nationalobserver--2020-05-15--Movies to stream (like Beyond Moving, Castle in the Ground) or to avoid (The Wrong Missy)

You ’ ve got many movies newly available to stream this week .
Most are small or medium films , several are Canadian , and two of today ’ s offerings are documentaries .
Watch out for the rejects , though .
They ’ re in here , too .
BEYOND MOVING : A naturally talented dancer is found in South Africa , where dance is an integral part of the culture .
He 's recognized by a teacher while still a young child , trained and later accepted into Canada 's National Ballet School and then the National Ballet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journey that we see Siphe November take from the townships to world stages .
We see those early years in footage his teacher took .
There 's friendly competition with his brother and life with his loving mother .
And other memories collected recently .
We get a lot of examples showing his talent , back then and now , in rehearsals and performances .
His movements are fluid and playful and commentators note his ability to connect them to the music .
`` He has a gift . ''
A competition in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him international attention .
A trip back to Africa shows a bit of a downside .
His former teacher ( now dead ) thought he 'd become aloof and separated from his roots .
It 's an issue that clearly interests Vikram Dasgupta , the director .
So this film is more than a biography ; it 's a guide for moving up the right way .
( Streaming at https : //viff.org/ and this website https : //www.blueicedocs.com/ ) 4 out of 5 CASTLE IN THE GROUND : This drama about drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another place .
A young man ( Alex Wolff ) takes care of his mother ( Neve Campbell ) , who is bedridden with some kind of painful illness .
The bond between the two is palpable and warm .
He crushes pills for her and tries to console her when she has to decide whether or not to start a complex medical regimen all over again .
The film is sensitive and quietly affirming in portraying their bond .
But then she dies and another movie takes over .
• Canada wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t contain it ' : COVID-19 outbreak at oilsands camp has spread across the country He starts taking her pills ( oxycontin , apparently ) and it seems uncharacteristic .
He had seen too much of what they did to his mother ’ s psyche and , yet , he goes ahead .
He had been repeatedly annoyed by the loud music and the hard-knocking visitors to the apartment across the hall and , yet , strikes up a relationship with the woman who lives there ( Imogen Poots , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drags him down into the lifestyle and then into a crime thriller ( set in Sudbury , by the way ) about a stolen bag of drugs and some punks who want it back .
That part of the story doesn ’ t seem a natural progression from the one at the start .
We ’ re now into scenes with guns and cheap bars , typical perhaps of that world , but untypical for what we ’ ve learned about the central character .
The film is well acted , though , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as directed by Joey Klein .
He ’ s a former actor and brings out the tenderness of those early scenes to very good effect .
Also , the initial attraction for each other by the two leads .
Not all of it , though .
( Available as of today on digital and VOD . )
3 out of 5 THE WRONG MISSY : I haven ’ t had much luck with original comedies on Netflix .
This one is even worse than my previous experiences .
It ’ s loud , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and very low language , and don ’ t let the kids call it up .
There ’ s lots of sex and at the end a song that ’ s actually pornographic .
All this thanks to Adam Sandler ’ s production company , Happy Madison , and a director , Tyler Spindel , and two writers who have fun with the usual tropes of romantic comedies .
Too bad their version isn ’ t that much fun for us .
It feels contrived and belaboured .
There is a contemporary pitfall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that the film illuminates .
Imagine you have a bad date with a woman named Missy , then meet a perfect other woman with the same nickname , but accidentally text an invite to the first one , because you haven ’ t dumped her number from your phone .
Could happen .
Happens to David Spade , who takes the wrong woman to a company retreat in Hawaii where he expects to be up for a promotion .
This Missy ( Lauren Lapkus ) is loud , eccentric ( “ Thirty-five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ STD.
” ) , and abrasive , but somehow charms the company CEO and then turns his wife against him .
There ’ s an incident with sharks , a Siegfried and Roy joke ( bad timing , that ) and an inadvertent mission statement in a hypnotic message by Missy “ to throw away the restraints of adulthood.
” ( Netflix ) 1 out of 5 THE ROADS NOT TAKEN : Another film about dealing with a needy parent , but this one is much more tender and realistic .
Javier Bardem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ originally from Mexico , impeded by dementia .
Elle Fanning ( terrific ) plays his daughter , ever patient but hard-pressed to put up with his inabilities .
She wants to take him to the dentist , then an optometrist , but has trouble even getting him in a taxi and making him understand what ’ s required .
Open wide ?
Read the letters you see ?
Almost impossible .
Dad drifts off repeatedly with memories of other lives .
We don ’ t know if he lived them or just imagined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s married ; Salma Hayek is his wife .
She walks out on him and in a later vision , meets him at a memorial service .
He cries about a son he ’ s lost .
In other memories , he ’ s a writer in Greece trying to talk story structure with a couple of young female tourists .
The three lives clash .
New York traffic noise , for instance , turns into a heavy sea at night .
The film has a turgid pace for the first half or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But it picks up , and anybody who ’ s ever cared for a senile parent will recognize that the ambience is absolutely authentic .
Writer-director Sally Potter drew on her own experience caring for a brother with early onset dementia .
Her film is well-intentioned , but hard to like .
( Video on demand , as of Tuesday . )
2½ out of 5 RED ROVER : This amiable Canadian comedy spins off from an actual promotion to colonize Mars .
A Dutch businessman floated it , planned a reality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then watched it collapse before it even started .
A similar project in the movie attracts a nebbish geologist ( Kristian Bruun ) in Toronto , where he ’ s humiliated and then fired by an arrogant boss .
His ex-wife and her new boyfriend also belittle him , and his only consolation is his hobby : Searching on a beach with a metal detector .
This time , he meets a free-spirited young woman ( Cara Gee ) , who invites him to a CD release party and inadvertently hands him a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his imagination , he feels the pull .
He watches an internet video trumpeting , “ The greatest advance in the history of our species , ” goes in for an interview , and even builds a cardboard mockup of a Mars Lander in his tiny apartment and sleeps in it .
He also goes to the singer ’ s release party and hears lyrics like , “ I ’ m stuck … locked in.
” But he ’ s not a meek loner anymore , and even his old boss wants him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but evocative picture of a dreamer trying to change .
It ’ s light , pleasing entertainment co-written and directed by Shane Belcourt .
( It came available this week on several platforms , including iTunes , Google Play and VOD at Vimeo , Bell and Shaw . )
3 out of 5 WASESKUN : Another very good documentary the National Film Board is streaming for us .
It ’ s free .
This one visits a correctional facility in Quebec where Indigenous offenders are given a chance to change themselves through Native @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not clear whether it ’ s like a prison ; I don ’ t see any guards or even fences .
In one scene , one man is told where the property line is ; past it is a neighbour ’ s land .
What we do see are burly guys working at crafts and woodwork , model canoes and such , carving a pole , drumming and chanting and talking about their life .
Several are extremely articulate talking about dysfunctional family lives , violent dads and the other factors that made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nine men in hospital in a single evening .
One regrets breaking five little hearts ( his children ) .
Another regrets hurting his wife and now says , “ I ’ ve become a real man.
” From what the film shows , I 'm not sure what role Native healing had in getting these men to understand themselves , but the scenes are moving and heartfelt .
Filmmaker Steve Patry spent a year gaining their confidence to get them to open up like that .
( https : //www.nfb.ca/ ) 3½ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company calls itself , “ A thoughtful , low-budget horror film LLC.
” OK , that ’ s the intent .
But only the midnight movie crowd will think it achieved that .
Teenagers stuck together for a scary night is what it delivers .
There are five of them , allowed to stay late for a private viewing at the movie theatre where they work .
A creepy old guy won ’ t leave , runs amok and disappears while also breaking open a secret door into a storeroom nobody knew was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of pornography film in there , one of which is still playable and gives the teens a stark education .
They ’ re good kids in a small God-fearing town in 1992 and their virtue is about to be tested .
The film ( Is it art or porn ?
they ask . )
shows a psychedelic montage with a naked woman , a female demon known in old folklore as a succubus .
She writhes amid sparks and clouds of light in what looks like a satanic ritual , then materializes for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tempts the teens seductively .
Each has a secret desire that she plays on .
Interesting idea , reminiscent of other horror movies and directed with some flash by first-timer Keola Racela and played by an eager cast .
But there aren ’ t many scares , just recurring challenges to the teens ’ religious beliefs as the demon tries to steal their souls .
Some of it is comic , but watch out for the gross-out genital mutilations on a couple of guys .
( Available as of this week on video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 SCOOB !
: There ’ s big nostalgia for the 1980s these days and this could be the most fun new movie this week .
However , Warner Brothers declined to provide a preview copy , so I can only tell you some background .
A TV favourite of my son growing up , Scooby-Doo is the dog , who with a group of human teens collectively known as Mystery Inc. , solved hundreds of cases over the years .
He ’ s remained popular all that time through various formats , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this one is an origin story .
Scooby and his pal Shaggy , seen here then and now , are long-time friends .
This tells how that came about and how they joined up with Fred , Velma and Daphne .
They also have to foil a scheme to unleash the ghost dog Cerberus on the world .
A “ dogpocalypse , ” the studio calls it .
There ’ s a fine cast : Will Forte , Mark Wahlberg , Zac Efron , Ken Jeong , Amanda Seyfried , Henry Winkler , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ ll cost you $ 19.99 to rent for 48 hours .
This site https : //www.watchscoob.com/ will tell you where .

