nationalobserver--2020-08-26--Ottawa sending Ontario $381 million for school reopening plans

Ontario will receive nearly $ 800 million in federal funding to bolster its school reopening plans , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday .
In total , Ottawa is sending $ 2 billion to the provinces as part of its new “ Safe Return to Class Fund.
” Trudeau sidestepped questions about whether the cash infusion implies that the federal government does n't feel provincial back-to-school plans are adequate .
“ Parents were still concerned .
We said , 'Let 's give the provinces even more resources , ' ” Trudeau said , adding that Ottawa respects that education is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the provinces ) choose to do will be up to them.
” Ottawa has “ no intention ” to interfere with provincial plans , Trudeau said .
The funding announcement is a top-up , which can be used for everything from protective supplies and hand sanitizer to online learning and ventilation system upgrades .
Half of the funding — allocated based on student population — will be available for the fall , while the other half will flow early next year .
• As back-to-school looms , what legal options do Ontario ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate plan has a carbon price — just do n't call it a tax • Trudeau confidence vote means NDP holds all the cards — and a chance to ditch TMX for good “ We wanted to make sure that resources were n't an overly limiting factor , ” Trudeau said .
“ When it comes to keeping our kids safe , we 're all in this together , ” he said .
The Ontario provincial and federal NDP said that money should have come months ago and must be leveraged to shrink @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In late July , the Ford government set aside just over $ 300 million in additional funding to help schools across the province deal with the safety risks associated with reopening while COVID-19 remains a serious public health crisis .
That plan will see many high school students attend class part-time to reduce numbers , while elementary school classes were kept at pre-pandemic sizes .
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh , speaking at a news conference in Toronto with Ontario NDP education critic Marit Stiles , said Wednesday that the federal government had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and should have known it would need to step in to help provinces safely reopen schools .
`` Parents were still concerned .
We said , let 's give the provinces even more resources , '' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said .
“ Now we 're just weeks away from schools starting , ” he said .
“ This should have happened months ago , and we 've been calling for this for months.
” Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks to reporters outside a Toronto school on Aug. 26 , 2020 as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Screenshot of live stream Trudeau did n't answer questions Wednesday about why Ottawa did n't send the funding sooner .
But he said the money is intended to help schools manage a possible second wave of COVID-19 this fall , or to help with other measures that may not have been top priority as governments have scrambled to set plans for September .
Stiles said Ottawa should place conditions on the funding and ask the provinces to shrink class sizes .
“ We need to cut class sizes and certainly we would like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pony up and do better than what is their bargain-basement scheme to deal with COVID-19 in our classrooms , ” she said .
No such conditions were listed in Ottawa 's initial outline of the plan , but Trudeau said the provinces would have to report to the federal government on how they used the first half of the funding in order to receive the second .
In a press release , Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce said the federal investment “ complements ” what Ontario has set aside already .
The first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 381 million , to be used to hire more teachers , procure protective equipment , upgrade air ventilation systems , improve internet connectivity , improve remote learning , hire school bus drivers , lower the number of students per bus , bolster mental health programs and hire additional nurses for schools .
Ontario is also setting aside $ 50 million for any “ any future pandemic learning needs , ” the province said in the statement .
Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said he wanted to see the Ford government match its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the amount allocated showed that “ our starvation diet of just over $ 300 million to return kids to class shows us how inadequate that sum has been all along .
”

Ontario will receive nearly $800 million in federal funding to bolster its school reopening plans, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday. In total, Ottawa is sending $2 billion to the provinces as part of its new “Safe Return to Class Fund.” Trudeau sidestepped questions about whether the cash infusion implies that the federal government doesn't feel provincial back-to-school plans are adequate. “Parents were still concerned. We said, 'Let's give the provinces even more resources,'” Trudeau said, adding that Ottawa respects that education is a provincial responsibility. “What (the provinces) choose to do will be up to them.” Ottawa has “no intention” to interfere with provincial plans, Trudeau said. The funding announcement is a top-up, which can be used for everything from protective supplies and hand sanitizer to online learning and ventilation system upgrades. Half of the funding — allocated based on student population — will be available for the fall, while the other half will flow early next year.
“We wanted to make sure that resources weren't an overly limiting factor,” Trudeau said. Ontario Premier Doug Ford told reporters the funding is “good news.” Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “When it comes to keeping our kids safe, we're all in this together,” he said.
The Ontario provincial and federal NDP said that money should have come months ago and must be leveraged to shrink the number of students in classrooms. "Parents were still concerned. We said, let's give the provinces even more resources," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. In late July, the Ford government set aside just over $300 million in additional funding to help schools across the province deal with the safety risks associated with reopening while COVID-19 remains a serious public health crisis. That plan will see many high school students attend class part-time to reduce numbers, while elementary school classes were kept at pre-pandemic sizes. Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, speaking at a news conference in Toronto with Ontario NDP education critic Marit Stiles, said Wednesday that the federal government had been distracted by its own troubles, and should have known it would need to step in to help provinces safely reopen schools. “Now we're just weeks away from schools starting,” he said. “This should have happened months ago, and we've been calling for this for months.” Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks to reporters outside a Toronto school on Aug. 26, 2020 as TDSB trustee Jennifer Story looks on. Screenshot of live stream
Trudeau didn't answer questions Wednesday about why Ottawa didn't send the funding sooner. But he said the money is intended to help schools manage a possible second wave of COVID-19 this fall, or to help with other measures that may not have been top priority as governments have scrambled to set plans for September. Stiles said Ottawa should place conditions on the funding and ask the provinces to shrink class sizes. “We need to cut class sizes and certainly we would like to see the provincial government here actually pony up and do better than what is their bargain-basement scheme to deal with COVID-19 in our classrooms,” she said.


nationalobserver--2020-08-26--Misinformation plays role in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: Tam

Canada 's chief public health officer is warning against the spread of online untruths about vaccines , as a new survey suggests some Canadians are worried about getting inoculated against COVID-19 .
Dr. Theresa Tam made the comments during a news conference Tuesday while responding to the Statistics Canada survey , which found nearly one-quarter of respondents unlikely or unsure whether they would get a COVID-19 vaccine .
Many experts and political leaders have touted the successful development and widespread rollout of a vaccine as essential for an eventual return to normalcy , including the full reopening of economies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per cent of respondents in the Statistics Canada survey indicated they would likely get inoculated if and when a vaccine is ready .
Yet 14 per cent said they were somewhat or very unlikely to do so .
Nine per cent remained unsure .
Those who indicated they were unlikely to get a vaccine were asked to identify the reasons for their reluctance .
More than half cited a lack of confidence in its safety while a similar number said they were worried about potential risks and side effects .
• As back-to-school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s teachers have ?
• O'Toole 's climate plan has a carbon price — just do n't call it a tax • Trudeau confidence vote means NDP holds all the cards — and a chance to ditch TMX for good About one-quarter of respondents , who were allowed to give more than one answer , said they did not consider it necessary to get the vaccine while about 10 per cent indicated they did not believe in vaccines at all .
More than one-third said they would likely just wait until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicated younger Canadians and those who do n't have a university degree are more likely to be hesitant or nervous about a vaccine than those who are older and more educated .
The crowd-sourced survey of around 4,000 Canadians was conducted between June 15-21 .
It can not be given a margin of error because the participants do not represent a random sample .
Asked about the survey , Tam underscored the importance of `` vaccine confidence , '' describing it as integral to the successful rollout of vaccine .
She went on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any shortcuts with safety despite the government agreeing to several changes to the clinical-trial process to get a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed faster .
Canada 's chief public health officer is warning against the spread of online untruths about vaccines , as a new survey suggests some Canadians are worried about getting inoculated against COVID-19 .
`` Just because it 's an accelerated process to get vaccines for Canadians does not mean we 're going to shortchange anything on safety and effectiveness , '' Tam said .
`` I do have confidence in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took aim at the spread of falsehoods about vaccines online .
`` I do think social media and internet companies do have responsibilities in terms of their role in the space , '' she said .
`` So I would look towards different partners , different government departments also coming together to look at how we better address some of the misinformation that 's in that space . ''
She is not the first to speak out on this issue , as some have blamed the growing number and influence of anti-vaccination groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as measles .
Facebook announced last year that it would be cracking down on so-called `` anti-vaxxer '' groups , which included labelling posts deemed as containing false information about vaccines .
The social media giant now being sued by one such group in California .
Josh Greenberg , a communications professor at Carleton University who has been studying Canadians ' attitudes towards a COVID-19 vaccine , said safety concerns are n't unexpected , given the pressure governments and industry are facing to get something working fast .
Yet he said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misinformation campaigns , which have been growing in numbers and influence even as governments around the world have been slow to react .
`` When you look at issues like COVID-19 and the campaign to ready or prepare the public for the eventual release of a vaccine , you 're talking about a battle for both hearts and minds , '' Greenberg said .
`` It 's not just an information battle of trying to make sure that people have accurate information , but that you are persuading them in such a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information you 're providing and they also trust the source of that information . ''
While the world is rushing to find a vaccine for COVID-19 , new reports of several people having been reinfected with the novel coronavirus after testing positive once before raise concerns that it might be a moving target .
Deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo said the cases in Hong Kong , Belgium and the Netherlands highlight ongoing questions about immunity to COVID-19 and the need for an effective vaccine .
This report by The Canadian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 .

