvé, an environmental chemistry professor at the school, says concentrations of the herbicide in water varies according to the time of year.
Health Canada has set the acceptable level of glyphosate at .28 milligrams per litre, Douglas said.
Still, if glyphosate is found in Ottawa’s water, the treatment centres are not currently capable of removing it, the city engineer said.
‘It’s more of an environmental issue’
“In terms of being a problem here, there's a lot of opposition to how widespread it is used,” said Kathleen Cooper, senior researcher at the Canadian Environmental Law Association, “particularly among people who are opposed to genetically modified crops.”
Cooper said the science is still out on what the long-term effects of glyphosate are on both seeds and people.
She said the chemical is “heavily, heavily used” and infused in both Ontario’s agriculture and forestry sectors.
Still, she said the chemical seems like the only solution to handle certain problems, like phragmites, an aggressive reed that is highly invasive in Ontario wetlands and chokes out other plants for water and nutrients.
The reed often grows near wetlands or beaches where glyphosate should only be applied carefully. While glyphosates can be sprayed directly on the plant, it’s recommended to be diluted to five per cent or less of the mixture.
As well, Cooper said some weeds are developing resistance to glyphosate, which might suggest the farming industry will need a new approach to handle certain weeds or have to rely on older, more toxic, solutions.
Dewar said that glyphosate needs to be mixed with other chemicals to remain an effective weed killer. Canada fleabane, for example, has been shown to have developed glyphosate-resistant populations in nine U.S. states and is also present in Ontario.
“Mother Nature is amazing in the way it can adapt,” he said.
Glyphosate’s continued use is also leading to monocultures, only growing one single crop or plant in a field, which could leave crops vulnerable if disease begins working its way through a specific crop species in which there is little genetic diversity.
If glyphosate is part of runoff, it’s unlikely to affect people’s drinking water, Cooper said.
“It’s more of an environmental issue,” she said.
“It (glyphosate) breaks down quickly. It's just used in such high volume,” she said.
Such selective breeding could alter the food we eat in unforeseen ways, she said.
With phosphorus being one of its core components, it will instead lead to harmful algae blooms, which sucks up the oxygen from a body of water, and could indirectly affect ecosystems by leaving fish and plant-life oxygen-starved.
This is particularly troubling, as phragmites — the reed the herbicide is particularly suited to kill — grows in wetlands.
Classification of glyphosate
The regulation and oversight of agricultural chemicals such as glyphosate is split between two levels of government.
When it comes to how glyphosate is regulated, the provincial government decides when and where the chemical can be used. The federal government decides whether you can use it at all.
A re-evaluation of glyphosate is required every 15 years.
Following a 2015 re-evaluation by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, a federal government agency under Health Canada that regulates pest control products, it approved the substance’s continued use in 2017.
“The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer recently assigned a hazard classification for glyphosate as ‘probably carcinogenic to humans.’ It is important to note that a hazard classification is not a health risk assessment,” the agency’s summary of its 2015 assessment reads.
What these risk assessments do is take hazard assessment information, like the one completed by IARC, and multiply it by a risk of exposure, Cooper said.
“The level of human exposure, which determines the actual risk, was not taken into account by (IARC),” the agency stated in 2015. “Pesticides are registered for use in Canada only if the level of exposure to Canadians does not cause any harmful effects, including cancer.”
In 2019, Health Canada released another statement in reaction to growing public concern about glyphosate use.
“No pesticide regulatory authority in the world currently considers glyphosate to be a cancer risk to humans at the levels at which humans are currently exposed,” its statement reads.
However, some independent scientists disagree.
Chemistry professor Sébastien Sauvé is concerned regulatory bodies are offering contradictory information on glyphosate, which he believes means someone has to be wrong.
“(It’s) a very good example that they cannot all be trusted,” he said.
No change coming
Still, despite the ongoing debate over its use, dairy farmer Jeff Hamilton doesn’t see a change coming any time soon for agriculture. While he’s heard of farmers using steam, dry ice and even robots to eliminate weeds, none of these seem to be game-hangers, in terms of effectiveness or being market-ready, compared to Roundup.
“There's all kinds of ideas out there, but it has to be economical,” he said, “and you have to be able to cover a lot of acres quickly.”
While he used to apply the chemical himself, he’s let his licence lapse. Now he pays an agronomist to determine the mix needed for his crops and hires a company to come in and apply it evenly.
Although the chemical is necessary for the industry’s health right now, Hamilton said farmers have to be flexible.
“Put the money into research to replace it,” he said, snapping his finger, “and then it will be adopted like that.”
This story is part of a year-long investigation into tainted water across Canada involving journalism students at Carleton University and reporters and editors at the National Observer, coordinated by the Institute for Investigative Journalism.


nationalobserver--2020-06-10--Canada undermining its own climate goals by supporting pipeline projects: Report