You’ve got many movies newly available to stream this week. Most are small or medium films, several are Canadian, and two of today’s offerings are documentaries. Watch out for the rejects, though. They’re in here, too. BEYOND MOVING: A naturally talented dancer is found in South Africa, where dance is an integral part of the culture. He's recognized by a teacher while still a young child, trained and later accepted into Canada's National Ballet School and then the National Ballet Company. It's an inspiring personal journey that we see Siphe November take from the townships to world stages. We see those early years in footage his teacher took. There's friendly competition with his brother and life with his loving mother. And other memories collected recently. Courtesy of Blue Ice Docs We get a lot of examples showing his talent, back then and now, in rehearsals and performances. His movements are fluid and playful and commentators note his ability to connect them to the music. "He has a gift." A competition in Holland is a highlight. It gained him international attention. A trip back to Africa shows a bit of a downside. His former teacher (now dead) thought he'd become aloof and separated from his roots. It's an issue that clearly interests Vikram Dasgupta, the director. So this film is more than a biography; it's a guide for moving up the right way. (Streaming at https://viff.org/ and this website https://www.blueicedocs.com/) 4 out of 5 CASTLE IN THE GROUND: This drama about drug addiction starts out wonderfully, but in another place. A young man (Alex Wolff) takes care of his mother (Neve Campbell), who is bedridden with some kind of painful illness. The bond between the two is palpable and warm. He crushes pills for her and tries to console her when she has to decide whether or not to start a complex medical regimen all over again. The film is sensitive and quietly affirming in portraying their bond. But then she dies and another movie takes over.
Courtesy of Pacific Northwest Pictures He starts taking her pills (oxycontin, apparently) and it seems uncharacteristic. He had seen too much of what they did to his mother’s psyche and, yet, he goes ahead. He had been repeatedly annoyed by the loud music and the hard-knocking visitors to the apartment across the hall and, yet, strikes up a relationship with the woman who lives there (Imogen Poots, as a charming/fiery drug user). She drags him down into the lifestyle and then into a crime thriller (set in Sudbury, by the way) about a stolen bag of drugs and some punks who want it back. That part of the story doesn’t seem a natural progression from the one at the start. We’re now into scenes with guns and cheap bars, typical perhaps of that world, but untypical for what we’ve learned about the central character. The film is well acted, though, and moves with a snappy pace, as directed by Joey Klein. He’s a former actor and brings out the tenderness of those early scenes to very good effect. Also, the initial attraction for each other by the two leads. Not all of it, though. (Available as of today on digital and VOD.) 3 out of 5 Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions THE WRONG MISSY: I haven’t had much luck with original comedies on Netflix. This one is even worse than my previous experiences. It’s loud, wise-acre toned, full of cheap jokes and very low language, and don’t let the kids call it up. There’s lots of sex and at the end a song that’s actually pornographic. All this thanks to Adam Sandler’s production company, Happy Madison, and a director, Tyler Spindel, and two writers who have fun with the usual tropes of romantic comedies. Too bad their version isn’t that much fun for us. It feels contrived and belaboured.
Courtesy of Netflix There is a contemporary pitfall, I guess you could call it, that the film illuminates. Imagine you have a bad date with a woman named Missy, then meet a perfect other woman with the same nickname, but accidentally text an invite to the first one, because you haven’t dumped her number from your phone. Could happen. Happens to David Spade, who takes the wrong woman to a company retreat in Hawaii where he expects to be up for a promotion. This Missy (Lauren Lapkus) is loud, eccentric (“Thirty-five years on this planet and not one STD.”), and abrasive, but somehow charms the company CEO and then turns his wife against him. There’s an incident with sharks, a Siegfried and Roy joke (bad timing, that) and an inadvertent mission statement in a hypnotic message by Missy “to throw away the restraints of adulthood.” (Netflix) 1 out of 5 THE ROADS NOT TAKEN: Another film about dealing with a needy parent, but this one is much more tender and realistic. Javier Bardem plays a man in New York, originally from Mexico, impeded by dementia. Elle Fanning (terrific) plays his daughter, ever patient but hard-pressed to put up with his inabilities. She wants to take him to the dentist, then an optometrist, but has trouble even getting him in a taxi and making him understand what’s required. Open wide? Read the letters you see? Almost impossible. Courtesy of levelFILM Dad drifts off repeatedly with memories of other lives. We don’t know if he lived them or just imagined them. In one, he’s married; Salma Hayek is his wife. She walks out on him and in a later vision, meets him at a memorial service. He cries about a son he’s lost. In other memories, he’s a writer in Greece trying to talk story structure with a couple of young female tourists. The three lives clash. New York traffic noise, for instance, turns into a heavy sea at night.
The film has a turgid pace for the first half or so, and is hard to watch. But it picks up, and anybody who’s ever cared for a senile parent will recognize that the ambience is absolutely authentic. Writer-director Sally Potter drew on her own experience caring for a brother with early onset dementia. Her film is well-intentioned, but hard to like. (Video on demand, as of Tuesday.) 2½ out of 5 RED ROVER: This amiable Canadian comedy spins off from an actual promotion to colonize Mars. A Dutch businessman floated it, planned a reality TV show to pay for it and then watched it collapse before it even started. A similar project in the movie attracts a nebbish geologist (Kristian Bruun) in Toronto, where he’s humiliated and then fired by an arrogant boss. His ex-wife and her new boyfriend also belittle him, and his only consolation is his hobby: Searching on a beach with a metal detector. This time, he meets a free-spirited young woman (Cara Gee), who invites him to a CD release party and inadvertently hands him a flyer for the Mars project. In his imagination, he feels the pull. Courtesy IndieCan Entertainment Inc.