Canada's chief public health officer is warning against the spread of online untruths about vaccines, as a new survey suggests some Canadians are worried about getting inoculated against COVID-19. Dr. Theresa Tam made the comments during a news conference Tuesday while responding to the Statistics Canada survey, which found nearly one-quarter of respondents unlikely or unsure whether they would get a COVID-19 vaccine. Many experts and political leaders have touted the successful development and widespread rollout of a vaccine as essential for an eventual return to normalcy, including the full reopening of economies and ending physical distancing. More than 76 per cent of respondents in the Statistics Canada survey indicated they would likely get inoculated if and when a vaccine is ready. Yet 14 per cent said they were somewhat or very unlikely to do so. Nine per cent remained unsure. Those who indicated they were unlikely to get a vaccine were asked to identify the reasons for their reluctance. More than half cited a lack of confidence in its safety while a similar number said they were worried about potential risks and side effects.
About one-quarter of respondents, who were allowed to give more than one answer, said they did not consider it necessary to get the vaccine while about 10 per cent indicated they did not believe in vaccines at all. More than one-third said they would likely just wait until the vaccine seemed safe. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The survey also indicated younger Canadians and those who don't have a university degree are more likely to be hesitant or nervous about a vaccine than those who are older and more educated.
The crowd-sourced survey of around 4,000 Canadians was conducted between June 15-21. It cannot be given a margin of error because the participants do not represent a random sample. Canada's chief public health officer is warning against the spread of online untruths about vaccines, as a new survey suggests some Canadians are worried about getting inoculated against COVID-19. Asked about the survey, Tam underscored the importance of "vaccine confidence," describing it as integral to the successful rollout of vaccine. She went on to promise that regulators won't take any shortcuts with safety despite the government agreeing to several changes to the clinical-trial process to get a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed faster. "Just because it's an accelerated process to get vaccines for Canadians does not mean we're going to shortchange anything on safety and effectiveness," Tam said. "I do have confidence in our regulatory system." Tam also took aim at the spread of falsehoods about vaccines online.
"I do think social media and internet companies do have responsibilities in terms of their role in the space," she said. "So I would look towards different partners, different government departments also coming together to look at how we better address some of the misinformation that's in that space." She is not the first to speak out on this issue, as some have blamed the growing number and influence of anti-vaccination groups online for a resurgence in childhood diseases such as measles.


nationalobserver--2020-08-26--Social conservatives opposition to medically assisted dying will test O'Toole's leadership

Newly minted Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole 's ability to manage social conservatives in his caucus and party will be put to an early test this fall when the Liberal government reintroduces legislation on medical assistance in dying .
And it will be tested again when the government reintroduces a bill to ban conversion therapy , a discredited and traumatic practice aimed at repressing non-heterosexual behaviours or to make a person 's gender identity match the sex assigned at birth .
Both bills are controversial among social conservatives , who proved to be a decisive factor in O'Toole 's victory early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And O'Toole himself has raised concerns about them , notwithstanding his declared position as a pro-choice Conservative and LGBTQ rights advocate .
O'Toole has promised to put an end to the ambiguity on issues like abortion and gay rights that bedevilled his predecessor , Andrew Scheer , while respecting the right of social conservatives to express their views .
• As back-to-school looms , what legal options do Ontario ’ s teachers have ?
• O'Toole 's climate plan has a carbon price — just do n't call it a tax • Trudeau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cards — and a chance to ditch TMX for good He 'll get a chance to square that circle this fall as the government rushes to pass a bill to amend the law on assisted dying to conform with a court ruling last fall , which struck down a provision that allows only individuals already near death to end their lives with medical help .
The bill was first introduced in February but it was still in the initial stage of the legislative process when Parliament was adjourned in mid-March due to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order paper when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prorogued Parliament last week but the government intends to reintroduce it shortly after Parliament resumes on Sept. 23 .
The court , which initially gave the government six months to change the law , has since granted two extensions .
The government now has until Dec. 18 and Justice Minister David Lametti 's office says the government is determined to meet that deadline .
`` Our government has every intention of meeting the court 's deadline , '' said spokeswoman Rachel Rappaport .
O'Toole voted against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following a landmark Supreme Court ruling on the subject .
In his leadership platform , he courted social conservatives by promising to protect `` the conscience rights of all health care professionals whose beliefs , religious or otherwise , prevent them from carrying out or referring patients for services that violate their conscience . ''
Newly minted Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole 's ability to manage social conservatives in his caucus and party will be put to an early test this fall when the Liberal government reintroduces legislation on medical assistance in dying .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a unanimous Ontario Court of Appeal ruling in May 2019 , which said doctors who have moral objections to providing health services like abortion or assisted death must provide patients with an `` effective referral '' to another doctor .
Conservative MP Derek Sloan , an avowed social conservative who finished last in the four-person leadership contest , went a step further in his platform .
He promised to claw back equalization payments from provinces that do n't guarantee the conscience rights of health care professionals .
Leslyn Lewis , another unabashed social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the race , promised to stop the expansion of assisted dying to `` new categories '' of Canadians .
Between them , Lewis and Sloan scooped up more than 40 per cent of the votes cast .
When they were dropped off the ballot , thousands of their supporters moved to O'Toole , propelling him to a decisive third-ballot victory over Peter MacKay .
At his first news conference Tuesday since winning the leadership , O'Toole brushed off a Liberal dare to prove he 's not in the pocket of social conservatives by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Liberals accused Sloan of having made anti-choice , anti-LGBTQ comments , among them that the bill to ban conversion therapy is tantamount to legalized `` child abuse . ''
That bill was introduced in March , one week before Parliament was adjourned for the pandemic .
There is as yet no timetable for reintroducing it but Rappaport said , `` we will absolutely be moving forward with that commitment . ''
Some nine municipalities , including Calgary , Edmonton and Vancouver , have passed bylaws banning conversion therapy .
Ottawa city council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urging the federal government to quickly reintroduce the bill to ban the practice nationally .
Rappaport said the Liberal government hopes `` all political parties will join us in defending the rights of LGBTQ2 Canadians and unequivocally support a ban on conversion therapy . ''

Newly minted Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole's ability to manage social conservatives in his caucus and party will be put to an early test this fall when the Liberal government reintroduces legislation on medical assistance in dying. And it will be tested again when the government reintroduces a bill to ban conversion therapy, a discredited and traumatic practice aimed at repressing non-heterosexual behaviours or to make a person's gender identity match the sex assigned at birth. Both bills are controversial among social conservatives, who proved to be a decisive factor in O'Toole's victory early Monday in the Conservative leadership race. And O'Toole himself has raised concerns about them, notwithstanding his declared position as a pro-choice Conservative and LGBTQ rights advocate. O'Toole has promised to put an end to the ambiguity on issues like abortion and gay rights that bedevilled his predecessor, Andrew Scheer, while respecting the right of social conservatives to express their views.
He'll get a chance to square that circle this fall as the government rushes to pass a bill to amend the law on assisted dying to conform with a court ruling last fall, which struck down a provision that allows only individuals already near death to end their lives with medical help. The bill was first introduced in February but it was still in the initial stage of the legislative process when Parliament was adjourned in mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions It died on the order paper when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prorogued Parliament last week but the government intends to reintroduce it shortly after Parliament resumes on Sept. 23.
The court, which initially gave the government six months to change the law, has since granted two extensions. The government now has until Dec. 18 and Justice Minister David Lametti's office says the government is determined to meet that deadline. Newly minted Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole's ability to manage social conservatives in his caucus and party will be put to an early test this fall when the Liberal government reintroduces legislation on medical assistance in dying. "Our government has every intention of meeting the court's deadline," said spokeswoman Rachel Rappaport. O'Toole voted against the original bill that legalized assisted dying following a landmark Supreme Court ruling on the subject. In his leadership platform, he courted social conservatives by promising to protect "the conscience rights of all health care professionals whose beliefs, religious or otherwise, prevent them from carrying out or referring patients for services that violate their conscience." That promise flies in the face of a unanimous Ontario Court of Appeal ruling in May 2019, which said doctors who have moral objections to providing health services like abortion or assisted death must provide patients with an "effective referral" to another doctor. Conservative MP Derek Sloan, an avowed social conservative who finished last in the four-person leadership contest, went a step further in his platform. He promised to claw back equalization payments from provinces that don't guarantee the conscience rights of health care professionals.
Leslyn Lewis, another unabashed social conservative who finished a strong third in the race, promised to stop the expansion of assisted dying to "new categories" of Canadians. Between them, Lewis and Sloan scooped up more than 40 per cent of the votes cast. When they were dropped off the ballot, thousands of their supporters moved to O'Toole, propelling him to a decisive third-ballot victory over Peter MacKay. At his first news conference Tuesday since winning the leadership, O'Toole brushed off a Liberal dare to prove he's not in the pocket of social conservatives by booting Sloan out of the Conservative caucus.


nationalobserver--2020-08-26--Erin O'Toole promises to fight for West, human rights

