nationalobserver--2020-05-01--Is digital contact tracing a real hope or a dangerous distraction?

Despite privacy concerns , and even as the jury is out on the effectiveness of digital contact tracing , the federal government and several provinces are investigating citizen-tracking cellphone apps on the chance they will help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and lead to the reopening of the economy .
“ There 's some serious questions about whether or not it would be as effective as people are suggesting , ” said Jason Millar , a University of Ottawa professor who holds the Canada Research Chair in the Ethical Engineering of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence .
“ It 's possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at contact tracing , but it 's just not clear ; we do n't have that data .
So right now , it 's kind of a hope.
” Digital contact tracing apps track the movements of people using the embedded geolocation and Bluetooth systems .
Simplistically , each phone emits unique pings or identifiers .
When pings detect each other , they use Bluetooth signal strength to estimate whether the phones ’ users came close enough , for long enough , to potentially pass on the virus .
Later , if either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ geolocation data ( stored on the phone or on an external server ) to trace everywhere that person went prior to the onset of symptoms .
The system then alerts everyone who pinged within range of an infected person during the contagious period that they have been potentially exposed .
Inherent to its success is an assumption geolocation and Bluetooth distance estimates are accurate .
Relying on the phone ’ s built-in GPS and cell tower triangulation , geolocation can be incredibly accurate outdoors , except when it ’ s not .
Indoors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bluetooth signal detection is also imperfect .
Signal strength is affected by many things besides distance , including cellphone quality , solid objects between users , and interference from other Bluetooth devices .
• Long-term care homes were in crisis well before politicians woke up to the problem • 'COVID-19 kills in many ways ' : The suicide crisis facing health-care workers So , some technical challenges to start .
Nevermind that , in Canada , people have been doing a pretty good job at social distancing without a tracing app .
People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital systems have not been overwhelmed ; collectively , we ’ re flattening the proverbial infection curve .
Ask any designer , introducing a new element into a working system could potentially make things worse rather than better .
“ Throwing an app into the mix is not just an additional positive , risk-free layer of vigilance , ” said Millar .
“ Because I think that 's how technology is often portrayed.
” At this stage of the pandemic , the premise of keeping tabs on people who have tested positive as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flawed .
While the app may help health-care workers track backwards through an infected person ’ s contacts to pre-symptom onset – digital tracking being more reliable than human memory – it could also overload them with “ close contacts ” misidentified by the imprecision of the technology .
App users might then be flooded with anxiety-causing notifications ( Alert : You may have been exposed to the virus – self-isolate . )
when the infected person they were potentially exposed to three days ago was a passenger in the car next to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this , we don ’ t know the true infection rate .
Asymptomatic individuals can self-isolate without being diagnosed .
A Stanford University study in Santa Clara , Calif. , found up to 85 times more people were infected than had tested positive for COVID-19 .
When widespread community infection is coupled with limited testing capacity , as in many parts of Canada , knowing who and where the lab-tested positive people are delivers a false sense of security .
“ ( A ) proximity tracing system just does not work in that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a University of Toronto professor at the Institute of Health Policy , Management and Evaluation .
At this stage of the pandemic , the premise of keeping tabs on people who have tested positive as a measure to safeguard the rest is flawed .
If governments in Canada rush to use digital contact tracing as a pandemic-fighting measure by , say , mandating their public health departments to implement it , the move will be without consensus from scientists and medical experts that the apps will work as intended .
In fact , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data and society ethics research watchdogs at the Ada Lovelace Institute in the U.K. last week panned the concept : “ … mandating use of a digital contact tracing app is unlikely to be effective , enforceable or enjoy public support ” and the “ significant technical limitations , and deep social risks ” far outweigh any value .
“ We wo n't have time for widespread public consultation , ” said Willison .
People need to be able to express their concerns so the government can mitigate them in a transparent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Privacy is a primary concern for most people .
No digital tracing app can guarantee complete anonymity .
“ We have a strong privacy culture in Canada , ” said Sean Holman , a journalism professor and freedom of information researcher at Mount Royal University in Calgary .
“ If people do n't know something about you , they ca n't control you .
If they ca n't control you , then you can feel more certain about your own actions , within your own sphere.
” If Canada , like some European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adopters China , Taiwan , South Korea and Israel , which have forced myriad digital-tracker and tracing-type measures on their populations , it will have to sculpt a more privacy-sensitive iteration to get buy-in from the public .
“ We are looking at what could be helpful for us , mindful of the privacy aspects we 're all concerned about , ” Dr. Bonnie Henry , provincial health officer for B.C.
, said last week .
B.C .
and Alberta are studying digital tracing options , including Singapore ’ s TraceTogether , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per cent of Singaporeans choosing to use it .
Willison said estimates range on the minimum participation rate required to be effective as being anywhere between 40 per cent and 75 per cent .
“ I ’ m more inclined to believe that 75 per cent , ” Willison said .
“ If you have a lot of people who 've chosen not to participate because they do n't trust the system , it is n't going to work , you 're going to have too many false negatives.
” The federal government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including made-in-Canada versions .
Most companies developing digital contact tracing use Bluetooth proximity tracing , which would , among other things , monitor people with the disease and identify high-risk COVID-19 hot spots so healthy people can avoid them on their way to and from work .
Is this wise ?
Pinpointing high-risk people and hot-spot locations could stoke a dangerous voyeuristic hobby ( Track the infection in your community ! )
or even fuel vigilantism ( the healthy versus the sick ) .
Under South Korea ’ s mandatory tracing system , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared with government , posted publicly , and sent to every person they came in contact with over their infection period .
Extreme cases of harassment caused the National Human Rights Commission of Korea to caution authorities to stop oversharing people ’ s details because they had become “ the target of criticism , taunts and hatred online.
” Canada ’ s privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien recently stipulated every “ privacy-impactful ” measure during this pandemic must be more than useful , it must be “ evidence-based , ” “ likely to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disproportionate impacts on vulnerable populations.
” As various versions stand proposed , digital tracing apps don ’ t check those boxes .
“ It 's not uncommon to point to technology and say , ‘ Hey , technology can fix this.
’ Technology is magical in a way , ” said Millar .
“ It 's almost like we imagine we can overcome problems that are hard to solve otherwise.
” These are extraordinary times .
People are scared and want solutions .
“ We 're willing to do an awful lot to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and uncontrollability , ” said Holman .
“ Are people going to be willing to give up the control and certainty that privacy provides in favour of the control and certainty that surveillance will provide in a public health crisis ?
” Willison ’ s research in non-crisis times revealed people were most willing to allow use of their personal health data for health research or quality improvement and that doctors , hospitals , and university researchers were perceived as the most trustworthy data keepers .
“ It was a matter ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Willison .
Which leads back to the privacy commissioner ’ s framework report that all data collected should be direct-to-purpose and destroyed after the crisis is over , meaning , no third-party use , no massive database of personal health information stored on private sector servers awaiting future commercialization opportunities .
“ In the context of your exposure to the virus , what would be the potential social consequences of that information being used by parties to socially sort you ?
Asked Willison .
“ Say you 're ( deemed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not eligible for employment , or whatever it may be .
That 's the worry.
” Whatever Canadians decide , governments must tread with care .
Any action perceived as heavy-handed or overreaching could meet a swift and punishing backlash .
“ People tolerate measures that they would n't normally tolerate , and they do that upon a trust basis , ” said Mark Warren , University of British Columbia political scientist and holder of the Merilees Chair for the Study of Democracy .
“ So governments gain more power because of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that power very carefully so they do n't damage the public trust that they hold.
” There is a pervasive and unrealistic optimism many people have about technologic solutions , as if all the troublesome variables can be anticipated and programmed into submission in a lab .
“ That 's not how technology works , ” concludes the University of Ottawa ’ s Jason Millar .
“ We know when you put technology into society , things get messy .
”