International Trade Minister Mary Ng says she expects transparency and accountability from a key federal Crown corporation , after a new report concluded Canada is undermining its own climate goals by allowing the agency to support fossil fuel projects such as the Coastal GasLink pipeline .
Export Development Canada ( EDC ) signed an agreement in April to loan potentially hundreds of millions of dollars to help Coastal GasLink , the controversial pipeline from the Dawson Creek area to Kitimat B.C .
that was the subject of protests and rail blockades earlier this year after RCMP raided Wet ’ suwet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the loan was reviewed in line with its “ environmental and social ” directive .
In a report released Tuesday , sustainable development consulting firm Horizon Advisors recommended that the government legally bar EDC from supporting any fossil fuel energy projects , “ including new fossil fuel infrastructure ” such as pipelines , and that the agency should “ stress-test its investment decisions against Canada ’ s climate targets.
” These and other bold measures are the only realistic way to eliminate the “ clear discrepancy ” between EDC ’ s continued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate goals of cutting carbon pollution 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 and reaching “ net-zero ” pollution by 2050 , say the report ’ s authors .
“ Our analysis found that EDC 's approach to investment is out of sync with Canada 's climate policy , ” said Horizon Advisors executive director Amin Asadollahi , a former senior policy advisor at Natural Resources Canada and former co-chair of the Green Budget Coalition .
• I wonder who will march with Indigenous Peoples ?
• Black Lives Matter Movement Canada-founder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you haven ’ t considered before' • Golden Horseshoe not included in Ontario ’ s stage two reopen — for now “ Although Canada has committed to decarbonizing its economy over the next 30 years , EDC on the other hand continues to invest in fossil fuel projects .
These investments not only undermine Canada 's international climate efforts but also increase EDC ’ s exposure to carbon risks.
” Horizon Advisors calculated that EDC has provided roughly $ 45 billion in support for the oil and gas sector since 2016 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technology .
International Trade Minister Mary Ng speaks at an EDC panel in May 2019 .
Mary Ng Facebook Photo The Trudeau government should amend the Export Development Act to prohibit EDC from supporting fossil fuel projects , the report recommends .
In March , in response to the COVID-19 pandemic , the government did move to amend the Act , but its changes broaden , not restrict , the agency ’ s mandate .
EDC also said it has increased its financial capacity to support oil and gas companies .
Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from @ ExportDevCanada after a new report concluded Canada is undermining its own climate goals by allowing the agency to support fossil fuel projects like the Coastal GasLink pipeline The agency is governed by a board of directors appointed by the government who report to Parliament through Ng .
The minister also provides guidance to EDC ’ s chair about her expectations of what to prioritize .
National Observer asked Ng ’ s office whether she felt that such an amendment to the Export Development Act barring fossil fuel support was prudent or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she supported EDC ’ s Coastal GasLink loan .
“ We expect EDC to be fully transparent and accountable for their transactions , ” said Ng ’ s press secretary Ryan Nearing in response to questions .
He also noted that the agency is “ financially self-sustaining ” and “ operates at arm ’ s length from the government.
” EDC must “ meet the evolving needs of Canada ’ s exporters ” and uphold the “ values that Canadians expect , ” Nearing added , “ which includes corporate social responsibility , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peoples.
” In responding to this story , EDC said it has a “ large and diverse portfolio ” including companies in both carbon-intensive and clean technology sectors , and that “ businesses throughout the spectrum are important to the Canadian economy.
” It already considers itself the “ largest financier ” in the clean tech sector , facilitating about $ 9 billion in Canadian clean tech exports over the last eight years .
In a project review summary posted on its website , EDC said it reviewed due diligence reports , project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ determined that the project has been designed in compliance with applicable host country environmental and social requirements , '' and with the Equator Principles , an industry benchmark .
Horizon Advisors said the Equator Principles framework was “ not the most ambitious or comprehensive standards ” available to EDC , and instead recommended standards from the World Bank Group ’ s International Finance Corporation as being the highest in the field .
That such a project meets EDC ’ s environmental and social standards “ demonstrates just how lax they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer for accountability nonprofit Above Ground , which commissioned the Horizon Advisors report alongside Oil Change International .
( Horizon Advisors says its report is its own “ independent perspective ” based on its analysis , literature review and interviews . )
Hamilton pointed to provincial records showing the company behind the pipeline had violated conditions set by the B.C .
government more than 50 times , as well as the opposition posed by some Wet ’ suwet ’ en leaders .
“ Export Development Canada says it has strong procedures in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is ‘ environmentally and socially responsible.
’ However , this project was sited on the ancestral territory of the Wet ’ suwet ’ en Nation without the consent of its hereditary chiefs .
Those leaders argue that pipeline construction infringes their constitutionally protected rights , ” Hamilton said .
Last month , hereditary chiefs said they would sign an agreement with federal and provincial governments affirming their title and rights .
The memo was seen as addressing the nation ’ s right to its traditional territory that would provide the outline for a @ @ @ @ @ @