Newly elected Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole said Tuesday that as leader , and as a prime minister , he will stand up for the rights of women and the LGBTQ community , and he intends to apply that fighting spirit to all his files .
His comments came in his first news conference after winning the race early Monday morning , a victory owed in part to thousands of supporters of avowed social conservative candidates .
Those party members backed O'Toole as their third choice , after he promised to always respect their concerns .
The Liberals wasted little time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that constituency , suggesting Tuesday he 's going to have to prove that 's not the case by kicking one of those candidates — Ontario MP Derek Sloan — out of caucus .
During the race , Sloan had spoken aggressively about the chief public health officer , as well as abortion and LGBTQ conversion therapy .
The language he used to discuss those issues was widely condemned as being racist and bigoted , which he denies .
O'Toole appeared to chalk Sloan 's rhetoric up to a heated leadership race , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ united team .
• As back-to-school looms , what legal options do Ontario ’ s teachers have ?
• O'Toole 's climate plan has a carbon price — just do n't call it a tax • Trudeau confidence vote means NDP holds all the cards — and a chance to ditch TMX for good No one should buy the Liberal spin , he said .
`` I won the leadership of the Conservative party as a pro-choice Conservative MP , one that won with a strong mandate , '' he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead as the leader of the Opposition and that 's how I 'll be as prime minister .
I 'm in politics to defend the rights of Canadians to secure a brighter future . ''
In remarks to his supporters posted to social media , Sloan said he intends to remain a member of the caucus .
He also vowed not to give up .
`` I will always stand up for the principles and the values that I ran on in this campaign and I wo n't back down , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to share my views with the new leader and I 'm confident he 'll listen . ''
Newly elected Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole said on Tuesday , August 25 , 2020 , that as leader , and as a prime minister , he will stand up for the rights of women and the LGBTQ community , and he intends to apply that fighting spirit to all his files .
O'Toole was also set to speak Tuesday with his two other challengers in the race , Leslyn Lewis and Peter MacKay .
Reaching out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is part of building his team to both guide the party in the House of Commons , but also in the next campaign .
Lewis will run as Conservative candidate in the next election .
The party will be ready for the next campaign whenever it comes , O'Toole said .
But he does n't necessarily intend to be the one to force an election in the confidence vote that will take place after the Liberals ' speech from the throne next month .
`` I 'm here to fight for the well-being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better solutions , faster responses and excellence in government , and ethical government , '' he said .
`` We will assess the government going forward on all those criteria . ''
O'Toole has already spoken to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau , where western alienation was a topic he brought up off the top .
The issue is of primary concern to Conservatives in the West who are watching O'Toole closely on the file .
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney , who had endorsed O'Toole , said Tuesday he also spoke with him for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has proven in the past he 's an ally for the West and will do so in the future , pointing to a commitment in O'Toole 's platform for legislation specifically to encourage the building of oil pipelines .
`` I have great confidence in his ability , his wisdom , and his total dedication for fairness for Alberta and a strong future for our resource industries . ''
O'Toole also intends to meet personally with Quebec Premier Francois Legault in the coming days .
Shoring up support in that province is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the leadership contenders , O'Toole handily won Quebec and on Tuesday , named former Quebec MP Alupa Clarke , who chaired his campaign in that province , as a special adviser .
Fred DeLorey , who ran O'Toole 's campaign overall , has also been named the manager of the next national election campaign .
The party also has a new executive director .
It has also decided to no longer apply for the federal wage subsidy program .
Its earlier choice to do so had been widely criticized by some grassroots members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization to be using the COVID-19 support program .
The leadership race was all about testing the preferences of the party 's grassroots and O'Toole 's task now is to read the tea leaves to figure out the path forward .
A strong signal was also sent by those who backed Lewis .
Lewis entered the campaign a relative unknown , but her efforts gained enough traction to see her finish with a strong third-place showing .
One element that helped propel Lewis forward was the fact she was clear on her social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do about it if she had won .
Former leader Andrew Scheer had faltered on that score on the campaign trail and it cost the party in the last federal election .
When asked Tuesday how else he 'd be different from Scheer , O'Toole was blunt .
`` I have a track record of serving Canada and getting things done , '' he said .
`` That 's why I 'm not famous , I 'm not well known .
I get things done , I do n't drop the ball .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was first published Aug. 25 , 2020 .

Newly elected Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole said Tuesday that as leader, and as a prime minister, he will stand up for the rights of women and the LGBTQ community, and he intends to apply that fighting spirit to all his files. His comments came in his first news conference after winning the race early Monday morning, a victory owed in part to thousands of supporters of avowed social conservative candidates. Those party members backed O'Toole as their third choice, after he promised to always respect their concerns. The Liberals wasted little time accusing him of being in the pocket of that constituency, suggesting Tuesday he's going to have to prove that's not the case by kicking one of those candidates — Ontario MP Derek Sloan — out of caucus. During the race, Sloan had spoken aggressively about the chief public health officer, as well as abortion and LGBTQ conversion therapy. The language he used to discuss those issues was widely condemned as being racist and bigoted, which he denies. O'Toole appeared to chalk Sloan's rhetoric up to a heated leadership race, and said he is part of a united team.
No one should buy the Liberal spin, he said. "I won the leadership of the Conservative party as a pro-choice Conservative MP, one that won with a strong mandate," he said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "That's how I'm going to lead as the leader of the Opposition and that's how I'll be as prime minister. I'm in politics to defend the rights of Canadians to secure a brighter future."
In remarks to his supporters posted to social media, Sloan said he intends to remain a member of the caucus. He also vowed not to give up. Newly elected Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole said on Tuesday, August 25, 2020, that as leader, and as a prime minister, he will stand up for the rights of women and the LGBTQ community, and he intends to apply that fighting spirit to all his files. "I will always stand up for the principles and the values that I ran on in this campaign and I won't back down," he said. "I'll be sure to share my views with the new leader and I'm confident he'll listen." O'Toole was also set to speak Tuesday with his two other challengers in the race, Leslyn Lewis and Peter MacKay. Reaching out to them, and their supporters, is part of building his team to both guide the party in the House of Commons, but also in the next campaign.
Lewis will run as Conservative candidate in the next election. The party will be ready for the next campaign whenever it comes, O'Toole said. But he doesn't necessarily intend to be the one to force an election in the confidence vote that will take place after the Liberals' speech from the throne next month.


nationalobserver--2020-08-26--St. John's planning for impacts of climate change, more intense storms

St. John 's is making changes to city infrastructure in preparation for a wetter , warmer future with more intense storms .
A report on climate models for the coastal Newfoundland and Labrador capital was presented at city hall earlier this month , predicting rainier winters , warmer summers and more frequent storms leading up to 2050 .
The report also predicted sea levels to rise through the end of the century .
The data will be used to inform a formal sustainability plan due next summer , but Coun .
Ian Froude said Tuesday some actions are already underway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions , but it 's a comprehensive look at what the key risks are going to be for the city of St. John 's due to climate change , '' Froude said .
`` It gives us the lay of the land . ''
Stakeholder groups will be set up next month to review the findings and `` narrow our focus '' on actions the city should take to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change , Froude said .
• As back-to-school looms , what legal options do Ontario ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate plan has a carbon price — just do n't call it a tax • Trudeau confidence vote means NDP holds all the cards — and a chance to ditch TMX for good He pointed to an ongoing capital works project on Kenmount Road that is increasing the size of the stormwater pipes under the street to prepare for more rainfall .
That project , he said , has slowed traffic along the busy road this summer and is one example of the costly , disruptive but necessary changes the city must make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Works and Sustainability Department , said adapting to climate change is challenging for an older city such as St. John 's , whose aging infrastructure was not built for the increased volume of water expected in the coming years .
According to the city 's climate profile outlined in the report , which draws from federal and regional research by climate scientists , `` the amount of precipitation is projected to increase overall . ''
`` St. John 's will be almost four times more likely to see a storm with approximately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by mid-century , '' the report reads , citing work by Memorial University of Newfoundland scientists .
It also notes that freezing rain events are projected to increase overall .
Less precipitation is expected to fall on the city during the winter , but weather events will have greater intensity .
Less snow is also projected , meaning `` it is likely that more winter precipitation will be freezing rain or rain . ''
`` Most storm events are projected to increase in frequency and intensity , specifically events with durations over 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ St. John 's is making changes to city infrastructure in preparation for a wetter , warmer future with more intense storms .
St. John 's residents are familiar with the impacts of an intense storm event and heavy precipitation following last winter 's a blizzard , which required the help of the Canadian military to clean up .
The city was under a state of emergency for eight days after the Jan. 17 blizzard buried streets in more than 76 centimetres of snow in a single day .
Although scientists maintain that individual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change , climate scientists told The Canadian Press at the time that the snowstorm highlighted the need for better preparedness for increasingly severe weather events .
Froude said it 's tricky to prioritize infrastructure upgrades .
He said some projects require more funds than the municipality has available .
The city , he said , is looking into placing berms or water-retaining walls along Rennie 's River in preparation for potential flooding from more frequent high-intensity storms .
But Froude warned St. John 's has to think about making changes without disrupting fish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ river .
`` We have to make sure that solutions do n't create other problems , '' he said of the ongoing project .
`` It 's finding a balance where we protect those natural assets , those social community assets , while addressing some of these issues . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 25 , 2020 .