Despite privacy concerns, and even as the jury is out on the effectiveness of digital contact tracing, the federal government and several provinces are investigating citizen-tracking cellphone apps on the chance they will help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and lead to the reopening of the economy. “There's some serious questions about whether or not it would be as effective as people are suggesting,” said Jason Millar, a University of Ottawa professor who holds the Canada Research Chair in the Ethical Engineering of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. “It's possible (the apps) would be fantastic at contact tracing, but it's just not clear; we don't have that data. So right now, it's kind of a hope.” Digital contact tracing apps track the movements of people using the embedded geolocation and Bluetooth systems. Simplistically, each phone emits unique pings or identifiers. When pings detect each other, they use Bluetooth signal strength to estimate whether the phones’ users came close enough, for long enough, to potentially pass on the virus. Later, if either person becomes infected, the app uses geolocation data (stored on the phone or on an external server) to trace everywhere that person went prior to the onset of symptoms. The system then alerts everyone who pinged within range of an infected person during the contagious period that they have been potentially exposed. Inherent to its success is an assumption geolocation and Bluetooth distance estimates are accurate. Relying on the phone’s built-in GPS and cell tower triangulation, geolocation can be incredibly accurate outdoors, except when it’s not. Indoors, all bets are off. The Bluetooth signal detection is also imperfect. Signal strength is affected by many things besides distance, including cellphone quality, solid objects between users, and interference from other Bluetooth devices.
So, some technical challenges to start. Nevermind that, in Canada, people have been doing a pretty good job at social distancing without a tracing app. People are staying home and self-isolating; our hospital systems have not been overwhelmed; collectively, we’re flattening the proverbial infection curve. Ask any designer, introducing a new element into a working system could potentially make things worse rather than better. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “Throwing an app into the mix is not just an additional positive, risk-free layer of vigilance,” said Millar. “Because I think that's how technology is often portrayed.”
At this stage of the pandemic, the premise of keeping tabs on people who have tested positive as a measure to safeguard the rest is flawed. At this stage of the pandemic, the premise of keeping tabs on people who have tested positive as a measure to safeguard the rest is flawed. While the app may help health-care workers track backwards through an infected person’s contacts to pre-symptom onset – digital tracking being more reliable than human memory – it could also overload them with “close contacts” misidentified by the imprecision of the technology. App users might then be flooded with anxiety-causing notifications (Alert: You may have been exposed to the virus – self-isolate.) when the infected person they were potentially exposed to three days ago was a passenger in the car next to them at a stoplight. Add to this, we don’t know the true infection rate. Asymptomatic individuals can self-isolate without being diagnosed. A Stanford University study in Santa Clara, Calif., found up to 85 times more people were infected than had tested positive for COVID-19. When widespread community infection is coupled with limited testing capacity, as in many parts of Canada, knowing who and where the lab-tested positive people are delivers a false sense of security. “(A) proximity tracing system just does not work in that context,” said Don Willison, a University of Toronto professor at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation. If governments in Canada rush to use digital contact tracing as a pandemic-fighting measure by, say, mandating their public health departments to implement it, the move will be without consensus from scientists and medical experts that the apps will work as intended. In fact, a review by the artificial intelligence, data and society ethics research watchdogs at the Ada Lovelace Institute in the U.K. last week panned the concept: “… mandating use of a digital contact tracing app is unlikely to be effective, enforceable or enjoy public support” and the “significant technical limitations, and deep social risks” far outweigh any value.
“We won't have time for widespread public consultation,” said Willison. People need to be able to express their concerns so the government can mitigate them in a transparent, trustworthy process of “focused engagement.” Privacy is a primary concern for most people. No digital tracing app can guarantee complete anonymity. “We have a strong privacy culture in Canada,” said Sean Holman, a journalism professor and freedom of information researcher at Mount Royal University in Calgary. “If people don't know something about you, they can't control you. If they can't control you, then you can feel more certain about your own actions, within your own sphere.”


nationalobserver--2020-05-01--Racist dog whistles have no place in COVID-19 discourse

I ’ ve only ever been to China once , and I visited nowhere near where my family emigrated from .
Like most tourists , I visited the big sights — the Great Wall , the Forbidden City .
I was awestruck at this culture that stretched back literally thousands of years .
I marvelled at the extensive public transit system .
And I was appalled by the omnipresent surveillance apparatus that was visible in the form of cameras , armed guards , and an internet firewall that made Google navigation a near-impossibility .
In short , China was as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so to hear racist attitudes against Chinese-Canadians reach a new low with Conservative MP and party leadership candidate Derek Sloan , I have to ask myself just where our political discourse is headed .
In a Facebook video posted April 21 , Sloan says , “ One of the issues with Justin Trudeau ’ s handling of this situation has been his reliance on the advice of Dr. Theresa Tam .
Theresa TAM , ” he adds , with emphasis on her surname , before continuing , “ We sent an email out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Canada or for China ?
’ ” Let ’ s be blunt here .
This is precisely the same argument which was used in the internment of Japanese-Canadians during Second World War — that citizens who lived and worked in our country would somehow experience a pang of loyalty to a military dictatorship thousands of kilometres away .
• Long-term care homes were in crisis well before politicians woke up to the problem • 'COVID-19 kills in many ways ' : The suicide crisis facing health-care workers In other words , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Conservative Party of Canada leadership to proactively condemn Sloan is nothing new , either .
It took Andrew Scheer nearly a week to speak out , and on April 27 he only offered that Sloan ’ s comments were “ inappropriate , ” while refusing to say if the MP would face any consequences .
Conservative MP Derek Sloan at a caucus retreat on Parliament Hill on January 24 , 2020 .
Photo by The Canadian Press / Justin Tang  To be sure , the Conservative party does not hold a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently holds a special relationship with it .
While Sloan ’ s rhetoric took xenophobia to a new level , fellow leadership candidate Erin O ’ Toole recently rolled out a “ Canada First ” ad that suggested he would sever ties with the UN and assault our trade agreements with China .
It bears considering that campaign advertisement alongside polls that show a swell of support for the Trudeau government and a cratering of interest in leadership candidates like O ’ Toole and Peter MacKay .
Research Co. and Glacier Media ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found that only 25 per cent of Canadians would prefer Scheer ’ s leadership in this crisis .
That number dropped to 23 per cent for MacKay , and a dismal 17 per cent for O ’ Toole .
Those results came out on April 13 .
O ’ Toole ’ s “ Canada First ” video went online the same day .
A week after Sloan ’ s comments , when at long last it seemed like the party ’ s backbench had found its conscience — or at least a modicum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party sources that Ontario MPs had met to discuss ousting Sloan if he refused to apologize .
By this point , neither of the frontrunners for the party ’ s leadership , O ’ Toole and MacKay , had said anything publicly regarding Sloan ’ s comments .
`` Just how do these leaders perceive the rights and votes of Canadians like Tam , or myself ?
Is our loyalty to be questioned solely on the basis of our ethnicity ? ''
All of which suggests an appetite to win the support of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At this point , it really matters little whether or not the Conservative party does oust Sloan , who remained unapologetic on April 29 , answering the rumoured caucus vote with a letter of deflection that blamed the media and a “ mischaracterization ” of his comments .
The lack of any initiative on the part of the would-be leaders of the Opposition suggests that they , too , recognize the appeal of far-right voters who delight in these types of dog whistles .
Dragging this issue out with a half-hearted promise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition Sloan “ not apologize ” infantilizes the people he has harmed with his comments .
All of which begs the question : Just how do these leaders perceive the rights and votes of Canadians like Tam , or myself ?
Is our loyalty to be questioned solely on the basis of our ethnicity ?
If that is the case , where do I fall ?
I am half-Chinese , does this mean my loyalty should be questioned 50 per cent of the time ?
What ’ s especially frustrating about this politicization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese-Canadians is that we do , in fact , need to question the influence of the Chinese government and the response of the World Health Organization .
All our government officials , including Tam , are not beyond criticism .
But what ’ s needed is nuanced , fact-based , critical discussion , not a dog whistle that questions “ who do we work for ?
” We need a functional Opposition party that operates within some norm of human decency and guides our political discourse by questioning the party in government .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the support of all Canadians , including people like me , it needs to start speaking out for our rights and dignity .