nationalobserver--2020-05-15--Second oilsands mine work camp Covid-19 outbreak triggers reassurances

A second outbreak of COVID-19 at an oilsands mine work camp in northern Alberta is concerning , observers say , but not even a vocal critic of the Alberta government 's handling of the pandemic would shut those operations down .
The province relies too much on self-inspection and is too slow to take action on enforcement despite recent large outbreaks at meat-packing plants , said Gil McGowan , president of the Alberta Federation of Labour .
He added workers in the first oilsands mine outbreak at the Kearl mine should not have been allowed to spread the virus to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessarily saying shut down these operations but we are saying put an end to the fly-in , fly-out approach to staffing the projects for all of them , '' he said in an interview on Thursday .
`` Given the fact we have so many unemployed tradespeople here in Alberta , there 's no justification for continuing to fly in hundreds of people from other provinces .
We could do the work ourselves and avoid the risk of spreading the infections beyond our borders . ''
• Canada wants to extend U.S. travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ' : COVID-19 outbreak at oilsands camp has spread across the country On Wednesday , the province reported there had been five confirmed COVID-19 cases at the Horizon oilsands mine camp operated by Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. , the minimum number to declare an outbreak .
A larger outbreak reported last month at the Kearl oilsands mine operated by Imperial Oil Ltd. had grown to 107 cases , it said .
Kearl 's ability to continue to operate and produce oil while taking measures to deal with the outbreak has been reassuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Skolnick of Eight Capital .
`` At Kearl , there have been no repercussions , production is still going on , '' he said , adding the industry is expected to continue as normal because Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has declared upstream oil operations essential .
Other oilsands producers throughout the industry are slowing work and reducing staffing levels to reduce the risk of transmission , Skolnick added .
Earlier this month , Imperial said it would extend a planned one-month maintenance shutdown of one of its two production trains at Kearl by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between workers .
Those decisions have the added benefit of reducing production at a time when oil prices are at low ebb because global demand for energy products has fallen during the pandemic , Skolnick said .
Alberta ’ s chief medical officer of health Deena Henshaw said Canadian Natural has reacted to the Horizon mine outbreak in an appropriate manner .
`` Testing is being offered to all employees , including those without symptoms , and I 'm confident that the spread can be contained on this site as all measures are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
She reported speaking with other camp operators in the region earlier this week and found they were co-operative and aware of measures they should be taking before and after an outbreak is discovered .
`` When you think of the thousands of people that go in and out of these camps on a regular basis , the fact that at Kearl Lake we now have 107 cases ... , ( now ) we 've had a small recent cluster , but again I think it 's a testament to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread , '' said Henshaw .
Canadian Natural said one of its maintenance service workers was confirmed on May 2 as positive for COVID-19 .
The person had completed a shift on April 28 and experienced symptoms after returning home .
The company traced the workers ' close contacts and provided information to Alberta Health Services to identify people who required testing .
Three close contacts working with the same service provider then tested positive , Canadian Natural said .
In a separate case , Canadian Natural was notified that an employee of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive on April 29 .
Measures taken to control transmission include limiting numbers on air and ground transport so that physical distance can be maintained , and requiring face masks on flights and buses , the company said .