St. John's is making changes to city infrastructure in preparation for a wetter, warmer future with more intense storms. A report on climate models for the coastal Newfoundland and Labrador capital was presented at city hall earlier this month, predicting rainier winters, warmer summers and more frequent storms leading up to 2050. The report also predicted sea levels to rise through the end of the century. The data will be used to inform a formal sustainability plan due next summer, but Coun. Ian Froude said Tuesday some actions are already underway. "We've been doing earlier actions, but it's a comprehensive look at what the key risks are going to be for the city of St. John's due to climate change," Froude said. "It gives us the lay of the land." Stakeholder groups will be set up next month to review the findings and "narrow our focus" on actions the city should take to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change, Froude said.
He pointed to an ongoing capital works project on Kenmount Road that is increasing the size of the stormwater pipes under the street to prepare for more rainfall. That project, he said, has slowed traffic along the busy road this summer and is one example of the costly, disruptive but necessary changes the city must make. Froude, council lead for the Public Works and Sustainability Department, said adapting to climate change is challenging for an older city such as St. John's, whose aging infrastructure was not built for the increased volume of water expected in the coming years. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions According to the city's climate profile outlined in the report, which draws from federal and regional research by climate scientists, "the amount of precipitation is projected to increase overall."
"St. John's will be almost four times more likely to see a storm with approximately 133 millimetres of rainfall over 24 hours by mid-century," the report reads, citing work by Memorial University of Newfoundland scientists. It also notes that freezing rain events are projected to increase overall. St. John's is making changes to city infrastructure in preparation for a wetter, warmer future with more intense storms. Less precipitation is expected to fall on the city during the winter, but weather events will have greater intensity. Less snow is also projected, meaning "it is likely that more winter precipitation will be freezing rain or rain." "Most storm events are projected to increase in frequency and intensity, specifically events with durations over 30 minutes," the report reads. St. John's residents are familiar with the impacts of an intense storm event and heavy precipitation following last winter's a blizzard, which required the help of the Canadian military to clean up. The city was under a state of emergency for eight days after the Jan. 17 blizzard buried streets in more than 76 centimetres of snow in a single day. Although scientists maintain that individual storms cannot be linked to climate change, climate scientists told The Canadian Press at the time that the snowstorm highlighted the need for better preparedness for increasingly severe weather events.
Froude said it's tricky to prioritize infrastructure upgrades. He said some projects require more funds than the municipality has available. The city, he said, is looking into placing berms or water-retaining walls along Rennie's River in preparation for potential flooding from more frequent high-intensity storms. But Froude warned St. John's has to think about making changes without disrupting fish habitats or the popular trail along the river. "We have to make sure that solutions don't create other problems," he said of the ongoing project. "It's finding a balance where we protect those natural assets, those social community assets, while addressing some of these issues."


nationalobserver--2020-08-26--Doctor's pleas go unheard in Ottawa

Doctor's pleas go unheard in Ottawa

B.C.
’ s death toll from toxic street drugs continues to skyrocket during the pandemic , with 175 people dead from overdoses in July .
It is the third consecutive month with more than 170 overdose deaths , said B.C.
’ s chief coroner Lisa Lapointe at a press conference on Tuesday .
That equates to almost six people dying a day from illicit drug overdoses across B.C in July , and almost 6,000 deaths since the province declared the overdose crisis a public health emergency in April of 2016 , Lapointe stressed .
There is no evidence prescribed hydromorphone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , asking primary care providers to ensure substance use patients access opioid agonist treatment ( OAT ) .
“ This is of critical importance to reduce the risk of harm and death that can be associated with medical destabilization during this dual public health emergency , ” she said .
Henry also championed safe supply and reiterated , yet again , the need for senior levels of government to decriminalize illicit drug use .
“ The number of people dying in B.C .
due to an unsafe drug supply continues to surpass deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , suicide and COVID-19 combined , ” Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe on illicit drug overdoses in the province .
“ Every day more people are understanding the importance of ensuring things like having access to a safer supply from the types of drugs that we 're seeing , ” Henry said .
“ And also , the increasing support for the very important measure of decriminalization of people who use drugs , to reduce some of the shame and stigma that leads people to using alone.
” The measure is one of several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Henry said .
“ ( Decriminalization ) needs to be in place to allow people to come forward , to give them that sense of safety that they 're not going to end up into in the criminal justice system for this issue , ” Henry said .
“ These are all pieces that we need to get in place and it is painfully slow.
” There has been recent movement around the issue , Lapointe noted , citing Canada ’ s police chiefs ' call to decriminalize the personal possession of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to federal prosecutors to avoid possession charges except in egregious situations .
Last month , B.C .
Premier John Horgan backed the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and echoed the call to decriminalize personal possession .
Despite Horgan ’ s urging and calls from B.C .
health authorities and peer advocacy groups , the Liberals are n't looking to decriminalize personal possession , Health Canada said in an email to Canada ’ s National Observer on Tuesday .
“ The Government of Canada is not considering the decriminalization or legalization of illegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada said .
“ We are committed to addressing the opioid crisis and problematic substance use from a public health perspective.
” But neither Health Canada nor the federal Justice or Health ministries clarified why decriminalization of personal possession was off the table .
Health Canada and the ministries also declined to say what rationale , if any , the federal government has given B.C .
public health officials or Horgan for not pursuing decriminalization .
“ Canada ’ s overdose crisis requires collaboration from all levels of government , partners , stakeholders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and organizations in communities across the country , ” Health Canada said .
No region or community exempt from overdose crisis North Island—Powell River NDP MP Rachel Blaney said Ottawa should treat the opioid overdose crisis as a public health emergency .
2016 file photo supplied by NDP .
The fatal consequences of the toxic drug supply are not limited to Vancouver ’ s Downtown Eastside , and ca n't be considered somebody else ’ s problem , Lapointe said .
“ Problematic substance use is experienced by people from every demographic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every health services delivery area had at least one illicit drug death , ” she said .
The cities of Vancouver , Surrey and Victoria are facing the highest number of fatalities during the overdose crisis in 2020 .
Island Health continues to have the third-highest rate of fatal overdoses among the province ’ s health authorities , with 33 deaths per 100,000 people , compared to the provincial rate of 30.5 .
In July , the health region recorded 33 deaths — 17 of them in Victoria alone — for a total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the total deaths this year , 92 occurred in the south Vancouver Island health service area , 55 in central Vancouver Island and 18 in the north region .
North Island—Powell River NDP MP Rachel Blaney said substance use issues and the tragedy of fatal overdoses due to toxic street drugs are impacting her constituency .
“ It ’ s an ongoing concern in parts of the riding , despite some of the amazing community organizations and individuals working to support and educate people about realities of substance use , ” Blaney said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decriminalization of personal possession of illicit drugs , Blaney said , adding putting people struggling with substance use in jail is not a compassionate response to dealing with the overdose crisis .
Blaney suggested Ottawa take other steps as well .
“ I am still frustrated that the federal government is not treating this as a public health emergency and not a crisis , ” Blaney said .
“ If government declared it an emergency it would free up a lot of resources across the country to address the problem.
” Guy Felicella @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Centre on Substance Use , said substance use advocates are frustrated and despaired by the lack of action and effective policy around safe supply and overdose deaths .
“ No single politician or political party owns this .
In fact , every level of government past and present owns this , because the one thing they share has been a collective lack of bold action , or a clear plan to prevent the crisis from happening in the first place , ” Felicella said .
“ Our failed policies are forcing people to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are growing against them , and it ’ s not just a single bullet in the chamber .
It 's a full chamber and our bad policies are holding the gun .
”

B.C.’s death toll from toxic street drugs continues to skyrocket during the pandemic, with 175 people dead from overdoses in July. It is the third consecutive month with more than 170 overdose deaths, said B.C.’s chief coroner Lisa Lapointe at a press conference on Tuesday. That equates to almost six people dying a day from illicit drug overdoses across B.C in July, and almost 6,000 deaths since the province declared the overdose crisis a public health emergency in April of 2016, Lapointe stressed. “The number of people dying in B.C. due to an unsafe drug supply continues to surpass deaths due to homicides, motor vehicle accidents, suicide and COVID-19 combined,” Lapointe said. But even as calls to decriminalize illicit drug use are mounting, Health Canada said Tuesday that Ottawa isn’t considering decriminalization.
Increasing pressure for safe drug supply and decriminalization Lapointe, B.C. Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, and peer advocate Guy Felicella all urged senior levels of government to take immediate steps to establish safe supply lines and decriminalize illicit drug use to save lives. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Lapointe also issued a call for more doctors to start prescribing safe supply, particularly pharmaceutical grade heroin, or hydromorphone, to people with substance use issues in accordance with the new provincial guidelines.
There is no evidence prescribed hydromorphone is increasing overdose deaths, said Lapointe, asking primary care providers to ensure substance use patients access opioid agonist treatment (OAT). “The number of people dying in B.C. due to an unsafe drug supply continues to surpass deaths due to homicides, motor vehicle accidents, suicide and COVID-19 combined,” Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe on illicit drug overdoses in the province. “This is of critical importance to reduce the risk of harm and death that can be associated with medical destabilization during this dual public health emergency,” she said. Henry also championed safe supply and reiterated, yet again, the need for senior levels of government to decriminalize illicit drug use. “Every day more people are understanding the importance of ensuring things like having access to a safer supply from the types of drugs that we're seeing,” Henry said. “And also, the increasing support for the very important measure of decriminalization of people who use drugs, to reduce some of the shame and stigma that leads people to using alone.”
The measure is one of several needed to address the opioid overdose crisis, Henry said. “(Decriminalization) needs to be in place to allow people to come forward, to give them that sense of safety that they're not going to end up into in the criminal justice system for this issue,” Henry said. “These are all pieces that we need to get in place and it is painfully slow.”