I’ve only ever been to China once, and I visited nowhere near where my family emigrated from. Like most tourists, I visited the big sights — the Great Wall, the Forbidden City. I was awestruck at this culture that stretched back literally thousands of years. I marvelled at the extensive public transit system. And I was appalled by the omnipresent surveillance apparatus that was visible in the form of cameras, armed guards, and an internet firewall that made Google navigation a near-impossibility. In short, China was as foreign to me as any Canadian, so to hear racist attitudes against Chinese-Canadians reach a new low with Conservative MP and party leadership candidate Derek Sloan, I have to ask myself just where our political discourse is headed. In a Facebook video posted April 21, Sloan says, “One of the issues with Justin Trudeau’s handling of this situation has been his reliance on the advice of Dr. Theresa Tam. Theresa TAM,” he adds, with emphasis on her surname, before continuing, “We sent an email out today asking, ‘Does she work for Canada or for China?’” Let’s be blunt here. This is precisely the same argument which was used in the internment of Japanese-Canadians during Second World War — that citizens who lived and worked in our country would somehow experience a pang of loyalty to a military dictatorship thousands of kilometres away.
In other words, this is nothing new, and the refusal from Conservative Party of Canada leadership to proactively condemn Sloan is nothing new, either. It took Andrew Scheer nearly a week to speak out, and on April 27 he only offered that Sloan’s comments were “inappropriate,” while refusing to say if the MP would face any consequences. Conservative MP Derek Sloan at a caucus retreat on Parliament Hill on January 24, 2020. Photo by The Canadian Press / Justin Tang  Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions To be sure, the Conservative party does not hold a monopoly on divisive rhetoric, but it currently holds a special relationship with it. While Sloan’s rhetoric took xenophobia to a new level, fellow leadership candidate Erin O’Toole recently rolled out a “Canada First” ad that suggested he would sever ties with the UN and assault our trade agreements with China.
It bears considering that campaign advertisement alongside polls that show a swell of support for the Trudeau government and a cratering of interest in leadership candidates like O’Toole and Peter MacKay. Research Co. and Glacier Media’s April poll on the COVID-19 outbreak found that only 25 per cent of Canadians would prefer Scheer’s leadership in this crisis. That number dropped to 23 per cent for MacKay, and a dismal 17 per cent for O’Toole. "Just how do these leaders perceive the rights and votes of Canadians like Tam, or myself? Is our loyalty to be questioned solely on the basis of our ethnicity?" Those results came out on April 13. O’Toole’s “Canada First” video went online the same day. A week after Sloan’s comments, when at long last it seemed like the party’s backbench had found its conscience — or at least a modicum of embarrassment —- it was confirmed by party sources that Ontario MPs had met to discuss ousting Sloan if he refused to apologize. By this point, neither of the frontrunners for the party’s leadership, O’Toole and MacKay, had said anything publicly regarding Sloan’s comments. All of which suggests an appetite to win the support of voters who embrace this style of rhetoric. At this point, it really matters little whether or not the Conservative party does oust Sloan, who remained unapologetic on April 29, answering the rumoured caucus vote with a letter of deflection that blamed the media and a “mischaracterization” of his comments. The lack of any initiative on the part of the would-be leaders of the Opposition suggests that they, too, recognize the appeal of far-right voters who delight in these types of dog whistles. Dragging this issue out with a half-hearted promise to maybe hold a vote on the condition Sloan “not apologize” infantilizes the people he has harmed with his comments.


nationalobserver--2020-05-01--Energy regulator calls Coldwater's TMX hearing concerns ‘premature’

Canada ’ s energy regulator says concerns raised by the Coldwater Indian Band about upcoming Trans Mountain oil pipeline hearings are “ premature , ” as a hearing for the band has not yet been ordered , and may be delayed due to COVID-19 and an uncompleted study of its aquifer .
The commission of the Canada Energy Regulator ( CER ) made the comments in an April 29 letter obtained by National Observer that was issued in response to concerns sent a day earlier by legal counsel for Coldwater .
Coldwater had argued that changes made by the regulator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oral cross-examination in favour of written questions , did not represent a fair process and did not respect Canada 's duty to consult with First Nations .
The changes were part of adjustments the CER made in order to continue with hearings while respecting public health orders , and they were issued with respect to other hearings related to the pipeline expansion project — not specifically to one that Coldwater was anticipating .
But the band said it raised the issue this week in order to make sure there was enough time for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessary .
• Long-term care homes were in crisis well before politicians woke up to the problem • 'COVID-19 kills in many ways ' : The suicide crisis facing health-care workers “ The commission is of the view that Coldwater ’ s submissions regarding the hearing process are premature , ” it replied in the letter dated Wednesday .
It said the hearing for Coldwater “ may not be set down at all , ” or may be delayed “ until such time as circumstances with respect to the pandemic are different.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be ordering a hearing for Coldwater if two conditions were met .
These involved Trans Mountain ’ s proposal of a specific route through the Coldwater Valley , and a study of the aquifer that was one of the conditions for the pipeline expansion ’ s approval .
Coldwater has been concerned about the risks the expansion project poses to the aquifer on its main residential reserve .
Trans Mountain said in a March 13 filing that it had been working with Coldwater for “ roughly three years ” to design a hydrological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the geology of water under and around the reserve , obtained by drilling and installing sampling and testing equipment , among other activities .
But due to delays , such as the 2018 Federal Court of Appeal ruling that quashed the Trudeau government ’ s first approval of the pipeline , the company says it has been unable to arrange drilling for the program .
As such , it said it would have to move forward with creating the report without that data .
On Wednesday , the CER commission said it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ complete enough ” to proceed .
It also said it would have to examine Trans Mountain ’ s proposal of the pipeline expansion route through B.C .
's Coldwater Valley .
Canada ’ s energy regulator says concerns raised by the Coldwater Indian Band about upcoming Trans Mountain hearings are “ premature , ” as it has not ordered one for the Band yet and it may be delayed due to COVID-19 and an uncompleted aquifer study .
Trans Mountain has said it will complete the aquifer report “ on or before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , Coldwater Chief Lee Spahan asked the federal government to intervene with the aquifer study , saying that Trans Mountain was moving ahead despite the reserve being on lockdown due to COVID-19 and the band office being reduced to a skeleton crew .
Spahan said in an April 21 letter to Natural Resources Minister Seamus O ’ Regan and Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller that Coldwater was being asked to “ meet pre-COVID deadlines ” and had seen “ at least a doubling of meeting requests and correspondence , ” despite meetings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a remote community with limited internet access .
“ Canada , other governments and the courts have all suspended deadlines for an array of matters , such as paying tax and meeting court deadlines , ” Spahan wrote .
“ Why are Canada and Trans Mountain insisting on strict compliance with pre-COVID deadlines , particularly when something as important as drinking water is at stake ?
”

Canada’s energy regulator says concerns raised by the Coldwater Indian Band about upcoming Trans Mountain oil pipeline hearings are “premature,” as a hearing for the band has not yet been ordered, and may be delayed due to COVID-19 and an uncompleted study of its aquifer. The commission of the Canada Energy Regulator (CER) made the comments in an April 29 letter obtained by National Observer that was issued in response to concerns sent a day earlier by legal counsel for Coldwater. Coldwater had argued that changes made by the regulator to the hearing process, including abandoning oral cross-examination in favour of written questions, did not represent a fair process and did not respect Canada's duty to consult with First Nations. The changes were part of adjustments the CER made in order to continue with hearings while respecting public health orders, and they were issued with respect to other hearings related to the pipeline expansion project — not specifically to one that Coldwater was anticipating. But the band said it raised the issue this week in order to make sure there was enough time for the CER to alter its approach if necessary.
“The commission is of the view that Coldwater’s submissions regarding the hearing process are premature,” it replied in the letter dated Wednesday. It said the hearing for Coldwater “may not be set down at all,” or may be delayed “until such time as circumstances with respect to the pandemic are different.” The CER commission said it would only be ordering a hearing for Coldwater if two conditions were met. These involved Trans Mountain’s proposal of a specific route through the Coldwater Valley, and a study of the aquifer that was one of the conditions for the pipeline expansion’s approval. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Coldwater has been concerned about the risks the expansion project poses to the aquifer on its main residential reserve. Trans Mountain said in a March 13 filing that it had been working with Coldwater for “roughly three years” to design a hydrological study, which would include information like the geology of water under and around the reserve, obtained by drilling and installing sampling and testing equipment, among other activities.
But due to delays, such as the 2018 Federal Court of Appeal ruling that quashed the Trudeau government’s first approval of the pipeline, the company says it has been unable to arrange drilling for the program. Canada’s energy regulator says concerns raised by the Coldwater Indian Band about upcoming Trans Mountain hearings are “premature,” as it has not ordered one for the Band yet and it may be delayed due to COVID-19 and an uncompleted aquifer study. As such, it said it would have to move forward with creating the report without that data. On Wednesday, the CER commission said it would have to determine if the report was “complete enough” to proceed. It also said it would have to examine Trans Mountain’s proposal of the pipeline expansion route through B.C.'s Coldwater Valley. Trans Mountain has said it will complete the aquifer report “on or before May 15, 2020.” But last week, Coldwater Chief Lee Spahan asked the federal government to intervene with the aquifer study, saying that Trans Mountain was moving ahead despite the reserve being on lockdown due to COVID-19 and the band office being reduced to a skeleton crew.
Spahan said in an April 21 letter to Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan and Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller that Coldwater was being asked to “meet pre-COVID deadlines” and had seen “at least a doubling of meeting requests and correspondence,” despite meetings occurring by videoconference — a challenge for a remote community with limited internet access. “Canada, other governments and the courts have all suspended deadlines for an array of matters, such as paying tax and meeting court deadlines,” Spahan wrote. “Why are Canada and Trans Mountain insisting on strict compliance with pre-COVID deadlines, particularly when something as important as drinking water is at stake?”