A second outbreak of COVID-19 at an oilsands mine work camp in northern Alberta is concerning, observers say, but not even a vocal critic of the Alberta government's handling of the pandemic would shut those operations down. The province relies too much on self-inspection and is too slow to take action on enforcement despite recent large outbreaks at meat-packing plants, said Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour. He added workers in the first oilsands mine outbreak at the Kearl mine should not have been allowed to spread the virus to other communities. "We're not necessarily saying shut down these operations but we are saying put an end to the fly-in, fly-out approach to staffing the projects for all of them," he said in an interview on Thursday. "Given the fact we have so many unemployed tradespeople here in Alberta, there's no justification for continuing to fly in hundreds of people from other provinces. We could do the work ourselves and avoid the risk of spreading the infections beyond our borders."
On Wednesday, the province reported there had been five confirmed COVID-19 cases at the Horizon oilsands mine camp operated by Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., the minimum number to declare an outbreak. A larger outbreak reported last month at the Kearl oilsands mine operated by Imperial Oil Ltd. had grown to 107 cases, it said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Kearl's ability to continue to operate and produce oil while taking measures to deal with the outbreak has been reassuring for investors, said oilsands analyst Phil Skolnick of Eight Capital.
"At Kearl, there have been no repercussions, production is still going on," he said, adding the industry is expected to continue as normal because Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has declared upstream oil operations essential. Reassurances emerge after second oilsands mine work camp outbreak Other oilsands producers throughout the industry are slowing work and reducing staffing levels to reduce the risk of transmission, Skolnick added. Earlier this month, Imperial said it would extend a planned one-month maintenance shutdown of one of its two production trains at Kearl by an extra month to allow more distancing between workers. Those decisions have the added benefit of reducing production at a time when oil prices are at low ebb because global demand for energy products has fallen during the pandemic, Skolnick said. Alberta’s chief medical officer of health Deena Henshaw said Canadian Natural has reacted to the Horizon mine outbreak in an appropriate manner.
"Testing is being offered to all employees, including those without symptoms, and I'm confident that the spread can be contained on this site as all measures are being taken to do this," she said. She reported speaking with other camp operators in the region earlier this week and found they were co-operative and aware of measures they should be taking before and after an outbreak is discovered. "When you think of the thousands of people that go in and out of these camps on a regular basis, the fact that at Kearl Lake we now have 107 cases ..., (now) we've had a small recent cluster, but again I think it's a testament to the work that's been done to reduce spread," said Henshaw.


nationalobserver--2020-05-15--Canada to announce extension of subsidies and aid for medical researchers

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce today an extension to the federal government 's 75 per cent emergency wage subsidy — just as businesses across the country are taking the first cautious steps towards reopening after a two-month , pandemic-induced shutdown .
He is also expected to announce significant financial support for thousands of medical researchers whose work is unrelated to the COVID-19 crisis .
The $ 73-billion wage subsidy program was initially slated to run until June 6 .
Trudeau last week said it would be extended and today he 'll reveal for how long .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least an extra month .
Under the program , the federal government is currently picking up the tab for 75 per cent of an eligible company 's payroll — up to a maximum of $ 847 per week per employee — from March 15 to June 6 .
• Canada wants to extend U.S. travel ban • 'Alberta didn ’ t contain it ' : COVID-19 outbreak at oilsands camp has spread across the country Eligible companies are those that saw revenues drop by 15 per cent in March or 30 per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has billed the subsidy as the largest economic program since the Second World War , with the cost pegged at $ 73 billion .
But so far , it has paid out only $ 3.4 billion for some 1.7 million workers .
However , the government sees the wage subsidy as crucial to the country 's economic recovery and is hoping that more companies will take advantage of it as they rehire employees laid off when the country shut down in mid-March to prevent the spread of COVID-19 .
That , in turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 35-billion Canada Emergency Response Benefit , which is paying $ 2,000 a month to Canadians who have been thrown out of work or seen their incomes nosedive due to the pandemic .
More than 7.5 million Canadians have received CERB payments so far — almost double the anticipated number of recipients .
PM to announce extension of wage subsidy , financial aid for medical researchers The government is widely expected to eventually phase out the CERB to prevent it becoming a disincentive to work as the economy restarts .
Trudeau is also expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the threatened layoffs of up to 15,000 researchers at hospital-based research institutes who , due to a technicality , do n't qualify for the wage subsidy .
Research unrelated to the deadly coronavirus that causes COVID-19 was halted in mid-March , including clinical trials and research into cancer , stroke and other diseases .
Hospital-based institutes have warned that much of the funding they rely on to pay for that research — including charitable donations , contributions from foundations and clinical trial contracts with pharmaceutical companies — has evaporated .
Without financial support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they 'll have to begin laying off thousands of researchers by the end of this week .
Trudeau promised earlier this week to personally look into the matter .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15 , 2020 .

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce today an extension to the federal government's 75 per cent emergency wage subsidy — just as businesses across the country are taking the first cautious steps towards reopening after a two-month, pandemic-induced shutdown. He is also expected to announce significant financial support for thousands of medical researchers whose work is unrelated to the COVID-19 crisis. The $73-billion wage subsidy program was initially slated to run until June 6. Trudeau last week said it would be extended and today he'll reveal for how long. The extension is expected to be for at least an extra month. Under the program, the federal government is currently picking up the tab for 75 per cent of an eligible company's payroll — up to a maximum of $847 per week per employee — from March 15 to June 6.
Eligible companies are those that saw revenues drop by 15 per cent in March or 30 per cent in April and May. The government has billed the subsidy as the largest economic program since the Second World War, with the cost pegged at $73 billion. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions But so far, it has paid out only $3.4 billion for some 1.7 million workers.
However, the government sees the wage subsidy as crucial to the country's economic recovery and is hoping that more companies will take advantage of it as they rehire employees laid off when the country shut down in mid-March to prevent the spread of COVID-19. PM to announce extension of wage subsidy, financial aid for medical researchers That, in turn, would decrease reliance on the $35-billion Canada Emergency Response Benefit, which is paying $2,000 a month to Canadians who have been thrown out of work or seen their incomes nosedive due to the pandemic. More than 7.5 million Canadians have received CERB payments so far — almost double the anticipated number of recipients. The government is widely expected to eventually phase out the CERB to prevent it becoming a disincentive to work as the economy restarts. Trudeau is also expected today to announce financial support to prevent the threatened layoffs of up to 15,000 researchers at hospital-based research institutes who, due to a technicality, don't qualify for the wage subsidy.
Research unrelated to the deadly coronavirus that causes COVID-19 was halted in mid-March, including clinical trials and research into cancer, stroke and other diseases. Hospital-based institutes have warned that much of the funding they rely on to pay for that research — including charitable donations, contributions from foundations and clinical trial contracts with pharmaceutical companies — has evaporated. Without financial support from the government, they've warned that they'll have to begin laying off thousands of researchers by the end of this week. Trudeau promised earlier this week to personally look into the matter.


nationalobserver--2020-05-15--Ontario, Alberta re-opening economy as Quebec delays Montreal school start