International Trade Minister Mary Ng says she expects transparency and accountability from a key federal Crown corporation, after a new report concluded Canada is undermining its own climate goals by allowing the agency to support fossil fuel projects such as the Coastal GasLink pipeline. Export Development Canada (EDC) signed an agreement in April to loan potentially hundreds of millions of dollars to help Coastal GasLink, the controversial pipeline from the Dawson Creek area to Kitimat B.C. that was the subject of protests and rail blockades earlier this year after RCMP raided Wet’suwet’en Nation territory. EDC has said the loan was reviewed in line with its “environmental and social” directive. In a report released Tuesday, sustainable development consulting firm Horizon Advisors recommended that the government legally bar EDC from supporting any fossil fuel energy projects, “including new fossil fuel infrastructure” such as pipelines, and that the agency should “stress-test its investment decisions against Canada’s climate targets.” These and other bold measures are the only realistic way to eliminate the “clear discrepancy” between EDC’s continued approach to investments and Canada’s climate goals of cutting carbon pollution 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 and reaching “net-zero” pollution by 2050, say the report’s authors. “Our analysis found that EDC's approach to investment is out of sync with Canada's climate policy,” said Horizon Advisors executive director Amin Asadollahi, a former senior policy advisor at Natural Resources Canada and former co-chair of the Green Budget Coalition.
“Although Canada has committed to decarbonizing its economy over the next 30 years, EDC on the other hand continues to invest in fossil fuel projects. These investments not only undermine Canada's international climate efforts but also increase EDC’s exposure to carbon risks.” Horizon Advisors calculated that EDC has provided roughly $45 billion in support for the oil and gas sector since 2016, compared to $7 billion for clean technology. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions International Trade Minister Mary Ng speaks at an EDC panel in May 2019. Mary Ng Facebook Photo
EDC must uphold ‘values that Canadians expect’ The Trudeau government should amend the Export Development Act to prohibit EDC from supporting fossil fuel projects, the report recommends. Minister @mary_ng says she expects transparency and accountability from @ExportDevCanada after a new report concluded Canada is undermining its own climate goals by allowing the agency to support fossil fuel projects like the Coastal GasLink pipeline In March, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government did move to amend the Act, but its changes broaden, not restrict, the agency’s mandate. EDC also said it has increased its financial capacity to support oil and gas companies. The agency is governed by a board of directors appointed by the government who report to Parliament through Ng. The minister also provides guidance to EDC’s chair about her expectations of what to prioritize. National Observer asked Ng’s office whether she felt that such an amendment to the Export Development Act barring fossil fuel support was prudent or feasible at this time, and whether she supported EDC’s Coastal GasLink loan.
“We expect EDC to be fully transparent and accountable for their transactions,” said Ng’s press secretary Ryan Nearing in response to questions. He also noted that the agency is “financially self-sustaining” and “operates at arm’s length from the government.” EDC must “meet the evolving needs of Canada’s exporters” and uphold the “values that Canadians expect,” Nearing added, “which includes corporate social responsibility, environmental sustainability, and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.” In responding to this story, EDC said it has a “large and diverse portfolio” including companies in both carbon-intensive and clean technology sectors, and that “businesses throughout the spectrum are important to the Canadian economy.”


nationalobserver--2020-06-10--Greens call CERB fraud bill ‘wrong-headed’ as it fails to get support

Greens and NDP MPs raised a series of concerns Wednesday about the effectiveness and scope of a Trudeau government bill that would fine or jail people who make fraudulent coronavirus benefits claims , and also enact new aid for Canadians with disabilities .
The government had hoped to debate the bill Wednesday .
Government House leader Pablo Rodriguez said at a morning press conference he was “ calling on the other parties to set politics aside.
” But throughout the day , all four opposition parties raised concerns with the bill ’ s contents , or the government ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this spring .
Without unanimous consent to allow the bill to be debated , it remained stuck at first reading on Wednesday , while the House of Commons adjourned until June 17 .
During Wednesday ’ s sitting , Green Party parliamentary Leader Elizabeth May said the bill , which was circulated to opposition members in draft form four days ago but had not been released publicly , was “ unacceptable ” and contained “ flawed ” measures .
• I wonder who will march with Indigenous Peoples ?
• Black Lives Matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wild notion that you haven ’ t considered before' • Golden Horseshoe not included in Ontario ’ s stage two reopen — for now “ This is a wrong-headed approach to go after people and threaten them , ” she said about the measures to crack down on fraudulent claims for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit ( CERB ) .
“ It attempts to punish people instead of encouraging them.
” Green MP Paul Manly noted how it would provide a one-time payment of $ 600 to disability tax credit recipients .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) disability in my riding are surviving on income that is below the poverty line , ” he said .
“ Many will not receive the one-time $ 600 payment because they do not receive the disability tax credit .
This excludes many people who are struggling even before the COVID-19 pandemic.
” May and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh both said the disability benefit package would only reach about 40 per cent of Canadians living with disabilities .
May said this was due to the structure of the bill , which used the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
During the sitting , Singh challenged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to propose a plan to cover the rest .
“ The NDP seems to have decided that rather than help 40 per cent , or a significant proportion of people with disabilities , he wants to help none of them , because he ’ s not going to allow this debate to move forward on this bill , ” Trudeau responded .
Greens and NDP raised a series of concerns Wednesday about the effectiveness of a federal government bill that would fine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits claims , and also enact new aid for Canadians with disabilities .
Singh also gave an example of an arts worker in Burnaby who he said had no forecast for his job to be reopened , and was dependent on CERB to continue .
“ We ’ re asking the prime minister to extend the CERB for families in need .
Will the prime minister do that ?
Yes or no ?
” he said .
“ We will continue to be there for Canadians in the right way .
We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with Canadians to ensure that we continue to support them the way they need to be , ” said Trudeau .
Singh said later that it appeared the government was not even willing to meet him halfway .
The draft version of the bill also proposed expanding the government ’ s emergency wage subsidy program to include seasonal workers .
The government said it was hoping to use the anti-fraud measures to go after people looking to abuse the system , not those who have made honest mistakes .
Employment Minister Carla @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also said the disability support payment would “ complement a whole suite of measures ” already in place , like benefits to students , children and GST payments .
“ We want to deal with intentional fraudsters , people who are criminally taking advantage of seniors , ” she said about the measures targeting CERB fraud .
Qualtrough added that “ members of this House have brought to my attention ” instances of fraud “ and said ‘ Please deal with these.
’ ” Rodriguez said the Liberals simply wanted to “ work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allow this legislation to be debated and voted on — just as we have done with the other bills throughout the spring.
” But Conservatives said they wanted the House of Commons to resume its full business duties instead of the format that has been used during the pandemic .
And the Bloc Québécois wanted the government to block political parties from taking advantage of the wage subsidy .
“ The government has refused to allow this House to do work as it usually would , ” said Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called on Trudeau to table a fiscal update , to understand where Canada was sitting after the rollout of hundreds of billions of dollars worth of emergency aid programs and other supports .
“ It ’ s a pandemic .
During a pandemic , you wear your mask over your mouth , not over your eyes , ” he said .
After failing to obtain unanimous consent on the bill , the Liberals tried to split it into two bills , one that would deal with implementing the CERB penalties , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that failed , too .
The Bloc then asked if the House could adjourn , but that didn ’ t work either .