nationalobserver--2020-05-01--Indigenous youth helping each other during pandemic

The last time Nicole Ineese-Nash and her team visited the remote Nibinamik First Nation in northwestern Ontario , she brought accomplished Anishinaabe artist Nyle Miigizi Johnston to help the community ’ s schoolchildren create a mural .
With the COVID-19 pandemic nixing its quarterly visits to the tiny Oji-Cree reserve for the foreseeable future , the Finding Our Power Together project had to pivot quickly to keep fighting for youth mental health amid heightened isolation .
The community ’ s school is closed and youth programming is paused while all social gatherings have been halted in the community , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bay .
Nibinamik suffered a rash of youth suicides and suicide attempts in 2017 , and while the rate has slowed down , Ineese-Nash fears the loss of social services during a period of increased isolation could cause another spike .
“ Already , there are challenges accessing mental-health support , and with further isolation , we are going to see more suicide attempts , ” Ineese-Nash said , adding that nearby communities have reported several youth suicide attempts since the pandemic hit .
• 'COVID-19 kills in many ways ' : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care homes were in crisis well before politicians woke up to the problem “ We ’ re working very hard to put something in place to support the young people that we know so that doesn ’ t happen in that community , ” she said .
Nicole Ineese-Nash works with children at the Nibinamik First Nation during a 2017 visit .
Photo supplied by Nicole Ineese-Nash With the help of a micro-loan from Indigenous youth charity Canadian Roots Exchange ( CRE ) , the Toronto-based doctoral student and research associate is sending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activities to Nibinamik .
The content can be used even when the community ’ s spotty internet service is down , as the project is also buying 150 prepaid calling vouchers to help keep youth connected .
Video of Finding Our Power Together A short documentary on Finding Our Power Together created with the youth council at the Nibinamik First Nation .
A micro-grant from @ CdnRoots is helping @ FOPT2020 get phones and phone credit into the hands of isolated Indigenous youth in response to the COVID-19 pandemic The initiative is funded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which handed out $ 95,000 to 19 Indigenous youth-led projects across the country in its first round .
The Toronto-based charity is accepting submissions for two more rounds of funding , with deadlines of May 8 and 29 , after committing up to $ 300,000 of its annual $ 5 million in federal funding to its COVID-19 response .
Max FineDay , executive director for the CRE , expects to offer more rounds after recently receiving a $ 150,000 donation from the Mastercard Foundation .
He said the COVID-19 pandemic was exacerbating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Canada .
“ We know as a country that Indigenous people are statistically really hurting at the best of times , and suffering from economic inequality and food insecurity and all these myriad things , ” he said .
“ When a pandemic does hit , it is that much worse for Indigenous people.
” While youth mental health has been a focus of applications so far , FineDay said some projects are also looking at retaining cultural connection .
“ Our communities are based on relationships and in a visiting culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to us has been a real challenge for a lot of young people , ” he said , noting it is impossible to socially distance in a sweat lodge or during a pipe ceremony .
“ We ’ re trying to provide that technological stopgap and connect youth with elders and knowledge-keepers through Zoom or FaceTime or these other digital platforms , which has been hilarious to watch at times , their first time trying these sorts of things , ” he said .
“ It has been a real lifesaver for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that during this time of uncertainty.
” Other projects the group has funded include the online migration of hip-hop classes , trivia nights and drawing contests run by the youth centre in Kugluktuk , Nunavut , and helping Lii Michif Otipemisiwak Youth Services resume deliveries of food and other essentials to young Indigenous people in the child welfare system in Kamloops , British Columbia .

The last time Nicole Ineese-Nash and her team visited the remote Nibinamik First Nation in northwestern Ontario, she brought accomplished Anishinaabe artist Nyle Miigizi Johnston to help the community’s schoolchildren create a mural. With the COVID-19 pandemic nixing its quarterly visits to the tiny Oji-Cree reserve for the foreseeable future, the Finding Our Power Together project had to pivot quickly to keep fighting for youth mental health amid heightened isolation. The community’s school is closed and youth programming is paused while all social gatherings have been halted in the community, which is located 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay. Nibinamik suffered a rash of youth suicides and suicide attempts in 2017, and while the rate has slowed down, Ineese-Nash fears the loss of social services during a period of increased isolation could cause another spike. “Already, there are challenges accessing mental-health support, and with further isolation, we are going to see more suicide attempts,” Ineese-Nash said, adding that nearby communities have reported several youth suicide attempts since the pandemic hit.
“We’re working very hard to put something in place to support the young people that we know so that doesn’t happen in that community,” she said. Nicole Ineese-Nash works with children at the Nibinamik First Nation during a 2017 visit. Photo supplied by Nicole Ineese-Nash Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions With the help of a micro-loan from Indigenous youth charity Canadian Roots Exchange (CRE), the Toronto-based doctoral student and research associate is sending 10 phones preloaded with wellness supports and activities to Nibinamik.
The content can be used even when the community’s spotty internet service is down, as the project is also buying 150 prepaid calling vouchers to help keep youth connected. A micro-grant from @CdnRoots is helping @FOPT2020 get phones and phone credit into the hands of isolated Indigenous youth in response to the COVID-19 pandemic Video of Finding Our Power Together A short documentary on Finding Our Power Together created with the youth council at the Nibinamik First Nation. The initiative is funded through a $5,000 grant from CRE, which handed out $95,000 to 19 Indigenous youth-led projects across the country in its first round. The Toronto-based charity is accepting submissions for two more rounds of funding, with deadlines of May 8 and 29, after committing up to $300,000 of its annual $5 million in federal funding to its COVID-19 response.
Max FineDay, executive director for the CRE, expects to offer more rounds after recently receiving a $150,000 donation from the Mastercard Foundation. He said the COVID-19 pandemic was exacerbating the existing social inequities plaguing Indigenous communities in Canada. “We know as a country that Indigenous people are statistically really hurting at the best of times, and suffering from economic inequality and food insecurity and all these myriad things,” he said. “When a pandemic does hit, it is that much worse for Indigenous people.”


nationalobserver--2020-05-01--Ontario allowing ‘secret lobbying’ amid COVID-19: critic

The Ontario government is allowing businesses to do “ secret lobbying ” by inviting them to ask for temporary law changes during COVID-19 , Democracy Watch says .
The Progressive Conservative government , which was elected on promises to reduce red tape , announced Tuesday it would open an online portal where businesses could ask for regulation or rule changes to help them weather the pandemic .
Democracy Watch , a non-profit which advocates for government accountability , said that portal is an invitation to use a loophole in Ontario ’ s lobbying rules , which is especially worrying given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some environmental protections .
“ I am very concerned , ” co-founder Duff Conacher said .
“ The Ford government has already used the coronavirus crisis as an excuse to cut some key environment-protection laws , and will likely try to cut other key big-business accountability and responsibility laws and enforcement actions to allow for more polluting , abuse of workers and communities and gouging and abuse of consumers than is already happening . ''
Under Ontario ’ s lobbying rules , you do not need to register or disclose lobbying activity if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so .
Last month , as COVID-19 worsened , the Ontario government also suspended portions of its environmental-oversight rules , saying they could hinder its response to the pandemic .
Government ministries do not have to consult the public or consider environmental values as they make decisions until 30 days after Ontario ’ s state of emergency ends , which critics said was an unnecessary overreach .
• 'COVID-19 kills in many ways ' : The suicide crisis facing health-care workers • Long-term care homes were in crisis well before politicians woke up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ontario government ’ s website invites businesses to “ help us support you during COVID-19.
” After filling out a short form , companies can request any kind of regulation or rule change they deem necessary .
Though the page says it ’ s aimed at helping businesses work remotely , assist the health-care system or retool to manufacture supplies needed to fight the pandemic , the form also welcomes submissions from companies in a wide variety of sectors , from beauty products and alternative energy to mining and home renovation .
Ian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Red Tape Reduction Associate Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria , said in a statement the government is doing everything it can to ensure businesses struggling due to the pandemic are able to survive .
“ Many regulations are in place for very good reasons — like protecting our drinking water and keeping workers safe on the job , ” Allen said .
“ As we work to ease the regulatory burden , we are doing so in a smart , careful way to ensure that health , safety and environmental protections are maintained or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers ( CAPP ) has asked Ottawa to suspend lobbying .
Neither Allen nor CAPP answered questions about whether the Ontario government received a similar request from the oil-lobby group , and whether that influenced the creation of the portal .