Even as much of Canada took steps Thursday toward resuming normal life , with the promise of reopened national parks and provincial economies , Quebec moved in the other direction by shelving plans to have students return to class in Montreal .
Ontario announced it would lift restrictions on some retailers , seasonal businesses and medical procedures next Tuesday , while Alberta began implementing the first phase of its own relaunch with the reopening of stores , daycares and museums .
In contrast , Quebec Premier Francois Legault announced that elementary schools in greater Montreal would remain closed for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions had not been met to reopen as planned on May 25 .
Daycares , which had been scheduled to open the same day , will now remain closed until at least June 1 , while businesses will be allowed to open as scheduled only if conditions improve in the province 's largest city .
Quebec has more than half of the country 's COVID-19 cases , with over 40,000 infections and 3,351 deaths as of Thursday .
The province has already opened elementary schools and stores outside Montreal , but Legault said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Canada wants to extend U.S. travel ban • 'Alberta didn ’ t contain it ' : COVID-19 outbreak at oilsands camp has spread across the country `` We know the situation remains under control outside Montreal , but it remains fragile here , '' Legault said during a visit to the hard-hit city .
`` We 've concluded that the conditions are not met to reopen elementary schools in the Montreal region . ''
In Alberta , retail stores , hair salons , museums , daycares and day camps were allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Restaurants and cafes could reopen at half capacity .
The reopenings apply across the province , except in Calgary and Brooks , which will have to wait until May 25 .
John Gee of Calgary drove to the nearby city of Airdrie on Thursday to get his first haircut in four months .
`` My wife said maybe this will make you feel better , '' he said .
`` I 've been in a bit of a funk with everything going on . ''
After his long grey locks fell to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal .
In Ottawa , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said some national parks and historic sites across the country would reopen June 1 for select activities , including trails , day use areas and green spaces .
At his daily briefing , Trudeau noted that the coming May long weekend would look different this year due to the ongoing shutdowns and distancing restrictions .
`` But this is n't forever , '' he added .
`` Canadians have been doing the right things these past many weeks , and that 's why we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks ahead . ''
Since the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 sent the country into lockdown in mid-March , all national parks and historic sites have been closed , with visitor services and all motor vehicle access suspended .
Trudeau said the choice of which parks would be allowed to open would align with the decisions of provincial and local governments .
The gradual reopenings are to be accompanied by measures designed to ensure the safety of visitors and workers , he said .
The prime minister also held his weekly call with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Canadian COVID-19 pandemic began .
A readout from his office late Thursday said they discussed “ the tremendous importance of testing and contact tracing ” when it comes to restarting the economy and how Ottawa can support those efforts .
They also talked about the restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border .
The readout says Trudeau and the premiers `` agreed on the need to maintain strong public health measures at the border , '' especially as they begin reopening their economies .
In British Columbia , many provincial parks opened Thursday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the Vancouver area closed because of fears they would draw crowds .
Meanwhile , Ontario revealed it is set to enter its first stage of reopening next Tuesday , including lifting restrictions on some seasonal businesses , low-risk workplaces and medical procedures .
The facilities that will be able to reopen include golf courses , tennis courts , most retail stores , dog groomers and construction , Premier Doug Ford announced .
Ford said that Ontarians would have to remain vigilant during the province 's first recovery stage , which also includes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We need to keep in mind that all of this is dependent on the numbers , '' he said .
`` The truth is we ca n't fully predict where things will go , so we need to be ready to react if we see a sudden increase in cases .
We can not let our guard down now .
We must watch the trends like a hawk . ''
In New Brunswick , Education Minister Dominic Cardy warned that all phases of reopening involve risk , including the planned reopening of licensed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way you can avoid risk from the pandemic is by embracing a risk that would come from the destruction of our economy , our inability to collect taxes and pay for critical social programs , '' Cardy said , as the province released a guide for parents ahead of the resumption of child care services .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14 , 2020 .
— With files from Allison Jones in Toronto , Bill Graveland in Calgary and Kevin Bissett in Fredericton

Even as much of Canada took steps Thursday toward resuming normal life, with the promise of reopened national parks and provincial economies, Quebec moved in the other direction by shelving plans to have students return to class in Montreal. Ontario announced it would lift restrictions on some retailers, seasonal businesses and medical procedures next Tuesday, while Alberta began implementing the first phase of its own relaunch with the reopening of stores, daycares and museums. In contrast, Quebec Premier Francois Legault announced that elementary schools in greater Montreal would remain closed for the rest of the school year, saying conditions had not been met to reopen as planned on May 25. Daycares, which had been scheduled to open the same day, will now remain closed until at least June 1, while businesses will be allowed to open as scheduled only if conditions improve in the province's largest city. Quebec has more than half of the country's COVID-19 cases, with over 40,000 infections and 3,351 deaths as of Thursday. The province has already opened elementary schools and stores outside Montreal, but Legault said the situation in the city remains risky.
"We know the situation remains under control outside Montreal, but it remains fragile here," Legault said during a visit to the hard-hit city. "We've concluded that the conditions are not met to reopen elementary schools in the Montreal region." In Alberta, retail stores, hair salons, museums, daycares and day camps were allowed to open Thursday, with restrictions. Restaurants and cafes could reopen at half capacity. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The reopenings apply across the province, except in Calgary and Brooks, which will have to wait until May 25.
John Gee of Calgary drove to the nearby city of Airdrie on Thursday to get his first haircut in four months. Ontario, Alberta expand reopenings as Quebec delays school start in Montreal "My wife said maybe this will make you feel better," he said. "I've been in a bit of a funk with everything going on." After his long grey locks fell to the floor, he said he felt more normal. In Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said some national parks and historic sites across the country would reopen June 1 for select activities, including trails, day use areas and green spaces. At his daily briefing, Trudeau noted that the coming May long weekend would look different this year due to the ongoing shutdowns and distancing restrictions.
"But this isn't forever," he added. "Canadians have been doing the right things these past many weeks, and that's why we can announce some good news for the weeks ahead." Since the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 sent the country into lockdown in mid-March, all national parks and historic sites have been closed, with visitor services and all motor vehicle access suspended.


nationalobserver--2020-05-16--Ontario's premier shows how he makes cheesecake

This long weekend try making my famous cheesecake !
I ’ ve been making this recipe for years and it @ @ @ @ @ memories .
Show us your # OntarioSpirit and share your baking videos !
# cheesecake @ @ @ @ @ tangent during a news conference this week , Doug Ford boasted about making the best @ @ @ @ @ 's premier has released a `` Cooking with Doug '' video showing how he makes @ @ @ @ @ posted on the premier 's Twitter account today shows Ford at home making what he @ @ @ @ @ He says he has had it memorized since he was 10 , when he learned @ @ @ @ @ Ford says if he was n't premier , he would open up a Cheesecake Factory @ @ @ @ @ baking is a great way to relieve stress , and he 's calling for Ontarians @ @ @ @ @ videos .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15 , 2020 @