Greens and NDP MPs raised a series of concerns Wednesday about the effectiveness and scope of a Trudeau government bill that would fine or jail people who make fraudulent coronavirus benefits claims, and also enact new aid for Canadians with disabilities. The government had hoped to debate the bill Wednesday. Government House leader Pablo Rodriguez said at a morning press conference he was “calling on the other parties to set politics aside.” But throughout the day, all four opposition parties raised concerns with the bill’s contents, or the government’s approach to dealing with Parliament and Canadians this spring. Without unanimous consent to allow the bill to be debated, it remained stuck at first reading on Wednesday, while the House of Commons adjourned until June 17. During Wednesday’s sitting, Green Party parliamentary Leader Elizabeth May said the bill, which was circulated to opposition members in draft form four days ago but had not been released publicly, was “unacceptable” and contained “flawed” measures.
“This is a wrong-headed approach to go after people and threaten them,” she said about the measures to crack down on fraudulent claims for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). “It attempts to punish people instead of encouraging them.” Green MP Paul Manly noted how it would provide a one-time payment of $600 to disability tax credit recipients. “People living on (Canada Pension Plan) disability in my riding are surviving on income that is below the poverty line,” he said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “Many will not receive the one-time $600 payment because they do not receive the disability tax credit. This excludes many people who are struggling even before the COVID-19 pandemic.”
May and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh both said the disability benefit package would only reach about 40 per cent of Canadians living with disabilities. May said this was due to the structure of the bill, which used the tax credit system to deliver the benefit. Greens and NDP raised a series of concerns Wednesday about the effectiveness of a federal government bill that would fine or jail people who make fraudulent coronavirus benefits claims, and also enact new aid for Canadians with disabilities. During the sitting, Singh challenged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to propose a plan to cover the rest. “The NDP seems to have decided that rather than help 40 per cent, or a significant proportion of people with disabilities, he wants to help none of them, because he’s not going to allow this debate to move forward on this bill,” Trudeau responded. Singh also gave an example of an arts worker in Burnaby who he said had no forecast for his job to be reopened, and was dependent on CERB to continue. “We’re asking the prime minister to extend the CERB for families in need. Will the prime minister do that? Yes or no?” he said. “We will continue to be there for Canadians in the right way. We are engaged with stakeholders, with opposition parties, with Canadians to ensure that we continue to support them the way they need to be,” said Trudeau.
Singh said later that it appeared the government was not even willing to meet him halfway. The draft version of the bill also proposed expanding the government’s emergency wage subsidy program to include seasonal workers. The government said it was hoping to use the anti-fraud measures to go after people looking to abuse the system, not those who have made honest mistakes.


nationalobserver--2020-06-10--Doug Ford to be tested for COVID-19 after minister came in contact with virus

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is getting tested for COVID-19 Wednesday after one of his cabinet ministers came in contact with someone who has the virus .
Education Minister Stephen Lecce — who spoke at the premier 's daily briefing for reporters at Queen 's Park Tuesday alongside Ford and Health Minister Christine Elliott — was tested for COVID-19 later that day .
Ford and Elliott first delayed , then abruptly cancelled their briefing Wednesday as it was due to begin .
`` Premier Ford and Minister Elliott will be getting tested today , '' said Ford 's office in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monitor for symptoms and take appropriate action as necessary . ''
Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities Ross Romano , who did the daily briefing instead , said he learned news of Lecce 's exposure to COVID-19 a `` matter of minutes before coming to the podium . ''
( Romano had been scheduled to appear at the conference alongside the premier and health minister . )
The premier 's office said in a statement that Ford and Elliott decided not to come to the press conference `` out of an abundance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public once Elliott and Ford 's test results are available .
• I wonder who will march with Indigenous Peoples ?
• Black Lives Matter Movement Canada-founder Sandy Hudson on 'the perhaps wild notion that you haven ’ t considered before' • Golden Horseshoe not included in Ontario ’ s stage two reopen — for now Lecce 's office said the education minister 's test had come back negative and he remained home in self-isolation .
A spokesperson for Lecce would not confirm when he had been exposed ( it can take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and be visible on test results ) .
`` ( Ford ) wants to make sure everyone on the premises here at Queen 's Park is safe , '' Romano said .
During Ford 's briefings , which have happened daily since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis , usually happen with a few other people in the room , albeit at a distance .
Ford typically stands two metres or more apart from other ministers .
There is also a cameraman who captures footage for journalists in the press gallery , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The premier 's office did not immediately respond to questions about whether other personnel at Queen 's Park would or should get tested .
Ford 's nephew , Toronto city councillor Michael Ford , tested postive for COVID-19 Tuesday .
The premier 's office said Michael Ford had not seen the premier in person for the last two weeks , and there was no risk to Doug Ford 's health .