The Ontario government is allowing businesses to do “secret lobbying” by inviting them to ask for temporary law changes during COVID-19, Democracy Watch says.
The Progressive Conservative government, which was elected on promises to reduce red tape, announced Tuesday it would open an online portal where businesses could ask for regulation or rule changes to help them weather the pandemic. Democracy Watch, a non-profit which advocates for government accountability, said that portal is an invitation to use a loophole in Ontario’s lobbying rules, which is especially worrying given the government’s temporary rollbacks of some environmental protections.
“I am very concerned,” co-founder Duff Conacher said. “The Ford government has already used the coronavirus crisis as an excuse to cut some key environment-protection laws, and will likely try to cut other key big-business accountability and responsibility laws and enforcement actions to allow for more polluting, abuse of workers and communities and gouging and abuse of consumers than is already happening."
Under Ontario’s lobbying rules, you do not need to register or disclose lobbying activity if you receive a written invitation to do so.
Last month, as COVID-19 worsened, the Ontario government also suspended portions of its environmental-oversight rules, saying they could hinder its response to the pandemic. Government ministries do not have to consult the public or consider environmental values as they make decisions until 30 days after Ontario’s state of emergency ends, which critics said was an unnecessary overreach.


nationalobserver--2020-05-01--Ontario allowing some businesses to reopen

Ontario is getting closer to starting its COVID-19 recovery plan , allowing some businesses shuttered during the pandemic to reopen , Premier Doug Ford said Friday .
The premier previously said Ontario 's reopening would be slow and gradual .
The list of businesses allowed to open Friday is slim and focused on outdoor activity , including garden centres , landscaping and several broad categories of construction projects — as laid out in the provincial reopening plan announced Monday .
Bars , restaurants and most retail are excluded .
`` We are allowing certain businesses to reopen under strict guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safely and adapt to the current environment , ” Ford said .
“ While further reductions in the spread are needed before we can begin reopening the province , we have the right framework and the right workplace guidelines in place to do so gradually and safely.
” Ford said the province had given businesses 60 new guidelines for worker and customer safety , with Ontario chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams giving recommendations .
The province has hired additional workplace inspectors to ensure those rules are enforced .
Ford also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning its full reopening plan , which can only start when new case numbers decline for at least two weeks .
• 'COVID-19 kills in many ways ' : The suicide crisis facing health-care workers • Long-term care homes were in crisis well before politicians woke up to the problem The following businesses will be allowed to open at 12:01 a.m. on Monday , May 4 : • Garden centres and plant nurseries that can do delivery or pickup .
• Some `` essential '' construction projects , including those for shipping and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ municipal projects , colleges and universities , child-care centres , schools and site preparation , excavation and servicing for institutional , commercial , industrial and residential development .
The list also includes any other construction `` that supports the improved delivery of goods and services . ''
Golf courses and marinas may also start preparing for their upcoming seasons , but they are not allowed to open to the public .
More businesses may be allowed to reopen soon , Ford said .
`` We 're heading in the right direction , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have reason to be optimistic . ''
Rocco Rossi , president and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce , says businesses need more help acquiring and using PPE as they are allowed to reopen .
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce , which represents 60,000 of the province 's businesses , said the government 's announcement was a `` thoughtful '' and good step .
But president and CEO Rocco Rossi also called for more help for businesses and the public in using personal protective equipment ( PPE ) that can greatly reduce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ For many employers and employees , this pandemic was their first experience with using PPE and/or meeting stricter health and safety standards , '' Rossi said in a statement Friday .
`` In the rush to acquire and distribute PPE , many businesses may not have had the time or knowledge to appropriately educate their employees on best practices for use . ''
Rossi also said the chamber has heard from business owners worried about being able to find PPE , which has been in short supply globally for months , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We hope all levels of government will provide support to the business community , so that we can get our economy moving quickly and safely.
” Editor 's Note : This story was updated at 5:06 p.m. Eastern time to include reaction from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and updated at 6:21 p.m. to clarify that the province 's re-opening plan is not yet in motion .

Ontario is getting closer to starting its COVID-19 recovery plan, allowing some businesses shuttered during the pandemic to reopen, Premier Doug Ford said Friday.
The premier previously said Ontario's reopening would be slow and gradual. The list of businesses allowed to open Friday is slim and focused on outdoor activity, including garden centres, landscaping and several broad categories of construction projects — as laid out in the provincial reopening plan announced Monday. Bars, restaurants and most retail are excluded.
"We are allowing certain businesses to reopen under strict guidelines because we are confident they can operate safely and adapt to the current environment,” Ford said. “While further reductions in the spread are needed before we can begin reopening the province, we have the right framework and the right workplace guidelines in place to do so gradually and safely.”
Ford said the province had given businesses 60 new guidelines for worker and customer safety, with Ontario chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams giving recommendations. The province has hired additional workplace inspectors to ensure those rules are enforced.
Ford also emphasized that the province is not yet beginning its full reopening plan, which can only start when new case numbers decline for at least two weeks.


nationalobserver--2020-05-01--Feds set to ban assault-style rifles

Feds set to ban assault-style rifles

The federal government is poised to begin fulfilling a key electoral promise by banning a variety of assault-style rifles , including the type used in the 1989 mass shooting in Montreal .
During the fall election campaign , the Liberals said guns designed to inflict multiple human casualties have no place in Canada .
One source familiar with the plan , but not authorized to speak about it publicly , said the government intends to issue orders-in-council within days to ban several rifles , including the Ruger Mini-14 used to kill 14 women at Montreal 's Ecole Polytechnique .
Owners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ban would be offered fair-market prices through a buyback program .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday there is a `` large consensus '' among Canadians who want less violence and fewer deaths from firearms .
• 'COVID-19 kills in many ways ' : The suicide crisis facing health-care workers • Long-term care homes were in crisis well before politicians woke up to the problem `` There is no need in Canada for guns designed to kill the largest amount of people in the shortest amount of time , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of issues .
`` We will have more to say on this when we make an announcement around what we 're doing to strengthen gun control in the coming days . ''
The government was almost ready to introduce measures to outlaw specific guns , including the popular AR-15 rifle , when Parliament suspended in March because of COVID-19 , Trudeau said .
It also plans to empower provinces and cities to take steps to manage the storage and use of handguns within their individual jurisdictions , given that they have different concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pledges following the recent deadly shootings by a Nova Scotia gunman .
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair has come under pressure to move quickly on measures that do not require legislation — now even more of a factor given the severely curtailed parliamentary agenda due to the novel coronavirus .
Feds to ban gun used in Montreal massacre , other assault-style rifles The group PolySeSouvient , which includes students and graduates of Ecole Polytechnique , urged Blair in November to take action .
Opponents of the federal plan to outlaw some guns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If this was an urgent public safety issue , why did Bill Blair and the Liberal party insist on waiting until after the 2019 federal election to even contemplate seizing and destroying these guns ? ''
the Canadian Shooting Sports Association asked last month .
The Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association tweeted Thursday the public should be concerned about `` this overstepping of emergency powers '' to advance an election agenda during a national crisis .
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told a news briefing Thursday that stricter gun control is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` This was one of the key planks in our election campaign , and we received a strong mandate from Canadians to act on gun control .
This was our intention and it is our intention , '' she said .