nationalobserver--2020-08-26--Kootenay company cooks up sourdough noodles - for $46K

Silvio Lettrari has several billion pets .
Pets he can not see .
That ’ s because they ’ re bacteria — and they have a crucial job to do in the baker and pasta-maker ’ s sourdough pasta factory .
“ It ’ s kind of like a relationship with a dog or something , ” he said .
“ I ’ ve always treated them with respect because they ’ re alive — even if you can ’ t see the little buggers.
” Sourdough is a potion mixed from natural yeasts and bacteria that ’ s used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also essential to many artisanal and European breads .
That ’ s how Lettrari — who came to Kaslo , B.C.
, from Bavaria in the 1970s — started on the path to pasta : he wanted to eat better bread , and making it himself was the only way to get it .
He wasn ’ t alone .
People in the mountain hamlet loved his sourdough bread .
For many , it was the only bread they wanted to eat .
• As back-to-school looms , what legal options do Ontario @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's climate plan has a carbon price — just do n't call it a tax • Trudeau confidence vote means NDP holds all the cards — and a chance to ditch TMX for good “ Within a short time , people came to me and said : first , the flavour ( is better ) — and I can digest it better , ” he said .
Sourdough bread is easier to digest for people with irritable bowel syndrome , a digestive sensitivity to certain food high in sugar — including most wheat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bloating .
About 12 per cent of Canadians suffer from the condition , and those numbers are increasing , she wrote in an email .
For Lettrari , it was an incentive to start experimenting .
“ Pasta is the only other product that is heavy in wheat , ” he said , echoing clients who were telling him they ’ d stopped eating pasta because of digestive troubles .
Silvio Lettrari has several billion pets .
Pets he can not see .
“ It ’ s kind of like a relationship with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ I ’ ve always treated them with respect because they ’ re alive — even if you can ’ t see the little buggers.
” “ Sourdough , if you could incorporate it somehow ( into pasta ) would definitely help .
That ’ s what sparked the thought.
” Developing a dried sourdough pasta took Lettrari more than a decade — and he 's only just started to make the crown jewel of pasta , spaghetti .
Photo provided by Heidi Lettrari It ’ s a decision that kicked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and error .
Sourdough cultures are fickle , responding to changes in humidity , temperature , even changes in atmospheric pressure .
So is pasta .
Making the dry noodles that line supermarket shelves — such as macaroni , spaghetti or picchiarelli — demands finding a precise balance between durum semolina flour , water and salt , to make sure the dough stays together as it ’ s shaped and dried .
“ I invested $ 30,000 in a very small Italian pasta machine .
I wasn ’ t looking to make a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just needed to find out if it could possibly work .
And it actually worked !
” That doesn ’ t surprise Ken Albala , a professor of history and food studies at the University of the Pacific , in San Francisco .
Sourdough pasta was once common in Italy , he explained .
However , as the country started to industrialize in the mid-19th century , and pasta became a manufactured product , these recipes fell into obscurity .
It ’ s still possible to find some of these dishes , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regional and mostly unknown .
However , halfway around the globe , fermented pasta feeds millions of people every day .
Fermented noodles are common in several Asian countries , he said , forming the basis for common dishes such as pho .
These noodles are produced with slightly different techniques than those used by Italian pasta makers and Lettrari — many are made with rice flour instead of wheat , and shaped using different techniques — but they are undoubtedly fermented , sourdough-like pastas Albala said .
Ken Albala knows pasta really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years making a different pasta or noodle dish every day as research for a tome on pasta history .
Photo provided by Ken Albala Albala could have guessed that Lettrari is selling his sourdough pasta as a novel product .
In fact , he expects most Italian pasta experts would be horrified at the idea — and Lettrari concurred .
“ I tiptoed my way with the Italians , with the company I bought the machine from , ” he said .
“ I knew right away that if I started saying sourdough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say : ‘ You ’ re crazy , forget it .
We ’ re not going to sell you anything , ’ ” Only after several years of producing sourdough pasta successfully did Lettrari mention his success to Italian pasta makers .
They were intrigued , especially when , a few years ago , he announced he wanted to make spaghetti — the crown jewel of pasta — and started looking into an industrial-sized machine that can produce up to 400 kilograms of pasta an hour .
“ Spaghetti is different , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot more parameters you have to watch .
Otherwise , you 're not going to be successful .
And here I come along and I want to make sourdough spaghetti.
” In the mid-19th century , Italian companies industrialized pasta production , and older , regional sourdough pasta recipes fell by the wayside , said pasta expert Ken Albala .
Photo by Leonard J. DeFransisci/Wikimedia Commons Last year , he made another investment in his journey with sourdough pasta , investing $ 600,000 in developing fermented spaghetti with help from a $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments .
Part of this investment is a new pasta-making machine that should arrive in the next few months , pending shipping delays caused by the pandemic , and that will be accompanied by an Italian pasta-making expert .
Even Barilla , the U.S. ’ s top-selling pasta brand , has shown interest in his sourdough pasta , ordering eight cases to their Florida headquarters , Lettrari said .
For Albala , that kind of corporate interest reflects long-standing stories about sourdough bread that have cycled through the food industry over the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns over additives such as chalk in industrially produced bread led to a health food movement that encouraged home baking .
That focus on home-baked bread — particularly sourdough — being healthier re-emerged in California in the 1960s and 1970s where hippies painted it as more natural and virtuous than bread made in factories .
“ These health food movements distrust the ( commercial bread ) industry .
And then suddenly they think 'Oh , we want it the way it ’ s always been made ’ — which means what they imagine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a line that ’ s come back with a vengeance in the past two decades , as consumers have become more aware of how food shapes the digestive bacteria in their gut , and an increasing number of people have started experiencing gluten intolerances .
Sourdough , and other fermented foods , became a way to manage these ailments , and large companies such as Barilla have tried to expand their product lines to meet this demand .
The pandemic might have been the apogee of sourdough bread-baking , Albala said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cooped up inside and bored , Albala also said it reflected long-standing patterns of people seeing more direct connections to their food during times of social and political upheaval .
Photo by pixabay “ I think the next decade will probably bring new kinds of bread ( or pasta ) we haven ’ t eaten before , without gluten or whatever it may be , despite this ( pandemic-related ) flurry of interest in sourdough , ” Albala said .
Still , Lettrari is unconcerned .
His sourdough is unique , its bacteria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his rural pasta factory — and most importantly , the pasta they produce tastes good .
“ It ’ s not a heavy-duty flavour .
It ’ s very light .
It ’ s one of those fleeting moments .
Just try it and see .
”

Silvio Lettrari has several billion pets. Pets he cannot see. That’s because they’re bacteria — and they have a crucial job to do in the baker and pasta-maker’s sourdough pasta factory. “It’s kind of like a relationship with a dog or something,” he said. “I’ve always treated them with respect because they’re alive — even if you can’t see the little buggers.” Sourdough is a potion mixed from natural yeasts and bacteria that’s used to leaven bread. It’s also essential to many artisanal and European breads. That’s how Lettrari — who came to Kaslo, B.C., from Bavaria in the 1970s — started on the path to pasta: he wanted to eat better bread, and making it himself was the only way to get it. He wasn’t alone. People in the mountain hamlet loved his sourdough bread. For many, it was the only bread they wanted to eat.
“Within a short time, people came to me and said: first, the flavour (is better) — and I can digest it better,” he said. Vancouver-based dietitian Cristina Sutter said that makes sense. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Sourdough bread is easier to digest for people with irritable bowel syndrome, a digestive sensitivity to certain food high in sugar — including most wheat products — that causes stomach pain and bloating.
About 12 per cent of Canadians suffer from the condition, and those numbers are increasing, she wrote in an email. Silvio Lettrari has several billion pets. Pets he cannot see. “It’s kind of like a relationship with a dog or something,” he said. “I’ve always treated them with respect because they’re alive — even if you can’t see the little buggers.” For Lettrari, it was an incentive to start experimenting. “Pasta is the only other product that is heavy in wheat,” he said, echoing clients who were telling him they’d stopped eating pasta because of digestive troubles. “Sourdough, if you could incorporate it somehow (into pasta) would definitely help. That’s what sparked the thought.” Developing a dried sourdough pasta took Lettrari more than a decade — and he's only just started to make the crown jewel of pasta, spaghetti. Photo provided by Heidi Lettrari
It’s a decision that kicked off almost a decade of culinary trial and error. Sourdough cultures are fickle, responding to changes in humidity, temperature, even changes in atmospheric pressure. So is pasta. Making the dry noodles that line supermarket shelves — such as macaroni, spaghetti or picchiarelli — demands finding a precise balance between durum semolina flour, water and salt, to make sure the dough stays together as it’s shaped and dried. “I invested $30,000 in a very small Italian pasta machine. I wasn’t looking to make a company or produce for sale — I just needed to find out if it could possibly work. And it actually worked!”


nationalobserver--2020-08-26--O'Toole's climate plan has a carbon price — just don't call it a tax