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is getting tested for COVID-19 Wednesday after one of his cabinet ministers came in contact with someone who has the virus.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce — who spoke at the premier's daily briefing for reporters at Queen's Park Tuesday alongside Ford and Health Minister Christine Elliott — was tested for COVID-19 later that day. Ford and Elliott first delayed, then abruptly cancelled their briefing Wednesday as it was due to begin.
"Premier Ford and Minister Elliott will be getting tested today," said Ford's office in a statement. "Both will continue to monitor for symptoms and take appropriate action as necessary."
Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities Ross Romano, who did the daily briefing instead, said he learned news of Lecce's exposure to COVID-19 a "matter of minutes before coming to the podium." (Romano had been scheduled to appear at the conference alongside the premier and health minister.)
The premier's office said in a statement that Ford and Elliott decided not to come to the press conference "out of an abundance of caution," and it will update the public once Elliott and Ford's test results are available.


nationalobserver--2020-06-11--Journalism students at Ryerson demand program make room for Black courses

When the head of one of Canada ’ s top journalism schools responded to the death of George Floyd and the ensuing discussion on systemic racism it sparked by asking what the faculty could do better , a group of graduating students felt compelled to respond .
Create a course that teaches the country ’ s next crop of media professionals how to approach storytelling about Canada ’ s Black communities , they said , and give more recognition to Black students excelling in the Ryerson University journalism program .
“ We ’ re trying to reverse the system that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is systemic racism , ” said Breanna Xavier-Carter , who started a petition on Tuesday that has already exceeded its initial goal of 1,500 signatories .
“ We want to refresh the curriculum in our program specifically because we find it is a little bit outdated .
And as inclusive as Ryerson tries to be , it ’ s really not inclusive of its Black voices , perspectives , ideas , thoughts.
” Xavier-Carter and other students said the Ryerson program offers optional courses on how to cover Indigenous and LGBTQ communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Black issues , taught by Black faculty , could easily sit next to them .
• I wonder who will march with Indigenous Peoples ?
• Rounding up glyphosate : Is there a danger to human health ?
• Canada undermining its own climate goals by supporting pipeline projects : Report The chair of the program , Janice Neil , said she is closely studying the suggestions and would respond in due course .
Canadian newsrooms have struggled to keep up with the changing demographics of Canadian society , and the industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues often lacks depth or nuance .
“ A lot of biases and racism gets recycled over and over again through journalism and the media , and how Black bodies and Black experiences are positioned in that space , ” said Ann Lopez , an education professor at the University of Toronto ’ s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education .
“ That course ( if implemented ) will help disrupt some of those practices that have been happening for a very long time , ” she said .
When photographs emerged during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a younger Justin Trudeau in blackface and brownface , for example , much of the coverage focused on the political implications for the prime minister rather than the systemic racism it represented .
While Ryerson faculty did bring the issue up for discussion , Sara Kabakhanji said many students felt uncomfortable and opted out .
“ We ’ re trying to reverse the system that journalism has been built off of , which is systemic racism , ” says @ breanna_xcarter , a recent grad of @ RSJnow , on efforts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-Black bias in news media “ The problem with that is if they don ’ t feel comfortable sharing ( their opinion ) within a classroom of people who want to work in media , how are you going to feel comfortable covering it for a big publication or covering it for other people to read , ” she said .
The students said the program could also make smaller improvements , such as including instruction on how to provide appropriate lighting for television reporters with darker complexions , said fellow graduate Rosemary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive feedback from both faculty and students at other journalism schools and that it was clear there was an underlying desire to do better rather than to have sat dormant .
“ It definitely should have been done a long time ago , ” Xavier-Carter said .
“ But , unfortunately , it takes this sort of uprising and global climate in order for people to see just how important and serious and valuable this is .
”

When the head of one of Canada’s top journalism schools responded to the death of George Floyd and the ensuing discussion on systemic racism it sparked by asking what the faculty could do better, a group of graduating students felt compelled to respond. Create a course that teaches the country’s next crop of media professionals how to approach storytelling about Canada’s Black communities, they said, and give more recognition to Black students excelling in the Ryerson University journalism program. “We’re trying to reverse the system that journalism has been built off of, which is systemic racism,” said Breanna Xavier-Carter, one of the students who started a petition on Tuesday that has already exceeded its initial goal of 1,500 signatories. “We want to refresh the curriculum in our program specifically because we find it is a little bit outdated. And as inclusive as Ryerson tries to be, it’s really not inclusive of its Black voices, perspectives, ideas, thoughts.” Xavier-Carter and other students said the Ryerson program offers optional courses on how to cover Indigenous and LGBTQ communities and issues, and that a course on Black issues, taught by Black faculty, could easily sit next to them.
The chair of the program, Janice Neil, said she is closely studying the suggestions and would respond in due course. Canadian newsrooms have struggled to keep up with the changing demographics of Canadian society, and the industry faces criticism that its coverage of racial issues often lacks depth or nuance. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “A lot of biases and racism gets recycled over and over again through journalism and the media, and how Black bodies and Black experiences are positioned in that space,” said Ann Lopez, an education professor at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
“That course (if implemented) will help disrupt some of those practices that have been happening for a very long time,” she said. “We’re trying to reverse the system that journalism has been built off of, which is systemic racism,” says @breanna_xcarter, a recent grad of @RSJnow, on efforts to get the Ryerson j-school to help fight anti-Black bias in news media When photographs emerged during last year’s federal election campaign of a younger Justin Trudeau in blackface and brownface, for example, much of the coverage focused on the political implications for the prime minister rather than the systemic racism it represented. While Ryerson faculty did bring the issue up for discussion, Sara Jabakhanji said many students felt uncomfortable and opted out. “The problem with that is if they don’t feel comfortable sharing (their opinion) within a classroom of people who want to work in media, how are you going to feel comfortable covering it for a big publication or covering it for other people to read,” she said. The students said the program could also make smaller improvements, such as including instruction on how to provide appropriate lighting for television reporters with darker complexions, said fellow graduate Rosemary Akpan.
They said they have received positive feedback from both faculty and students at other journalism schools and that it was clear there was an underlying desire to do better rather than to have sat dormant. “It definitely should have been done a long time ago,” Xavier-Carter said. “But, unfortunately, it takes this sort of uprising and global climate in order for people to see just how important and serious and valuable this is.” Alastair Sharp / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada's National Observer