The federal government is poised to begin fulfilling a key electoral promise by banning a variety of assault-style rifles, including the type used in the 1989 mass shooting in Montreal. During the fall election campaign, the Liberals said guns designed to inflict multiple human casualties have no place in Canada. One source familiar with the plan, but not authorized to speak about it publicly, said the government intends to issue orders-in-council within days to ban several rifles, including the Ruger Mini-14 used to kill 14 women at Montreal's Ecole Polytechnique. Owners of legally purchased firearms that fall under the ban would be offered fair-market prices through a buyback program. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday there is a "large consensus" among Canadians who want less violence and fewer deaths from firearms.
"There is no need in Canada for guns designed to kill the largest amount of people in the shortest amount of time," he said during a news briefing on a number of issues. "We will have more to say on this when we make an announcement around what we're doing to strengthen gun control in the coming days." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The government was almost ready to introduce measures to outlaw specific guns, including the popular AR-15 rifle, when Parliament suspended in March because of COVID-19, Trudeau said.
It also plans to empower provinces and cities to take steps to manage the storage and use of handguns within their individual jurisdictions, given that they have different concerns. Feds to ban gun used in Montreal massacre, other assault-style rifles Trudeau has faced renewed questions about the pledges following the recent deadly shootings by a Nova Scotia gunman. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair has come under pressure to move quickly on measures that do not require legislation — now even more of a factor given the severely curtailed parliamentary agenda due to the novel coronavirus. The group PolySeSouvient, which includes students and graduates of Ecole Polytechnique, urged Blair in November to take action. Opponents of the federal plan to outlaw some guns also question the federal timetable.
"If this was an urgent public safety issue, why did Bill Blair and the Liberal party insist on waiting until after the 2019 federal election to even contemplate seizing and destroying these guns?" the Canadian Shooting Sports Association asked last month. The Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association tweeted Thursday the public should be concerned about "this overstepping of emergency powers" to advance an election agenda during a national crisis. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told a news briefing Thursday that stricter gun control is an absolute priority that cannot wait.


nationalobserver--2020-05-02--Rural seniors on low incomes falling through COVID-19 funding cracks

“ I get the sense there are a lot of seniors in that bracket , ” said Kidd .
“ I guess I classify myself as having a poverty line income.
” Kidd , 71 , says his yearly income comes in around the $ 20,000 dollar mark , and that includes the top up from the federal government ’ s guaranteed income supplement ( GIS ) .
Quadra Island senior Derik Kidd says he ’ s being stretched to make ends meet on a marginal income with the increased costs he ’ s facing during the novel coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his limited budget , he said .
Recently , when he couldn ’ t get the inhalers he needed at the Quadra Island pharmacy , he had to pay a service $ 40 to take the ferry off island and pick them up for him in Campbell River .
Kidd , who has obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) and suffers the attendant respiratory issues , tries hard to self-isolate during the pandemic .
But that option has been curtailed with COVID-19 ’ s physical distancing protocols , he said .
Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and he doesn ’ t own a car , Kidd often relies on rides from friends or neighbours to get around or pick up what he needs .
An immediate increase to Old Age Security ( OAS ) , but more particularly the Guaranteed Income Supplement ( GIS ) , is the simplest , fastest and most effective way to support seniors during the pandemic , particularly those who are most economically vulnerable , Blaney said .
The North Island-Powell River MP says seniors aren ’ t necessarily facing the same number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canadians during the health crisis , but they are dealing with increased costs on low or fixed incomes .
Low-income seniors , particularly in rural and remote areas , are falling through the cracks when it comes to federal response funding during the COVID-19 pandemic , NDP party whip Rachel Blaney said .
“ And now , with the COVID crisis and the threats to food sources , I can ’ t see any thing other than prices going up.
” “ We have higher food prices on the island already .
Food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the incomes we have .
.
.
even before the virus , ” he said .
Kidd ’ s anticipates the price of food is only going to get higher , as disruptions to the supply chain , food production , and food processing during the pandemic consolidate .
Food costs are also higher with COVID-19 because he can no longer hitch a ride and share ferry costs with friends to buy cheaper supplies off island in Campbell River .
“ It requires me to alter my budget for other critical needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintenance needs for my trailer , which are mostly high cost to start with , ” he said .
Seniors on low fixed incomes who need to socially isolate are facing a series of extra costs for delivery , medications , or having tasks done for them , Blaney said .
There are more than 2 million seniors in Canada recieving the GIS , a spokesperson for the Ministry of Seniors confirmed Friday .
The GIS is a federal monthly non-taxable top up for ( OAS ) pension recipients who have a low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It means those already struggling financially are now in a deeper pit , ” she said .
Additionally , seniors are paying more dispensing fees for medications during COVID-19 , as pharmacies are refilling prescriptions one month at a time , rather than the usual three months , to protect medical supplies during the pandemic , Blaney observed .
The federal government has allocated half a billion dollars overall to charities , non-profits , community organizations and food banks to help vulnerable people , including seniors , with essential services and supplies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Seniors stated in an email Friday .
A total of $ 350 million dollars has been allocated to the Emergency Community Support Fund , whose national partners will use existing community-based networks , including those in rural and remote areas , to provide funds in line with local needs during pandemic , according to the ministry .
The funds may go to help provide seniors with services such as transportation to medical appointments or the delivery of groceries or medications .
Additionally , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has signalled more work underway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and there will be further announcements , the ministry wrote .
Seniors living in rural or remote communities may not see benefits from the indirect funding the federal government is providing to non-profit organizations to assist older adults , Blaney observed .
“ Not that these organizations aren ’ t doing good work .
But those groups may not have a way to get into rural isolated communities , or a way to identify who is doing that work , ” Blaney said .
“ That ’ s a huge gap.
” Additionally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are necessarily connected to service providers in their community , nor is it entirely clear how or when those funds would roll out , she added .
Canada ’ s population includes close to 6.6 million seniors who accounted for 17.5 per cent of the population , as of July 1 , 2019 .
Older adults are the fastest-growing demographic group in Canada .
By 2037 , the number of seniors will reach 9.6 million , representing close to one quarter of Canada ’ s population .
Close to 4 per cent Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , lived in poverty in 2018 , according to the most recent data from Statistics Canada .
Older adults that live alone are more likely to suffer from poverty than seniors that live in families .
The single seniors poverty rate was nearly eight per cent compared to just under two per cent for seniors living in family units .
Isobel Mackenzie , B.C.
’ s independent seniors ’ advocate , said seniors might not be facing a reduction in their income during the pandemic but they are facing economic stessors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ very close to the margins and they face challenges to pay for the rising cost of food , extra services , or access to internet that they might previously have accessed for free at public facilities such as libraries and seniors centres , Mackenzie said .
“ If we look in British Columbia , there ’ s about 56 thousand seniors whose income is about $ 19,000 thousand , maybe $ 20,000 dollars a year , ” Mackenzie said .
There are one million seniors in B.C .
and approximately a quarter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 56 thousand seniors are also getting the provincial government ’ s top up , the B.C .
seniors supplement , Mackenzie said .
“ The way to look at it is…if if you ’ re on the GIS , you are at the poverty line , ” she said .
`` And if you are on the ( B.C . )
seniors supplement , you ’ re really below the poverty line.
” As a COVID-19 measure , the B.C .
government has boosted the provincial seniors supplement by $ 300 a month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total increase of $ 900 annually to a senior on a low income is not insignificant , said Mackenzie , and may allow a senior to afford the Internet for a year , if they budget carefully .
However , B.C .
has one of the lowest provincial seniors supplement in Canada with a maximum monthly amount of $ 49.30 for a single senior and $ 120.50 for senior couples , and it has not increased since 1987 , according to the seniors advocate 's 2019 monitoring report .
In terms of federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a single senior is $ 613.53 month , and $ 916.38 for the GIS , which an older adult can apply for if their income is less than $ 18,600 a year .
As a result , a low-income single senior in B.C .
typically can receive a maximum of $ 1,579.21 per month in federal and provincial income supports , or approximately $ 19,000 a year .
Another COVID-19 support measure the federal government provides is a supplementary GST credit , which benefits low and modest income seniors .
The one-time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , almost $ 400 per adult and $ 600 per couple , according to the Ministry of Seniors .
Kidd said he uses his GST tax credits and the recent supplement to pay down debt on a line of credit accumulated from running his business before he retired .
There ’ s often the assumption that seniors have company pensions , or RRSP ’ s to flesh out their retirement income , Kidd said .
But some seniors , such as himself , don ’ t have those income investments and are even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fixed income , he said .
“ I ’ m sure I ’ m not the only one in that position , ” said Kidd .
Mackenzie observed that the GIS is a fairly uniform way to identify low and very low income seniors in Canada .
Although , she noted , seniors who don ’ t quite meet the requirements to receive GIS aren ’ t going to be in much better shape financially than those who do .
But increasing the GIS , along with the scheduled increase to the OAS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerable seniors on fixed incomes meet rising costs during the pandemic .
“ Given the circumstances of the day…it would be an effective way of getting some additional money to fairly low income seniors or those living at or below the income poverty line in Canada during some very uncertain times , ” Mackenzie said .