Ontario's premier has released a "Cooking with Doug" video showing how he makes cherry cheesecake.
On a tangent during a news conference this week, Doug Ford boasted about making the best cherry cheesecake ever.
This long weekend try making my famous cheesecake! I’ve been making this recipe for years and it always brings back good family memories. Show us your #OntarioSpirit and share your baking videos! #cheesecake #washyourhands pic.twitter.com/sfA9K4epki — Doug Ford (@fordnation) May 15, 2020
The video posted on the premier's Twitter account today shows Ford at home making what he calls his famous recipe.
He says he has had it memorized since he was 10, when he learned it from his mother.


nationalobserver--2020-05-16--Freeland refrains from discussing details on Canada's ongoing talks with U.S. on border opening

Canada and the United States are both `` very comfortable '' with their mutual ban on non-essential cross-border travel , but Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland wo n't say if the Americans want to extend the restrictions beyond June 21 .
Recent media reports suggest the U.S. , fearing the import of COVID-19 cases , wants an indefinite timeline for existing restrictions at both the southern and northern borders .
It 's not clear if that pertains to the ban on non-essential travel or is specifically aimed at curtailing immigration .
Freeland refused Friday to discuss the details of Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ describing them as `` very , very cordial '' and `` very constructive . ''
But when asked if the U.S. is looking for a longer timeline , she suggested that neither country is in any hurry to ease the restrictions .
`` Both sides feel the current measures are working really , really well in restricting non-essential travel , but also really importantly for both countries in ensuring that essential travel continues , '' Freeland said , citing the particular need for effective automotive supply chains as manufacturers come back online .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban • 'Alberta didn ’ t contain it ' : COVID-19 outbreak at oilsands camp has spread across the country • Ontario 's reopening plan : You can go shopping Tuesday , but you ca n't visit family `` The essential travel is still happening .
Both countries feel very comfortable with that . ''
Sources familiar with the discussions have confirmed Canada has requested the existing agreement , which is currently slated to expire next week , be extended for another 30 days until June 21 .
The U.S. has been receptive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who were not authorized to discuss details and spoke on condition of anonymity .
The New York Times reported earlier this week that President Donald Trump 's administration is working on an order to extend indefinitely its ban on non-essential cross-border travel into the U.S. , with the onus on Dr. Robert Redfield , director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control , to decide when COVID-19 no longer poses a threat to Americans .
Critics have accused the anti-immigration White House of using the pandemic as an excuse to further restrict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , particularly over the southern border .
But the northern border has n't escaped their attention : a short-lived proposal to deploy U.S. soldiers near the Canadian frontier was aimed at intercepting illegal migrants .
Federal officials in Ottawa believe the Times report may be conflating the non-essential travel ban with separate immigration restrictions , which Trump imposed April 22 in the name of protecting U.S. jobs as the country reels under record unemployment levels .
U.S. Department of National Security officials did not immediately respond to media queries Friday .
Freeland wo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extended beyond June 21 `` Decisions about the Canadian border are going to be taken by Canadians in the Canadian national interest , with the health and safety of Canadians first and foremost , '' Freeland said .
Canada 's provincial premiers agree that a go-slow approach is the best strategy , she added .
`` There was , I would say , a widely shared view expressed by the premiers that taking a prudent approach right now is the right thing . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published @ @ @ @ @

Canada and the United States are both "very comfortable" with their mutual ban on non-essential cross-border travel, but Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland won't say if the Americans want to extend the restrictions beyond June 21.
Recent media reports suggest the U.S., fearing the import of COVID-19 cases, wants an indefinite timeline for existing restrictions at both the southern and northern borders. It's not clear if that pertains to the ban on non-essential travel or is specifically aimed at curtailing immigration.
Freeland refused Friday to discuss the details of Canada's ongoing talks with the U.S. beyond describing them as "very, very cordial" and "very constructive."
But when asked if the U.S. is looking for a longer timeline, she suggested that neither country is in any hurry to ease the restrictions.
"Both sides feel the current measures are working really, really well in restricting non-essential travel, but also really importantly for both countries in ensuring that essential travel continues," Freeland said, citing the particular need for effective automotive supply chains as manufacturers come back online.


nationalobserver--2020-05-16--Next Conservative leader will get a party ready to win, says Scheer

Outgoing Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer chuckled Friday when asked if he wishes he had done anything differently during his time at the party 's helm .
`` Well , clearly , '' he said .
Scheer was all but forced out as leader in December , after weeks of criticism of his personal role in the party 's failure to unseat the Liberals in the 2019 election .
He said then he was no longer willing to make the personal sacrifices needed for the job and stepped aside .
It 's not a decision he regrets , he told The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It was the right decision , and staying on as interim leader has provided the caucus with much needed stability during the leadership race without crowding out the space for those candidates , '' he said .
• Canada wants to extend U.S. travel ban • 'Alberta didn ’ t contain it ' : COVID-19 outbreak at oilsands camp has spread across the country • Ontario 's reopening plan : You can go shopping Tuesday , but you ca n't visit family `` I 've been tremendously focused on doing all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a well-oiled machine on the party side and a cohesive caucus that is firing on all cylinders . ''
The political landscape has shifted since Scheer stepped back , as the COVID-19 pandemic has upended Canadian life .
Nearly every piece of potential federal legislation or action is on hold , and for a time , Parliament was as well .
That briefly relegated Opposition MPs to the same place most Canadians were in : sitting back and watching the Liberals ' back-to-back news conferences each day .
Scheer said getting the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accountability — though he wants more — was a victory , as has been the fact his MPs have forced changes to COVID-19-related emergency aid .
`` We 're starting to sense that more and more Canadians are really asking tough questions about the government 's handling of this crisis , '' he said .
Next Conservative leader will get a party ready to win , says Scheer `` I am extremely confident that the next leader is going to be able to highlight those deficiencies in Mr. Trudeau 's response in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conservative government will get us through the consequences of the pandemic better . ''
Before COVID-19 , a replacement for Scheer was to be named June 21 .
But the party punted that date , and for a time paused the race .
What it did n't change was the deadline hitting at midnight Friday for anyone wanting to vote for the new leader to have registered as a member .
The vote will take place over the summer by mail , with all ballots required to be returned by Aug. 21 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are four people running : current MPs Erin O'Toole and Derek Sloan , former MP and cabinet minister Peter MacKay and Toronto lawyer Leslyn Lewis .
Lewis and Sloan both emerged from , and are counting on , the same wing of the party : social conservatives .
That cohort was partially responsible for handing Scheer his win in 2017 .
The ranked ballot the party uses saw supporters of the main social conservative candidate Brad Trost pivot to Scheer instead of the more libertarian-minded Maxime Bernier .
But in turn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would be his political undoing .
Before last fall 's election , it took him days before he 'd share his personal position against abortion , and his promise not to reopen the debate on it if he were prime minister never took hold .
Meanwhile , his inability during the campaign and after to clearly articulate support for LGBTQ rights , including his refusal to march in a gay-pride parade , were among the reasons people said he needed to go .
By contrast , Lewis and Sloan have been clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curtail access to abortion .
Sloan and Lewis have also said they wo n't march in gay-pride parades , though Lewis has taken a more nuanced position on LGBTQ rights overall .
Scheer acknowledges his own views were a factor in his party 's defeat .
He said what he 'd tried to do in both the leadership race and the general election was make it clear he saw no value or need to bring forward policies that would divide not only his own caucus but potentially the country .
The next leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divisions at bay , he said .
`` You do n't gain more by subtraction , '' he said .
`` For our party is it essential that every type of conservative feels that they have a home in their party , that they are welcome in our party , and that the next leader continue to try to find that common ground and keep everyone focused and united , '' he said .
There is a potential wild card : longtime Ontario conservative activist Jim Karahalios was in court Friday arguing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ought to be overturned .
A few weeks before the cutoff for candidates to register in the contest , his campaign sent out an email accusing O'Toole 's campaign chair of promoting the implementation of Islamic religious law , known as Shariah , in Canada .
Walied Soliman , a prominent Toronto lawyer , has worked on the legalities of finance arrangements that satisfy Islamic restrictions on charging interest .
Accusing someone of supporting Shariah law is often taken to be an anti-Muslim slur .
Complaints against Karahalios were filed with the party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his dismissal .
A decision in the case is expected soon .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15 , 2020 .