nationalobserver--2020-06-11--N.S. government stands still as women bear the brunt of COVID-19 crisis

The COVID-19 crisis is an absolute disaster for women in so many ways — work , income , personal safety , family life .
I hear the construction workers ’ jackhammers and power saws droning up the street .
Two eight-storey apartment buildings are going up in Schmidtville , my Halifax neighbourhood .
Another multi-storey condo is going up a block away .
When a neighbour complained of construction noise on a holiday weekend , the developer curtly dismissed her .
He bragged that he was giving men jobs , so their families could eat during the pandemic .
Big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nova Scotia government .
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• Canada undermining its own climate goals by supporting pipeline projects : Report Thanks to N.S .
Premier Stephen McNeil , construction has not slowed one iota since the pandemic was declared .
No one seems to worry much about men on construction sites social distancing , hand sanitizing or wearing masks .
Thousands of men kept their construction jobs , as did women — but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the construction trade workforce .
Overall , in these COVID-19 times , men had a statistically better chance to keep working — in construction , trucking , factory production , warehousing and more .
But women , whose jobs are overwhelmingly in the service , hospitality and retail sectors , did not .
April ’ s statistics revealed that 80 per cent of those who lost jobs due to COVID-19 were women , since the service sector has been all but shuttered during the crisis .
Many of the jobs they lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service jobs return , the laid-off women will be competing for those spots with all the unemployed women and men in the “ reserve army of labour.
” According to David Macdonald , senior economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives ( CCPA ) : “ The breakdown by hourly wage is the most shocking of all .
Half of all those earning $ 14 an hour or less have been laid off or have lost all their hours .
This compares to only one per cent of jobs lost or hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of workers who make more than $ 48 an hour.
” Since February , more than half the people who earned less than $ 16 an hour lost their jobs or had the majority of their hours cut .
But only one per cent of people who earned more than $ 48 per hour lost their jobs or had their hours cut .
`` April ’ s statistics revealed that 80 per cent of those who lost jobs due to COVID-19 were women , since the service sector has been all but shuttered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is , the less you make , the less chance you have to keep your job .
In 2018 , more than 125,000 people in N.S .
( one worker in five ) earned less than $ 15 per hour .
Fifty per cent of them were the family breadwinners , and 56 per cent of breadwinners were women .
In the 2008 recession , it was predominantly men who lost their jobs .
Now it ’ s women ’ s turn .
Nearly 300,000 women in Canada aged 25 to 54 lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April , the unemployment rate overall was 13 per cent .
The last time unemployment was this high was in 1982 .
Prior to that , we ’ d have to jump back to 1936 — to the middle of the Great Depression — to see unemployment this high .
As the CCPA ’ s Macdonald explains , “ Put another way , all jobs created since October 2005 , 15 years ago , have been lost by April 2020.
” The N.S .
government , and governments in all provinces , want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ albeit carefully .
After two months of lockdown , the N.S .
government is encouraging employers to manage a slow return to work .
This means employers must ensure proper distancing between employees , regular sanitization of all surfaces and equipment , and monitoring workers ’ health .
Women often work in clerical and admin support jobs .
It ’ s almost impossible for them to distance when they have to ride elevators many times a day , and share equipment , such as photocopiers , stationery , phones , files , computers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , women have had to bear the burden of risk , especially the dangers inherent in their work as caregivers .
And example is Northwood , a public long-term care home in Halifax .
Northwood ’ s CEO and N.S.
’ s Premier Stephen McNeil are keeping a tight lid on the situation there .
According to one news source , the facility reported 15 active cases of the virus among residents and four active cases among employees .
Overall , Northwood has seen 342 cases of COVID-19 , involving 244 residents and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Northwood and that figure accounts for 90 per cent of coronavirus deaths in N.S .
McNeil is categorically rejecting the demand for a public inquiry .
Of the 400-plus people employed at Northwood , the overwhelming majority are women : nurses , personal care workers , food service staff , and cleaners .
Many of these workers are African-Nova Scotian , others are racialized or new Canadians .
These women — who earn $ 17 to $ 21 an hour — worked for weeks without proper PPE ( personal protective equipment ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ill patients .
For months , the deaths from COVID-19 kept mounting at Northwood .
But neither the premier nor the chief medical officer of health seems to be able to adequately address the situation or make it safer for the care staff , who must return to their families after their shifts .
In early May , a grudging Premier McNeil announced a “ pandemic bonus ” for long-term care workers .
They will get an extra $ 2,000 ( basically a bonus of $ 500 a month ) if they worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July .
While the bonus covers nursing home workers , it does not cover those who work as essential staff in residential care ( small options homes ) in the province .
This is a situation that angered Louise Riley , the head of the Canadian Union of Public Employees long-term care committee : “ We would like to see ... a living wage every day ...
If you can do it in a pandemic , you should be able to do it all the time .
Make it a meaningful change .
@