But that option has been curtailed with COVID-19’s physical distancing protocols, he said.
Since there is no public transit on Quadra, and he doesn’t own a car, Kidd often relies on rides from friends or neighbours to get around or pick up what he needs.
“I get the sense there are a lot of seniors in that bracket,” said Kidd. “I guess I classify myself as having a poverty line income.”
Kidd, 71, says his yearly income comes in around the $20,000 dollar mark, and that includes the top up from the federal government’s guaranteed income supplement (GIS).
Quadra Island senior Derik Kidd says he’s being stretched to make ends meet on a marginal income with the increased costs he’s facing during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
A cost like that has implications for his limited budget, he said.
Recently, when he couldn’t get the inhalers he needed at the Quadra Island pharmacy, he had to pay a service $40 to take the ferry off island and pick them up for him in Campbell River.
Kidd, who has obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and suffers the attendant respiratory issues, tries hard to self-isolate during the pandemic.
“And now, with the COVID crisis and the threats to food sources, I can’t see any thing other than prices going up.”
“We have higher food prices on the island already. Food costs are hard enough to budget for on the incomes we have . . . even before the virus,” he said.
Kidd’s anticipates the price of food is only going to get higher, as disruptions to the supply chain, food production, and food processing during the pandemic consolidate.
Food costs are also higher with COVID-19 because he can no longer hitch a ride and share ferry costs with friends to buy cheaper supplies off island in Campbell River.
“It requires me to alter my budget for other critical needs such as groceries, clothing needs, maintenance needs for my trailer, which are mostly high cost to start with,” he said.
The North Island-Powell River MP says seniors aren’t necessarily facing the same number of job losses suffered by millions of Canadians during the health crisis, but they are dealing with increased costs on low or fixed incomes.
Low-income seniors, particularly in rural and remote areas, are falling through the cracks when it comes to federal response funding during the COVID-19 pandemic, NDP party whip Rachel Blaney said.
An immediate increase to Old Age Security (OAS), but more particularly the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), is the simplest, fastest and most effective way to support seniors during the pandemic, particularly those who are most economically vulnerable, Blaney said.
The GIS is a federal monthly non-taxable top up for (OAS) pension recipients who have a low income and are living in Canada.
There are more than 2 million seniors in Canada recieving the GIS, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Seniors confirmed Friday.
Seniors on low fixed incomes who need to socially isolate are facing a series of extra costs for delivery, medications, or having tasks done for them, Blaney said.
“It means those already struggling financially are now in a deeper pit,” she said.
Additionally, seniors are paying more dispensing fees for medications during COVID-19, as pharmacies are refilling prescriptions one month at a time, rather than the usual three months, to protect medical supplies during the pandemic, Blaney observed.
The federal government has allocated half a billion dollars overall to charities, non-profits, community organizations and food banks to help vulnerable people, including seniors, with essential services and supplies during the COVID-19 crisis, the Ministry of Seniors stated in an email Friday.
A total of $350 million dollars has been allocated to the Emergency Community Support Fund, whose national partners will use existing community-based networks, including those in rural and remote areas, to provide funds in line with local needs during pandemic, according to the ministry.
The funds may go to help provide seniors with services such as transportation to medical appointments or the delivery of groceries or medications.
Additionally, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has signalled more work underway to support seniors during the pandemic, and there will be further announcements, the ministry wrote.
Seniors living in rural or remote communities may not see benefits from the indirect funding the federal government is providing to non-profit organizations to assist older adults, Blaney observed.
“Not that these organizations aren’t doing good work. But those groups may not have a way to get into rural isolated communities, or a way to identify who is doing that work,” Blaney said. “That’s a huge gap.”
Additionally, not all vulnerable, low-income seniors are necessarily connected to service providers in their community, nor is it entirely clear how or when those funds would roll out, she added.
Canada’s population includes close to 6.6 million seniors who accounted for 17.5 per cent of the population, as of July 1, 2019.
Older adults are the fastest-growing demographic group in Canada. By 2037, the number of seniors will reach 9.6 million, representing close to one quarter of Canada’s population.
Close to 4 per cent Canada’s seniors, or approximately 216,000 people, lived in poverty in 2018, according to the most recent data from Statistics Canada.
Older adults that live alone are more likely to suffer from poverty than seniors that live in families.
The single seniors poverty rate was nearly eight per cent compared to just under two per cent for seniors living in family units.
Isobel Mackenzie, B.C.’s independent seniors’ advocate, said seniors might not be facing a reduction in their income during the pandemic but they are facing economic stessors.
A significant number of seniors are living very close to the margins and they face challenges to pay for the rising cost of food, extra services, or access to internet that they might previously have accessed for free at public facilities such as libraries and seniors centres, Mackenzie said.
Isobel Mackenzie, B.C.’s independent seniors’ advocate says seniors living on marginal incomes are facing increased costs due to rising prices and inability to access regular supports during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo: courtesy of the B.C.'s Seniors Advocate.
“If we look in British Columbia, there’s about 56 thousand seniors whose income is about $19,000 thousand, maybe $20,000 dollars a year,” Mackenzie said.
There are one million seniors in B.C. and approximately a quarter of them live on the GIC. And 56 thousand seniors are also getting the provincial government’s top up, the B.C. seniors supplement, Mackenzie said.
“The way to look at it is…if if you’re on the GIS, you are at the poverty line,” she said. "And if you are on the (B.C.) seniors supplement, you’re really below the poverty line.”
As a COVID-19 measure, the B.C. government has boosted the provincial seniors supplement by $300 a month for the next three months.
A total increase of $900 annually to a senior on a low income is not insignificant, said Mackenzie, and may allow a senior to afford the Internet for a year, if they budget carefully.
However, B.C. has one of the lowest provincial seniors supplement in Canada with a maximum monthly amount of $49.30 for a single senior and $120.50 for senior couples, and it has not increased since 1987, according to the seniors advocate's 2019 monitoring report.
In terms of federal support the maximum allowable amount for OAS for a single senior is $613.53 month, and $916.38 for the GIS, which an older adult can apply for if their income is less than $18,600 a year.
As a result, a low-income single senior in B.C. typically can receive a maximum of $1,579.21 per month in federal and provincial income supports, or approximately $19,000 a year.
Another COVID-19 support measure the federal government provides is a supplementary GST credit, which benefits low and modest income seniors.
The one-time supplementary payment is worth, on average, almost $400 per adult and $600 per couple, according to the Ministry of Seniors.
Kidd said he uses his GST tax credits and the recent supplement to pay down debt on a line of credit accumulated from running his business before he retired.
There’s often the assumption that seniors have company pensions, or RRSP’s to flesh out their retirement income, Kidd said.
But some seniors, such as himself, don’t have those income investments and are even budgeting for debt load payments on their fixed income, he said.
“I’m sure I’m not the only one in that position,” said Kidd.
Mackenzie observed that the GIS is a fairly uniform way to identify low and very low income seniors in Canada.
Although, she noted, seniors who don’t quite meet the requirements to receive GIS aren’t going to be in much better shape financially than those who do.
But increasing the GIS, along with the scheduled increase to the OAS in July, could help some economically vulnerable seniors on fixed incomes meet rising costs during the pandemic.
“Given the circumstances of the day…it would be an effective way of getting some additional money to fairly low income seniors or those living at or below the income poverty line in Canada during some very uncertain times,” Mackenzie said.
Rochelle Baker / Local Journalism Initiative / the National Observer


nationalobserver--2020-05-02--B.C. groups divided by Trudeau’s ‘assault-style’ firearms ban