Outgoing Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer chuckled Friday when asked if he wishes he had done anything differently during his time at the party's helm. "Well, clearly," he said. Scheer was all but forced out as leader in December, after weeks of criticism of his personal role in the party's failure to unseat the Liberals in the 2019 election. He said then he was no longer willing to make the personal sacrifices needed for the job and stepped aside. It's not a decision he regrets, he told The Canadian Press in an interview Friday. "It was the right decision, and staying on as interim leader has provided the caucus with much needed stability during the leadership race without crowding out the space for those candidates," he said.
"I've been tremendously focused on doing all the preparatory work so the next leader has a well-oiled machine on the party side and a cohesive caucus that is firing on all cylinders." The political landscape has shifted since Scheer stepped back, as the COVID-19 pandemic has upended Canadian life. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Nearly every piece of potential federal legislation or action is on hold, and for a time, Parliament was as well.
That briefly relegated Opposition MPs to the same place most Canadians were in: sitting back and watching the Liberals' back-to-back news conferences each day. Next Conservative leader will get a party ready to win, says Scheer Scheer said getting the government to return to some measure of parliamentary accountability — though he wants more — was a victory, as has been the fact his MPs have forced changes to COVID-19-related emergency aid. "We're starting to sense that more and more Canadians are really asking tough questions about the government's handling of this crisis," he said. "I am extremely confident that the next leader is going to be able to highlight those deficiencies in Mr. Trudeau's response in the pandemic as well as explain how a Conservative government will get us through the consequences of the pandemic better." Before COVID-19, a replacement for Scheer was to be named June 21.
But the party punted that date, and for a time paused the race. What it didn't change was the deadline hitting at midnight Friday for anyone wanting to vote for the new leader to have registered as a member. The vote will take place over the summer by mail, with all ballots required to be returned by Aug. 21, and a winner announced shortly after. There are four people running: current MPs Erin O'Toole and Derek Sloan, former MP and cabinet minister Peter MacKay and Toronto lawyer Leslyn Lewis.


nationalobserver--2020-05-16--As Air Canada announces layoffs, feds continue conversation on possible help

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government will work closely with Air Canada to see if any more help can be offered after the airline announced mass layoffs on Friday .
Trudeau acknowledges it 's a difficult situation for airlines and the travel industry during the COVID-19 crisis .
But even as he offered reassurances that the government would continue to work with companies and industries hardest hit by the crisis , exactly what help Air Canada can expect to receive from government remains unclear .
`` We will have conversations with Air Canada as we will with airlines across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the best way to get through this particular pandemic is , '' Trudeau said .
`` We know that airlines are incredibly hard hit by this pandemic and we will be there to work with them to see how best we can help . ''
• Canada wants to extend U.S. travel ban • 'Alberta didn ’ t contain it ' : COVID-19 outbreak at oilsands camp has spread across the country • Ontario 's reopening plan : You can go shopping Tuesday , but you ca n't visit family Air Canada will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 38,000 employees next month as it grapples with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic .
The airline estimates about 20,000 of its employees will be affected .
The layoffs , which will take place June 7 , will affect a minimum of 19,000 staff and could go as high as 22,800 .
The country 's largest airline — along with its competitors — has seen demand for air travel evaporate amid ongoing border shutdowns and confinement measures , prompting Air Canada to ground some 225 airplanes and slash flight capacity by 95 per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced after Trudeau extended the $ 73-billion Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy through the end of August earlier on Friday .
The airline did take advantage of the federal wage subsidy program to rehire over 16,000 employees initially laid off in March due to the pandemic .
But now the company says workers who are laid off will no longer fall under this program and will have to apply instead for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit , which pays $ 2,000 a month to workers who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggling through the pandemic can also access a bridge financing program being made available to companies with at least $ 300 million in revenues so they can stay open , keep employees on their payrolls and avoid bankruptcies .
Trudeau hopes government can help Air Canada following announcement of layoffs He made a point to note this is `` not a bailout '' but rather a fund that offers loans to companies to help them get through the crisis .
`` We are still working with companies to see who is taking that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be worked out , '' he said .
The federal government will continue to work with Air Canada to try to determine the best way to get through the crisis , he said .
`` I think we all know this pandemic has hit extremely hard on travel industries and on the airlines particularly , that 's why we 're going to continue working with airlines , including Air Canada , to see how we can help even more than we have with the wage subsidy . ''
Meanwhile , Trudeau says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial for a potential COVID-19 vaccine at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia .
Trudeau also says an additional $ 100 million will go to the Canadian Red Cross to help deal with COVID-19 , floods and wildfires .