The COVID-19 crisis is an absolute disaster for women in so many ways — work, income, personal safety, family life. Read on. I hear the construction workers’ jackhammers and power saws droning up the street. Two eight-storey apartment buildings are going up in Schmidtville, my Halifax neighbourhood. Another multi-storey condo is going up a block away. When a neighbour complained of construction noise on a holiday weekend, the developer curtly dismissed her. He bragged that he was giving men jobs, so their families could eat during the pandemic. Big of him — and big of the Nova Scotia government.
Thanks to N.S. Premier Stephen McNeil, construction has not slowed one iota since the pandemic was declared. No one seems to worry much about men on construction sites social distancing, hand sanitizing or wearing masks. Thousands of men kept their construction jobs, as did women — but they represent a mere four per cent of the construction trade workforce. Overall, in these COVID-19 times, men had a statistically better chance to keep working — in construction, trucking, factory production, warehousing and more. But women, whose jobs are overwhelmingly in the service, hospitality and retail sectors, did not. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions April’s statistics revealed that 80 per cent of those who lost jobs due to COVID-19 were women, since the service sector has been all but shuttered during the crisis.
Many of the jobs they lost are permanent. If some of the service jobs return, the laid-off women will be competing for those spots with all the unemployed women and men in the “reserve army of labour.” "April’s statistics revealed that 80 per cent of those who lost jobs due to COVID-19 were women, since the service sector has been all but shuttered during the crisis." According to David Macdonald, senior economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA):“The breakdown by hourly wage is the most shocking of all. Half of all those earning $14 an hour or less have been laid off or have lost all their hours. This compares to only one per cent of jobs lost or hours cut among the highest-earning 10 per cent of workers who make more than $48 an hour.” Since February, more than half the people who earned less than $16 an hour lost their jobs or had the majority of their hours cut. But only one per cent of people who earned more than $48 per hour lost their jobs or had their hours cut. The truth is, the less you make, the less chance you have to keep your job. In 2018, more than 125,000 people in N.S. (one worker in five) earned less than $15 per hour. Fifty per cent of them were the family breadwinners, and 56 per cent of breadwinners were women.
In the 2008 recession, it was predominantly men who lost their jobs. Now it’s women’s turn. Nearly 300,000 women in Canada aged 25 to 54 lost their jobs in March alone. In April, the unemployment rate overall was 13 per cent. The last time unemployment was this high was in 1982. Prior to that, we’d have to jump back to 1936 — to the middle of the Great Depression — to see unemployment this high. As the CCPA’s Macdonald explains, “Put another way, all jobs created since October 2005, 15 years ago, have been lost by April 2020.” The N.S. government, and governments in all provinces, want to “open the economy” — albeit carefully. After two months of lockdown, the N.S. government is encouraging employers to manage a slow return to work. This means employers must ensure proper distancing between employees, regular sanitization of all surfaces and equipment, and monitoring workers’ health.


nationalobserver--2020-06-11--Front-line hospital workers left out of Ontario pandemic pay