It is encouraging to see that Erin O ’ Toole ’ s leadership website has a well-presented climate change plan , decorated with the requisite frozen ocean scene .
It includes a six-point “ approach , ” seven policy criteria and six priorities to “ contribute meaningfully to lowering global GHG emissions.
” The six priorities are : • Helping the world stop burning coal by transitioning to natural gas ; • Tapping the ingenuity of our scientists and researchers to develop technology that will help the world ; • Working with industry on a plan to get to net @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry ; Although understandably short on detail , as the newly minted Conservative leader , it is worth examining the approach , criteria and priorities O ’ Toole has articulated to see what may be gleaned from the language .
Before delving into that , one must get past the very first line of his climate plan , which states : “ A carbon tax is not an Environmental Plan , it is a Tax Plan.
” Strangely , the only country the O ’ Toole platform references is Russia , stating boldly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become reliant on energy from countries like Russia.
” We are not even close to being reliant on Russia — in fact , Russian oil imports into Canada are so negligible that they do not appear in statistics .
Two-thirds of our oil imports come from the United States , where , until recently , they had very strong environmental standards and a legitimate democracy .
Presumably , those characteristics will return in two months time , and Canada will be in fierce competition with a much more powerful oil giant — Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wholeheartedly with O ’ Toole ’ s fifth approach of Canada being a world leader in zero-emissions technologies , and that this is an important priority from a domestic solution and global export perspective .
Where governments of all stripes fall down on this point is that in order to build a strong export industry , we first need to build a strong domestic industry , and that means establishing the regulatory and procurement environment that favours domestic low-emission technologies .
`` Polling conducted in Canada made it clear in the last election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan was a factor for those who voted against the Conservatives .
A lack of a serious plan will jeopardize the party 's future chances . ''
Moving to O'Toole 's “ criteria ” is where things get most interesting .
It is where the Conservatives have boxed themselves into a corner by stating that policies will be “ founded on proven market-based principles for incenting positive economic change , ” “ making industry pay , ” “ forging a national … pricing regime ” and “ simplifying the tax code.
” This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or certainly a carbon-pricing mechanism of some design .
Perhaps like the one in Alberta , or the cap and trade system that Doug Ford scrapped in Ontario , or Manitoba ’ s new Green Levy , or the output-based performance standard Saskatchewan is proposing — all variations of a national pricing system .
So , after all the political posturing and bluster , the good news is it looks like the Conservatives are , in fact , proposing a carbon price , just don ’ t call it a tax !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ first jurisdiction in Canada to price carbon — a truth now lost on many Conservatives .
Add to this Premier Jason Kenney 's government adopting the sophisticated provincial pricing mechanism brought in by the NDP , covering 75 per cent of emissions while keeping the revenues in Alberta , and we have the making of a serious strategy .
It may take one more round of flogging carbon-tax misinformation before some Conservatives realize the extent of their internal inconsistency .
With O ’ Toole supporting provincial jurisdiction on carbon pricing and many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provincial pricing regimes , there is reason for hope .
And the criteria get mostly better , with references to investing in mitigation programs , critical infrastructure , protecting floodplains , supporting vulnerable regions , a reference to Lyme disease that 's notably thoughtful , and “ showing the world we are willing to do our part.
” The six priorities are hit-and-miss , and revert back to traditional technological solutions in the energy sector while missing many of the important economy-wide measures to help the regions of Canada without oil , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s climate change challenges .
No mention of the auto sector or transportation at all , or building efficiency ( the single most cost-effective measure ) , and no mention of the agricultural sector , where there are significant emissions and more importantly , tremendous opportunities to engage farmers and ranchers in solutions .
And natural solutions have been left out , a sure winner for the conservation orientation of conservatives .
Hydrogen , a great nation-building and climate fighting energy supply , where Canada and Alberta have strong competitive advantages , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , gas , nuclear , carbon capture and oil dominate the priorities , as they dominate the conversation in Alberta .
It appears that this section has been crafted by those working in the energy production sector and misses entirely major parts of the Canadian economy where we will likely see greater proportionate economic and technological growth and innovation , as carbon-intensive industries decline over time .
In this vein , reference to Canada as an “ ESG Global Energy Thought Leader ” echoes oil industry concerns over the vast withdrawal of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , most notably in the oilsands .
A valid concern which again needs to be framed in the more comprehensive international language of “ sustainable finance.
” Polling conducted in Canada ( mostly in Ontario 's critical 905 region ) made it clear in the last election the lack of a serious climate change plan was a factor for those who voted against the Conservatives .
A lack of a serious plan will jeopardize the party 's future chances .
Of the four Conservative leadership candidates , O ’ Toole appears to understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together what could be an important start to a meaningful plan .
It also augurs well for a departure from the past several years , where the Conservatives used climate change as a political wedge “ pitting one part of the country against another ” as the O ’ Toole plan suggests Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has done .
The O ’ Toole team understands that climate change is a serious environmental problem , a risk to the Canadian energy sector and an opportunity to promote clean technology and competitiveness .
Canada now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ energy experts , businesses , academia and governments working on the major climate change solutions , including organizations focused on energy efficiency , the hydrogen economy , electrification , sustainable finance , engaging farmers , and more .
Many of these groups , I am sure , would welcome an opportunity to help Erin O ’ Toole put more meat on the bones and give the Conservative Party a solid plan “ to contribute meaningfully to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.
” Climate change , and investing in a clean post-pandemic economy will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters in the next federal election .
Having the Conservative Party contribute to a supportive and serious national conversation on different pathways to achieve Canada ’ s climate change commitments is most welcome news .

It is encouraging to see that Erin O’Toole’s leadership website has a well-presented climate change plan, decorated with the requisite frozen ocean scene. It includes a six-point “approach,” seven policy criteria and six priorities to “contribute meaningfully to lowering global GHG emissions.” The six priorities are: Exporting modern and safe nuclear technology;
Helping the world stop burning coal by transitioning to natural gas;
Tapping the ingenuity of our scientists and researchers to develop technology that will help the world;
Working with industry on a plan to get to net zero emissions in the oil and gas industry;
Building climate resilience into our infrastructure;
Promoting Canada as an ESG Global Energy Thought Leader. Although understandably short on detail, as the newly minted Conservative leader, it is worth examining the approach, criteria and priorities O’Toole has articulated to see what may be gleaned from the language. Before delving into that, one must get past the very first line of his climate plan, which states: “A carbon tax is not an Environmental Plan, it is a Tax Plan.” I agree with this statement, although perhaps for different reasons. While a carbon tax does not solve all environmental problems, it is a smart way to reduce carbon-related greenhouse gas emissions, and is most certainly the policy tool most recommended by economists and business leaders in Canada, including many of Canada’s largest oil producers. A carbon tax is not sufficient for addressing many greenhouse gases (methane, nitrogen oxides), nor even the majority of carbon-related greenhouse gases. It is an important part of the climate policy mix, but not the economy-bashing bogeyman the Conservatives portray it to be, nor the climate panacea touted by economists. A comprehensive mix of policies, programs, investments, incentives and regulations are needed.
Carbon-tax bashing was table stakes for the leaders in appealing to the western base of the Conservative party; all four Conservative candidates caved to the populist idea that a carbon tax is somehow economically harmful, when study after study by the world’s leading economists show the opposite to be true. O’Toole’s six-point “approach” is very oil-industry-centric, stating climate change is a global problem, a.k.a. not much we can do about it on our own, and it repeats the tired refrain of trying to convince the world to buy Canada’s “dictatorship-free” oil. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Perhaps the national Conservatives will follow Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s lead and we will see gas pump stickers proudly declaring our oil to be “free from dictators,” but then the conundrum will be where the U.S. fits, an important question if President Donald Trump returns.
Strangely, the only country the O’Toole platform references is Russia, stating boldly, “we cannot afford to become reliant on energy from countries like Russia.” We are not even close to being reliant on Russia — in fact, Russian oil imports into Canada are so negligible that they do not appear in statistics. "Polling conducted in Canada made it clear in the last election the lack of a serious climate change plan was a factor for those who voted against the Conservatives. A lack of a serious plan will jeopardize the party's future chances." Two-thirds of our oil imports come from the United States, where, until recently, they had very strong environmental standards and a legitimate democracy. Presumably, those characteristics will return in two months time, and Canada will be in fierce competition with a much more powerful oil giant — Russia is not our problem. I agree wholeheartedly with O’Toole’s fifth approach of Canada being a world leader in zero-emissions technologies, and that this is an important priority from a domestic solution and global export perspective. Where governments of all stripes fall down on this point is that in order to build a strong export industry, we first need to build a strong domestic industry, and that means establishing the regulatory and procurement environment that favours domestic low-emission technologies. Moving to O'Toole's “criteria” is where things get most interesting. It is where the Conservatives have boxed themselves into a corner by stating that policies will be “founded on proven market-based principles for incenting positive economic change,” “making industry pay,” “forging a national … pricing regime” and “simplifying the tax code.” This sounds very much like a carbon tax, or certainly a carbon-pricing mechanism of some design. Perhaps like the one in Alberta, or the cap and trade system that Doug Ford scrapped in Ontario, or Manitoba’s new Green Levy, or the output-based performance standard Saskatchewan is proposing — all variations of a national pricing system. So, after all the political posturing and bluster, the good news is it looks like the Conservatives are, in fact, proposing a carbon price, just don’t call it a tax!
Alberta once proudly declared it was the first jurisdiction in Canada to price carbon — a truth now lost on many Conservatives. Add to this Premier Jason Kenney's government adopting the sophisticated provincial pricing mechanism brought in by the NDP, covering 75 per cent of emissions while keeping the revenues in Alberta, and we have the making of a serious strategy. It may take one more round of flogging carbon-tax misinformation before some Conservatives realize the extent of their internal inconsistency. With O’Toole supporting provincial jurisdiction on carbon pricing and many of the provinces joining Kenney in establishing reasonable provincial pricing regimes, there is reason for hope. And the criteria get mostly better, with references to investing in mitigation programs, critical infrastructure, protecting floodplains, supporting vulnerable regions, a reference to Lyme disease that's notably thoughtful, and “showing the world we are willing to do our part.”