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 's immediate ban on “ assault-style ” firearms is being praised by a Vancouver-based anti-violence group as a “ long overdue ” step that will help save potential victims , but denounced by gun clubs in Abbotsford and Prince George as a “ disgusting , ” wrong-headed approach to public safety .
Trudeau unveiled cabinet orders on Friday prohibiting approximately 1,500 types of guns , including future variants , as well as other gun components .
The federal government tied the policy shift to a range of incentives , from cracking down on “ gun violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of society to enacting “ feminist ” ideas .
“ With each passing year , more families are ripped apart by tragedy .
More parents are struggling to explain the inexplicable to their kids and more teenagers are growing up in a world where gun violence is normalized , ” Trudeau said during a press conference in Ottawa .
“ It needs to stop.
” Licensed owners of the banned guns will no longer be able to use them , whether that be for hunting , shooting sports , target practice at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another owner .
There is an exception in the new rules for Indigenous people exercising their constitutional hunting rights , as well as for those who hunt for food .
The government put in place a two-year amnesty period for owners of the newly banned guns to protect them from criminal liability until April 30 , 2022 , and is promising to table legislation in the future to implement a buyback program .
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1/2 Last night we shared a moment of mourning honouring the victims of the biggest mass murder that has ever occurred in Canada .
22 people gunned down or burned to death in their homes by a domestic violence motivated male who went off and killed everyone he could .
— EVA BC ( @ EndViolenceBC ) April 25 , 2020 For Tracy Porteous , executive director of the Ending Violence Association of British Columbia , “ this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the top risk factors identified by the B.C .
coroner during its investigations into domestic violence has been access to weapons , and a quarter of all domestic-violence homicides are committed using guns .
Trudeau 's move to immediately ban 'assault-style ' firearms is being praised by a Vancouver-based anti-violence group as a long overdue step but denounced by hunting and fishing clubs as a wrongheaded approach to public safety .
“ So there 's a direct and dangerous correlation between domestic violence and gun violence , ” Porteous said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ control is long overdue , and hopefully will foster an atmosphere here in B.C .
that will help keep potential victims of gender-based violence out of harm ’ s way . ''
In his remarks , Trudeau raised the spectre of mass shootings , such as at École Polytechnique in 1989 when 14 women were killed ; at a Quebec City mosque in 2017 where six were killed ; and last week in Nova Scotia , in the deadliest mass shooting in Canada ’ s history , leaving 22 people dead .
Porteous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Polytechnique shootings , saying “ any gun-control efforts are important steps toward lowering the rate of gender-based violence , both provincially and federally.
” Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said that during the coronavirus pandemic , there has been a rise in gender-based and domestic violence , including a 300 per cent rise in calls to B.C.
’ s Battered Women 's Support Services .
“ In saying no to assault-style weapons , we are putting feminist ideas into practice , ” she said .
‘ Clubs are members of the community ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prince George Rod and Gun Club , the new rules make no sense .
He said the list of banned guns “ has been built with emotion ” and focuses government energy on the types of guns that people own , and on legal gun owners , rather than targeting crime or bolstering mental-health support .
“ This call for a ban now comes when many owners are already feeling the economic impact of COVID-19 , and now may face having thousands of dollars worth of legally bought and taxed property taken from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ Gun clubs will also feel the burden and memberships will decline .
Clubs are members of the community , often sponsoring youth programs ( and ) scholarships , and host training for police and other groups.
” Robert Engh , president of the Abbotsford Fish and Game Club , said the government ’ s ban will needlessly impact the fast-growing sport of practical shooting , organized under the International Practical Shooting Confederation .
He said his club has gone from fewer than 300 members a decade ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and most of that growth is connected with shooting sports .
The Abbotsford club holds regular events “ with zero negative consequences on the general public , ” he said .
As well , while civilians , military and ex-military people also compete in matches called “ service rifle ” that Engh said have been going on for 100 years , Friday ’ s ban makes civilian participation impossible .
“ To say this is disgusting is an understatement , ” Engh said .
“ That they would use ( a cabinet order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do it during the COVID-19 pandemic worse again.
” Today we prohibited over 1,500 models and variants of assault-style firearms in Canada - the market for these firearms in Canada is now closed .
The actions we 've taken today will help keep Canadians safe now , and in the future .
pic.twitter.com/IpdADDT3YV — Bill Blair ( @ BillBlair ) May 1 , 2020 The full list of banned guns was printed in the Canada Gazette , the government ’ s official publication .
It includes hundreds of versions of rifles based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ M4 models , as well as variants of the SG-550 rifle and SG-551 carbine , the Ruger Mini-14 , the Vz58 , CZ Scorpion , Cx4 Storm , SIG MCX carbine and others .
The term “ assault-style firearm ” is used in the government regulations , although it is a term generally not used by gun manufacturers .
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said police chiefs and victims ’ families have been calling for a ban “ for decades ” and declared that the list of banned guns “ belong on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said the government was “ ending the proliferation of these weapons and the militarization of our society.
” He gave a nod to “ hunters and farmers and target shooters , ” saying “ nothing that we are doing today or will do in the future is intended to interfere with this lawful , responsible and legal activity.
” However , he argued the banned guns serve no civilian purpose — and noted the two long guns involved in the Nova Scotia shooting were included on the list of banned weapons Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have so far suggested the Nova Scotia shooter was unlicensed and illegally obtained his weapons almost entirely from the United States .
“ The terminology used by the government that all these guns are designed to kill the most people in the shortest amount of time is simply inflammatory , and lacks any fact- or science-based rationale , ” Tomlinson said .
Trudeau similarly said the vast majority of gun owners use them safely and responsibly .
“ But , ” he added , “ you don ’ t need an AR-15 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that was misleading as the government has already banned those from hunting .
But he added many people , including about 75 at his club , use another newly banned gun , the STAG-10 , based on the AR-10 rifle , for hunting .
“ Ultimately , licensed owners are again being targeted as low-hanging fruit , rather than government investing in real solutions , ” said Tomlinson .

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's immediate ban on “assault-style” firearms is being praised by a Vancouver-based anti-violence group as a “long overdue” step that will help save potential victims, but denounced by gun clubs in Abbotsford and Prince George as a “disgusting,” wrong-headed approach to public safety. Trudeau unveiled cabinet orders on Friday prohibiting approximately 1,500 types of guns, including future variants, as well as other gun components. The federal government tied the policy shift to a range of incentives, from cracking down on “gun violence” to ending the “militarization” of society to enacting “feminist” ideas. “With each passing year, more families are ripped apart by tragedy. More parents are struggling to explain the inexplicable to their kids and more teenagers are growing up in a world where gun violence is normalized,” Trudeau said during a press conference in Ottawa. “It needs to stop.” Licensed owners of the banned guns will no longer be able to use them, whether that be for hunting, shooting sports, target practice at a gun range or selling or transferring to another owner. There is an exception in the new rules for Indigenous people exercising their constitutional hunting rights, as well as for those who hunt for food. The government put in place a two-year amnesty period for owners of the newly banned guns to protect them from criminal liability until April 30, 2022, and is promising to table legislation in the future to implement a buyback program.
http://twitter.com/EndViolenceBC/status/1254141396467908608 ‘This is a long time coming’ Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions For Tracy Porteous, executive director of the Ending Violence Association of British Columbia, “this is a long time coming.”
Porteous said one of the top risk factors identified by the B.C. coroner during its investigations into domestic violence has been access to weapons, and a quarter of all domestic-violence homicides are committed using guns. Trudeau's move to immediately ban 'assault-style' firearms is being praised by a Vancouver-based anti-violence group as a long overdue step but denounced by hunting and fishing clubs as a wrongheaded approach to public safety. “So there's a direct and dangerous correlation between domestic violence and gun violence,” Porteous said. “This big step in nationwide gun control is long overdue, and hopefully will foster an atmosphere here in B.C. that will help keep potential victims of gender-based violence out of harm’s way." In his remarks, Trudeau raised the spectre of mass shootings, such as at École Polytechnique in 1989 when 14 women were killed; at a Quebec City mosque in 2017 where six were killed; and last week in Nova Scotia, in the deadliest mass shooting in Canada’s history, leaving 22 people dead. Porteous also noted the Nova Scotia and École Polytechnique shootings, saying “any gun-control efforts are important steps toward lowering the rate of gender-based violence, both provincially and federally.”
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said that during the coronavirus pandemic, there has been a rise in gender-based and domestic violence, including a 300 per cent rise in calls to B.C.’s Battered Women's Support Services. “In saying no to assault-style weapons, we are putting feminist ideas into practice,” she said. The Prince George Rod and Gun Club 1,000-metre range. Photo courtesy PGRGC