Linda Powers has been on the front line of COVID-19 for months .
Working in an Ottawa hospital , Powers is a physiologist who sees some patients who are suspected to be carrying the virus .
She ’ s often up close with patients who are relearning how to walk after being bedridden for long periods of time , and also does chest physiology work to help patients clear their lungs — work that is dangerous and necessary when dealing with a respiratory virus .
“ They ’ re coughing right in your face , ” said Powers , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because she has asthma .
“ The secretions are flying everywhere.
” Powers works alongside — and often does the same procedures — as medical staff who receive `` pandemic pay , '' a wage top-up for essential front-line workers who deal closely with COVID-19 cases .
But she doesn ’ t .
And critics say the Ontario government ’ s pandemic pay list leaves out a multitude of hospital workers with key roles in dealing with the virus : medical residents doing post-secondary on-the-job training , physician assistants , social workers making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run diagnostic tests ( CAT scans , X-rays ) , physiologists , lab workers who process COVID-19 tests , and more .
• I wonder who will march with Indigenous Peoples ?
• Rounding up glyphosate : Is there a danger to human health ?
• Canada undermining its own climate goals by supporting pipeline projects : Report “ I was so emotional , I cried , ” Powers said , describing how she felt when she read the province ’ s list of professions that would receive pandemic pay .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … How could we not be on the list ?
I don ’ t get it.
” The pandemic pay program is mostly funded by the federal government , with the money distributed by the provinces .
In early May , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Ottawa had struck a deal with the provinces to contribute $ 3 billion overall , while the provinces would cover an additional $ 1 billion , but it ’ s not clear how much of that money is being spent in Ontario .
Sebastian Skamski , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bethlenfalvy , did not answer questions from National Observer about how much money Ontario is contributing to pandemic pay .
“ As Premier ( Doug ) Ford has said , we wish we could provide pandemic pay to every single front-line worker who has contributed to the fight against COVID-19 , ” Skamski said , adding that the province appreciates those on the front line .
“ Unfortunately , there is a limit to the amount of funding provided by the federal government through our shared agreement and we are not able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 375,000 employees already deemed eligible.
” Ontario ’ s pandemic pay left out many healthcare workers who are on the frontline of the pandemic .
The province won ’ t explain how it chose who would get the top-up .
Ottawa physiologist Linda Powers , pictured inside the room of a patient presumed to have COVID-19 , is not eligible for pandemic pay .
Photo courtesy Linda Powers Sara Labelle , chair of the hospital professionals division at the Ontario Public Service Employees Union and a medical laboratory technologist in Oshawa , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creates a two-tiered system where only some work is valued .
“ We have people who are having a hard time in the workplace every single day , ” she said .
“ It makes you sometimes wonder why you selected your career , because you do n't get appreciated for the work that you do.
” Powers said it ’ s not about the money , it ’ s about showing workers they are valued .
“ Here I am coming out of the patient ’ s room , sweating , face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m wearing , ” Powers said .
The program helps long-term care workers , who already had notoriously low wages before the pandemic , and those in nursing jobs .
It also covers retirement home staff , prison workers and some social services roles .
Elsewhere , provincial pandemic pay lists have been more comprehensive .
In British Columbia , for example , the provision extends to cover a broad section of health professions that includes physiologists , lab technicians and more .
“ Other provinces are recognizing everybody that works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Hospital workers in Ottawa use their lunch break to protest the Ford government 's pandemic pay list on June 2 , 2020 .
Photo courtesy Linda Powers So when Ontario released its list in April , there was pushback from unions and other critics .
Under pressure , the government released an amended list a few days later that included more jobs , including respiratory therapists , mental health and addictions workers in hospitals and congregate care settings , public health nurses , and paramedics .
Labelle said it looked from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few job titles they were familiar with , but didn ’ t consult with front-line workers .
“ Rather than fixing it , they just made the problem a lot worse , ” she said , as some workers wonder why they weren ’ t important enough to be added .
Powers , too , questioned how Ontario decided on its list .
“ They ’ re so far removed from the front line , they don ’ t even know who works there and what they do , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t have to .
But they can ask people … Why have they not asked the right people ?
” When asked how the government determined who would go on the pandemic pay list , Health Minister Christine Elliott ’ s office redirected to Bethlenfalvy ’ s office , which did not answer the question .
The government also wouldn ’ t say whether it consulted with hospitals or workers .
Medical workers across the province have protested the list , even as they continue to treat patients .
Powers organized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Powers also pointed to some items on the list that they said didn ’ t make sense .
For instance , social workers in correctional facilities get pandemic pay , but social workers in hospitals don ’ t .
Security staff and auxiliary staff like cooks and porters , who don ’ t necessarily enter patient rooms , get pandemic pay while physiologists who do go in are excluded .
And many of the professions that are excluded are female-dominated .
Nobody questions that long-term care workers , in particular , deserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital workers don ’ t question that the professions on Ontario ’ s list deserve a pandemic top-up .
But if the province isn ’ t able to include all hospital workers , it shouldn ’ t have included them at all , she added .
“ If they wanted to make an argument about the money , then they never should have done it to begin with , ” Labelle said .
“ People just want to be recognized and seen for the value they bring … It ’ s unfortunate that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to that .
”

Linda Powers has been on the front line of COVID-19 for months. Working in an Ottawa hospital, Powers is a physiotherapist who sees some patients who are suspected to be carrying the virus. She’s often up close with patients who are relearning how to walk after being bedridden for long periods of time, and also does chest physiology work to help patients clear their lungs — work that is dangerous and necessary when dealing with a respiratory virus. “They’re coughing right in your face,” said Powers, who’s at higher risk from COVID-19 because she has asthma. “The secretions are flying everywhere.” Powers works alongside — and often does the same procedures — as medical staff who receive "pandemic pay," a wage top-up for essential front-line workers who deal closely with COVID-19 cases. But she doesn’t. And critics say the Ontario government’s pandemic pay list leaves out a multitude of hospital workers with key roles in dealing with the virus: medical residents doing post-secondary on-the-job training, physician assistants, social workers making care plans for patients, staff who run diagnostic tests (CAT scans, X-rays), physiotherapists, lab workers who process COVID-19 tests, and more.
“I was so emotional, I cried,” Powers said, describing how she felt when she read the province’s list of professions that would receive pandemic pay. “It was unbelievable, I felt hopeless. … How could we not be on the list? I don’t get it.” Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The pandemic pay program is mostly funded by the federal government, with the money distributed by the provinces. In early May, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Ottawa had struck a deal with the provinces to contribute $3 billion overall, while the provinces would cover an additional $1 billion, but it’s not clear how much of that money is being spent in Ontario.
Sebastian Skamski, a spokesperson for Ontario Treasury Board president Peter Bethlenfalvy, did not answer questions from National Observer about how much money Ontario is contributing to pandemic pay. Ontario’s pandemic pay left out many healthcare workers who are on the frontline of the pandemic. The province won’t explain how it chose who would get the top-up. “As Premier (Doug) Ford has said, we wish we could provide pandemic pay to every single front-line worker who has contributed to the fight against COVID-19,” Skamski said, adding that the province appreciates those on the front line. “Unfortunately, there is a limit to the amount of funding provided by the federal government through our shared agreement and we are not able to expand the pandemic pay program beyond the over 375,000 employees already deemed eligible.” Ottawa physiotherapist Linda Powers, pictured inside the room of a patient presumed to have COVID-19, is not eligible for pandemic pay. Photo courtesy Linda Powers Sara Labelle, chair of the hospital professionals division at the Ontario Public Service Employees Union and a medical laboratory technologist in Oshawa, said the province’s current plan creates a two-tiered system where only some work is valued.
“We have people who are having a hard time in the workplace every single day,” she said. “It makes you sometimes wonder why you selected your career, because you don't get appreciated for the work that you do.” Powers said it’s not about the money, it’s about showing workers they are valued.