nationalobserver--2020-08-26--How Gerry Oldman forgave and fought his way to freedom

I talked to Gerry Oleman , who also goes by Gerry Oldman , a member of the St ’ át ’ imc Nation from Tsal'alh ( Shalalth , interior of B.C . )
in March for the First Nations Forward Facebook Live interview series .
Oldman is the host of the Teachings in the Air podcast , dedicated to Indigenous men 's health and wellness .
He has been a change agent for First Nations communities and organizations since 1976 , facilitating more than 645 workshops across Canada and the U.S .
I happened to ask Oldman to join in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the police killing of George Floyd , an innocent Black man , when people took to the streets to condemn racism and police brutality .
Buildings and hearts were on fire and it was a fire Oldman knew for a significant part of his life .
He used to know hate very well , he told me , answering a question about where we go from here , with a series of stories .
“ I grew up in a residential school , ” Oldman told me .
“ But before that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I had wonderful parents and siblings .
All of a sudden , I was taken out of that environment and put into residential school , which was ruled by terror.
” The violence and emotional , mental and sexual abuse that took place in the schools run by Roman Catholic and other churches from 1931 to 1996 has been well-documented by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission .
“ Trauma means to be wounded , ” he said , speaking with empathy , honesty and separation .
“ My mind and body were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assimilation process — to put down anything Indigenous , to convince us this is civilization , this Christianity… this is the way of living.
” Oldman said if it were just the mental abuse , his life would have been more manageable .
“ When I left , I had that anger , that fear , that depression — the three parent emotions of a traumatized person , ” he explained .
“ I thought when I reached Grade 12 , I would be free .
But your mind remembers , and your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the past , you function as a memory bank , Oldman said , and miss what 's going on around you .
Oldman looked for escapes , and was called a fall-down drunk and a stoner from people who had n't a clue what he 'd gone through .
Video of Gerry Oldman discusses how the oppressed can become oppressors Gerry Oldman explains how the oppressed can become oppressors , in a First Nations Forward Facebook Live interview .
“ The spirit is what holds the body together , ” Oldman explained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mind means we can teach you , because your mind is clear , and your body , you can pick berries , and do your tasks .
A sound body is disease-free , you have physical strength and endurance.
” And when your spirit is nice , you have an incredible will to live , he said .
“ The baby is a perfect example of a Buddha , ” Oldman said .
“ They do n't think .
They 're there , their little belly is sticking out , they touch everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are fully present.
” That 's what we all hunger for , he said , and by his late twenties , Oldman 's hunger grew stronger than his memories , and he got sick and tired of being sick and tired .
Letting go of what 's not yours to carry Oldman asked for help .
He went to elders in his community , he was stripped down and sent out .
He was sent back into the old ways , into song and ceremony , sacrifice and strengthening .
He started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to experience the beauty of a sun setting behind a mountain range .
When you 're depressed , Oldman explained , it 's like you 're numb to beauty .
Oldman traded alcohol and drugs for work , he realized later , but he was getting his body clean , and he had an unprecedented focus that needed direction .
Workaholism leads to fatigue , he said , but before he burned out completely , he met a woman who taught him how to cast out his demons .
Working as an addictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was speaking at a workshop .
The healer heeded Oldman 's request to have a look at him — she told him his energy was shooting up straight from his head .
“ She said , 'You must be tired , because your energy is supposed to be like this , an egg all around you , ' ” Oldman said , holding his arms out in the shape .
The healer looked at Oldman and asked if he was sexually abused as a child .
Up until that day , he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Those men are still in you , ” she told Oldman .
If you rub diesel or gasoline on your skin , it goes into your body , Oldman said , and though you try to remove it , there will be remnants .
“ You need to get rid of those men , ” she said .
The healer had Oldman put his hands up and close his eyes .
As soon as you see those men , she said , scream , do what you need to do , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did just that , with tears streaming down his face .
“ You did it , congratulations , ” the woman said before leaving .
“ No debrief or anything , ” Oldman said .
But he felt happy standing there .
His nightmares had stopped .
But he knew that was just one important step in the journey of reclaiming his authenticity , to cast them off and refuse to carry around what 's not his .
“ Now I had to deal with the habits I developed living with PTSD — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoiding , not knowing how to communicate , how to listen , how to live with people , ” Oldman said .
Because hate is heavy , he said .
And he had a lot of it .
He was angry about the Canadian government and the Catholic Church .
He was angry about white people , he hated them , and he hated Christians , and he realized he needed to deal with it .
“ I hated British people and their accents .
I hated everything about Brits , ” Oldman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was invited to London for his sister-in-law 's wedding , and after refusing to go a number of times , he reluctantly bought a suit and set his mind into doing a ceremony at Buckingham Palace .
In order to heal , you must forgive the ones who hurt you , Oldman said .
And to forgive , means to let go .
“ So now I needed to forgive these British people , because I 'm treating them like colonizers , and they 're not really colonizers , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Queen and her British subjects .
And then he went to St. Peter 's Basilica in Rome to sprinkle red earth and drop eagle down to cover up the shame and protect people from abuse by the Catholic Church , he told me .
Wearing his headband , a “ Decolonize ” T-shirt , and holding his rattle , he remembered reading the words outside one entrance : “ Rome is open to everyone of every faith .
You are welcome here.
” “ I said , 'Oh , those are beautiful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and he had his ceremony , with tears in his eyes , because the hate was so intense .
Later , Oldman travelled to Spain to have a few words with Christopher Columbus .
“ Chris , I said , you really opened Pandora 's box for Indigenous people .
We did n't have suicide , poverty , alcohol , we did n't have smallpox or regenerative diseases .
We did n't know what hunger was , ” Oldman told Columbus ' body .
“ I 'm here to forgive you , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ceremony at his tomb .
Oldman wants to visit the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa to let go of the Canadian government .
Now , Oldman can see the sun reflect off pine needles on trees .
He can see reflections he was blinded to before .
And he can see himself .
“ We have a ceremony where I 'm from , which means to look at yourself .
That 's what we call our sweat lodge , a place to look at yourself , ” Oldman said .
And he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stories regularly on his podcast .
He wants to leave something for the children , he said , so they have a better life , just as somebody did for him .

I talked to Gerry Oleman, who also goes by Gerry Oldman, a member of the St’át’imc Nation from Tsal'alh (Shalalth, interior of B.C.) in March for the First Nations Forward Facebook Live interview series.
Oldman is the host of the Teachings in the Air podcast, dedicated to Indigenous men's health and wellness. He has been a change agent for First Nations communities and organizations since 1976, facilitating more than 645 workshops across Canada and the U.S.
I happened to ask Oldman to join in conversation at the height of the response to the police killing of George Floyd, an innocent Black man, when people took to the streets to condemn racism and police brutality. Buildings and hearts were on fire and it was a fire Oldman knew for a significant part of his life.
He used to know hate very well, he told me, answering a question about where we go from here, with a series of stories.
“I grew up in a residential school,” Oldman told me. “But before that, I was in a wonderful home, I had wonderful parents and siblings. All of a sudden, I was taken out of that environment and put into residential school, which was ruled by terror.”
The violence and emotional, mental and sexual abuse that took place in the schools run by Roman Catholic and other churches from 1931 to 1996 has been well-documented by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
When Oldman left the Kamloops Indian Residential School, he said he was traumatized.
“Trauma means to be wounded,” he said, speaking with empathy, honesty and separation. “My mind and body were wounded. It was such a powerful assimilation process — to put down anything Indigenous, to convince us this is civilization, this Christianity… this is the way of living.”
Oldman said if it were just the mental abuse, his life would have been more manageable.
“When I left, I had that anger, that fear, that depression — the three parent emotions of a traumatized person,” he explained. “I thought when I reached Grade 12, I would be free. But your mind remembers, and your body remembers.”
When you're imprisoned by the past, you function as a memory bank, Oldman said, and miss what's going on around you. Oldman looked for escapes, and was called a fall-down drunk and a stoner from people who hadn't a clue what he'd gone through.
Video of Gerry Oldman discusses how the oppressed can become oppressors
Gerry Oldman explains how the oppressed can become oppressors, in a First Nations Forward Facebook Live interview.
“The spirit is what holds the body together,” Oldman explained. “An indicator of a sound mind means we can teach you, because your mind is clear, and your body, you can pick berries, and do your tasks. A sound body is disease-free, you have physical strength and endurance.”
And when your spirit is nice, you have an incredible will to live, he said.
“The baby is a perfect example of a Buddha,” Oldman said. “They don't think. They're there, their little belly is sticking out, they touch everything, taste, everything is an adventure… they are fully present.”
That's what we all hunger for, he said, and by his late twenties, Oldman's hunger grew stronger than his memories, and he got sick and tired of being sick and tired.
Letting go of what's not yours to carry
Oldman asked for help. He went to elders in his community, he was stripped down and sent out. He was sent back into the old ways, into song and ceremony, sacrifice and strengthening. He started running again, and he eventually learned to experience the beauty of a sun setting behind a mountain range.
When you're depressed, Oldman explained, it's like you're numb to beauty.
Oldman traded alcohol and drugs for work, he realized later, but he was getting his body clean, and he had an unprecedented focus that needed direction. Workaholism leads to fatigue, he said, but before he burned out completely, he met a woman who taught him how to cast out his demons.
Working as an addictions counsellor, Oldman met a healer who was speaking at a workshop. The healer heeded Oldman's request to have a look at him — she told him his energy was shooting up straight from his head.
“She said, 'You must be tired, because your energy is supposed to be like this, an egg all around you,'” Oldman said, holding his arms out in the shape.
The healer looked at Oldman and asked if he was sexually abused as a child. Up until that day, he had never mentioned it to anyone, ever.
“Those men are still in you,” she told Oldman. If you rub diesel or gasoline on your skin, it goes into your body, Oldman said, and though you try to remove it, there will be remnants. “You need to get rid of those men,” she said.
The healer had Oldman put his hands up and close his eyes. As soon as you see those men, she said, scream, do what you need to do, and cast them off.
And Oldman did just that, with tears streaming down his face.
“You did it, congratulations,” the woman said before leaving. “No debrief or anything,” Oldman said. But he felt happy standing there.
He felt free.
His nightmares had stopped. But he knew that was just one important step in the journey of reclaiming his authenticity, to cast them off and refuse to carry around what's not his.
“Now I had to deal with the habits I developed living with PTSD — not telling the truth, withdrawing, avoiding, not knowing how to communicate, how to listen, how to live with people,” Oldman said.
Because hate is heavy, he said. And he had a lot of it. He was angry about the Canadian government and the Catholic Church. He was angry about white people, he hated them, and he hated Christians, and he realized he needed to deal with it.
“I hated British people and their accents. I hated everything about Brits,” Oldman told me in unattached honesty.
Then he was invited to London for his sister-in-law's wedding, and after refusing to go a number of times, he reluctantly bought a suit and set his mind into doing a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
In order to heal, you must forgive the ones who hurt you, Oldman said. And to forgive, means to let go.
“So now I needed to forgive these British people, because I'm treating them like colonizers, and they're not really colonizers,” he said.
Oldman travelled to London to forgive the Queen and her British subjects. And then he went to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome to sprinkle red earth and drop eagle down to cover up the shame and protect people from abuse by the Catholic Church, he told me.
Wearing his headband, a “Decolonize” T-shirt, and holding his rattle, he remembered reading the words outside one entrance: “Rome is open to everyone of every faith. You are welcome here.”
“I said, 'Oh, those are beautiful words,'” he told me, and he had his ceremony, with tears in his eyes, because the hate was so intense.
As Gerry Oldman got healthier, he fell in love with running. Photo provided by Gerry Oldman
Later, Oldman travelled to Spain to have a few words with Christopher Columbus.
“Chris, I said, you really opened Pandora's box for Indigenous people. We didn't have suicide, poverty, alcohol, we didn't have smallpox or regenerative diseases. We didn't know what hunger was,” Oldman told Columbus' body. “I'm here to forgive you,” Oldman said, and he did the ceremony at his tomb.
Oldman wants to visit the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa to let go of the Canadian government.
Now, Oldman can see the sun reflect off pine needles on trees. He can see reflections he was blinded to before. And he can see himself.
“We have a ceremony where I'm from, which means to look at yourself. That's what we call our sweat lodge, a place to look at yourself,” Oldman said. And he has never stopped looking.
Oldman shares his stories regularly on his podcast. He wants to leave something for the children, he said, so they have a better life, just as somebody did for him.


nationalobserver--2020-08-25--Ontario Labour Ministry says it's 'neutral' in feud over school reopening plan

Ontario 's Labour Ministry says it will be a “ neutral party ” between the province ’ s Education Ministry and education workers concerned about school safety and that its inspectors will make decisions on a case-by-case basis .
“ We do not set education standards .
Enforcement is site specific .
It would be inappropriate to issue broad orders , ” Bradley Metlin , a spokesperson for Labour Minister Monte McNaughton , said in an emailed summary of a meeting the minister held with union leaders on Monday .
The Labour Ministry said its inspectors were currently engaging with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health and safety committees across Ontario and consulting medical experts through the government ’ s COVID-19 Advisory Team to ensure provincewide consistency .
The four unions at the meeting represent 190,000 teachers and education workers in English-language public elementary and secondary schools , Catholic schools and French-language schools across the province .
They had requested the meeting earlier this month after the Education Ministry unveiled a reopening plan that the unions said failed to protect the health and safety of school workers and students .
• As back-to-school looms , what legal options @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • O'Toole 's climate plan has a carbon price — just do n't call it a tax • Trudeau confidence vote means NDP holds all the cards — and a chance to ditch TMX for good The unions said following the meeting that they were unsatisfied with the minister ’ s lack of commitment to address concerns related to class sizes , the lack of cohorting requirements for teachers and education workers and standards for ventilation and transportation .
A communique the four unions sent to their members , which Canada 's National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had given the Labour Ministry until Friday to respond to their specific demands around safety , or they would take their concerns to the Ontario Labour Relations Board .
Those demands include that class sizes be kept to no more than 20 students and cohort maximums be capped at 50 for all education workers as well as students , as well as adherence to ventilation standards created by the American Society of Heating , Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers .
The letter , co-signed by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers ' Federation , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ETFO ) , the Ontario English Catholic Teachers ’ Association ( OECTA ) , and the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens ( AEFO ) also sought flexibility for school boards to delay reopening until health and safety standards have been met .
“ We asked him , what standards do you have for ventilation , they had none , ” said Harvey Bischof , the president of OSSTF .
“ There 's a standard out there for busing , they are not following that standard.
” “ We asked him what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the fact is there is absolutely no yardstick against which they are measuring compliance , ” he said .
Ontario 's four main education unions say they were left unsatisfied by the labour minister 's response to their health and safety concerns at a Monday afternoon meeting The letter noted that Minister McNaughton and his staff had emphasized the use of personal protective equipment , but that it was considered much less effective as a protective measure than adequate distancing , cohorting and ventilation .
“ We are looking for the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing , hand sanitation and ventilation to be applied in schools as they are elsewhere in the province , ” said Liz Stuart , president of the OECTA .
“ We look forward to receiving a response from the Ministry of Labour to our specific requests in the coming days , ” she added .

Ontario's Labour Ministry says it will be a “neutral party” between the province’s Education Ministry and education workers concerned about school safety and that its inspectors will make decisions on a case-by-case basis. “We do not set education standards. Enforcement is site specific. It would be inappropriate to issue broad orders,” Bradley Metlin, a spokesperson for Labour Minister Monte McNaughton, said in an emailed summary of a meeting the minister held with union leaders on Monday. The Labour Ministry said its inspectors were currently engaging with the union- and employer-affiliated co-chairs of school health and safety committees across Ontario and consulting medical experts through the government’s COVID-19 Advisory Team to ensure provincewide consistency. The four unions at the meeting represent 190,000 teachers and education workers in English-language public elementary and secondary schools, Catholic schools and French-language schools across the province. They had requested the meeting earlier this month after the Education Ministry unveiled a reopening plan that the unions said failed to protect the health and safety of school workers and students.
The unions said following the meeting that they were unsatisfied with the minister’s lack of commitment to address concerns related to class sizes, the lack of cohorting requirements for teachers and education workers and standards for ventilation and transportation. A communique the four unions sent to their members, which Canada's National Observer obtained on Tuesday, said they had given the Labour Ministry until Friday to respond to their specific demands around safety, or they would take their concerns to the Ontario Labour Relations Board. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Those demands include that class sizes be kept to no more than 20 students and cohort maximums be capped at 50 for all education workers as well as students, as well as adherence to ventilation standards created by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.
The letter, co-signed by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA), and the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (AEFO) also sought flexibility for school boards to delay reopening until health and safety standards have been met. Ontario's four main education unions say they were left unsatisfied by the labour minister's response to their health and safety concerns at a Monday afternoon meeting “We asked him, what standards do you have for ventilation, they had none,” said Harvey Bischof, the president of OSSTF. “There's a standard out there for busing, they are not following that standard.” “We asked him what inspectors are communicating or looking for, and the fact is there is absolutely no yardstick against which they are measuring compliance,” he said. The letter noted that Minister McNaughton and his staff had emphasized the use of personal protective equipment, but that it was considered much less effective as a protective measure than adequate distancing, cohorting and ventilation. “We are looking for the same standards around personal protective equipment, physical distancing, hand sanitation and ventilation to be applied in schools as they are elsewhere in the province,” said Liz Stuart, president of the OECTA.