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government will work closely with Air Canada to see if any more help can be offered after the airline announced mass layoffs on Friday. Trudeau acknowledges it's a difficult situation for airlines and the travel industry during the COVID-19 crisis. But even as he offered reassurances that the government would continue to work with companies and industries hardest hit by the crisis, exactly what help Air Canada can expect to receive from government remains unclear. "We will have conversations with Air Canada as we will with airlines across the sector to try and see how the best way to get through this particular pandemic is," Trudeau said. "We know that airlines are incredibly hard hit by this pandemic and we will be there to work with them to see how best we can help."
Air Canada will lay off more than half of its 38,000 employees next month as it grapples with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline estimates about 20,000 of its employees will be affected. The layoffs, which will take place June 7, will affect a minimum of 19,000 staff and could go as high as 22,800. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The country's largest airline — along with its competitors — has seen demand for air travel evaporate amid ongoing border shutdowns and confinement measures, prompting Air Canada to ground some 225 airplanes and slash flight capacity by 95 per cent.
Air Canada's move was announced after Trudeau extended the $73-billion Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy through the end of August earlier on Friday. Trudeau hopes government can help Air Canada following announcement of layoffs The airline did take advantage of the federal wage subsidy program to rehire over 16,000 employees initially laid off in March due to the pandemic. But now the company says workers who are laid off will no longer fall under this program and will have to apply instead for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, which pays $2,000 a month to workers who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19. Trudeau noted airlines and other big employers struggling through the pandemic can also access a bridge financing program being made available to companies with at least $300 million in revenues so they can stay open, keep employees on their payrolls and avoid bankruptcies. He made a point to note this is "not a bailout" but rather a fund that offers loans to companies to help them get through the crisis. "We are still working with companies to see who is taking that up and how the format of it will be worked out," he said.
The federal government will continue to work with Air Canada to try to determine the best way to get through the crisis, he said. "I think we all know this pandemic has hit extremely hard on travel industries and on the airlines particularly, that's why we're going to continue working with airlines, including Air Canada, to see how we can help even more than we have with the wage subsidy." Meanwhile, Trudeau says Health Canada has authorized the first clinical trial for a potential COVID-19 vaccine at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia.


nationalobserver--2020-05-16--Trudeau: COVID-19 wage subsidy will last through summer

A federal wage subsidy for employees in businesses hit hard by COVID-19 will last at least through the summer and the federal government is asking companies to rehire laid off staff — many of whom have received aid from an emergency benefit that has gone over budget .
The $ 73-billion Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy was set to expire in the first week of June , only a few weeks after the first payments rolled out and with only a small fraction of its budget spent .
Subsidies will now be available through to the end of August , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government the authority to extend qualifying periods for help to the end of September .
Eligibility is also being expanded to more organizations to include tax-exempt Indigenous-owned corporations or partnerships , amateur athletic associations registered journalism organizations , and private colleges and training schools .
Dan Kelly , president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business , said the simplified wage subsidy would be a boost for small businesses and a relief for seasonal industries like tourism , where operators are looking ahead to a soft summer .
He called for changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached many small businesses .
Federal COVID-19 wage subsidy to last through summer , Trudeau says `` Small-business owners are eager to get back to business and get off the government subsidies they have had to rely on through the COVID-19 pandemic .
Unfortunately , we are not there yet , '' he said in a statement .
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce said many companies have closed or are not operating at full capacity , which has limited applications for the funding , while others simply have n't qualified .
The organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an `` important tool '' for eligible businesses `` to help in the process of resuming and stepping up operations . ''
Finance Minister Bill Morneau was unable to say Friday how much the extension would cost .
He said much of that will be determined by the changes to be debated with employer groups and labour organizations .
The most recent federal figures on the program show payouts of around $ 3.36 billion to 123,642 companies .
Morneau said the design of the expanded wage subsidy will take into account its effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right incentives and right support '' for workers and businesses `` so they can get back to work appropriately . ''
The subsidy covers 75 per cent of wages for employers that have seen sharp declines in revenue since the novel coronavirus pandemic hit Canada hard in March , up to $ 847 per worker , per week .
The government expected the subsidy would pull workers onto payrolls and away from the $ 2,000-a-month emergency benefit for employees who have either lost their jobs or seen their incomes drop below $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday morning show just under eight million people have applied for that Canada Emergency Response Benefit , receiving just under $ 35.9 billion between them .
The program had a budget of $ 35 billion , and the Liberals have faced calls to extend a program developed quickly in late March .
`` Simple designs were needed to get them up and running in a hurry , '' CIBC chief economist Avery Shenfeld wrote in a note about the emergency aid .
`` But just as a patient has to be carefully weaned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to adjust their prescriptions as we take small steps towards economic health . ''

A federal wage subsidy for employees in businesses hit hard by COVID-19 will last at least through the summer and the federal government is asking companies to rehire laid off staff — many of whom have received aid from an emergency benefit that has gone over budget. The $73-billion Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy was set to expire in the first week of June, only a few weeks after the first payments rolled out and with only a small fraction of its budget spent. Subsidies will now be available through to the end of August, though the legislation that created the subsidy gave the government the authority to extend qualifying periods for help to the end of September. Take-up for the program has been below federal expectations, with less than $4 billion in benefits to date for 1.7 million workers. Speaking outside his Ottawa residence, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said employers now have more runway and should have confidence to resume operations slowly if they have to.
Trudeau also said the government will make adjustments to the program, including changes to the threshold for how much qualifying companies' revenues must have declined, to ensure employers can continue getting help as business kicks back up. "As the economy reopens, there is a danger of unintended consequences," Trudeau said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "If part of the eligibility criteria for getting the wage subsidy is a decrease of 30 per cent of your business, we wouldn't want people who are getting back their business going to feel like they have to hold back on their growth, on their expansion, on their rehiring in order to be able to continue benefiting from the wage subsidy."
Eligibility is also being expanded to more organizations to include tax-exempt Indigenous-owned corporations or partnerships, amateur athletic associations registered journalism organizations, and private colleges and training schools. Federal COVID-19 wage subsidy to last through summer, Trudeau says Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said the simplified wage subsidy would be a boost for small businesses and a relief for seasonal industries like tourism, where operators are looking ahead to a soft summer. He called for changes to other federal programs that haven't reached many small businesses. "Small-business owners are eager to get back to business and get off the government subsidies they have had to rely on through the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, we are not there yet," he said in a statement. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce said many companies have closed or are not operating at full capacity, which has limited applications for the funding, while others simply haven't qualified. The organization said the modified wage subsidy should be an "important tool" for eligible businesses "to help in the process of resuming and stepping up operations."
Finance Minister Bill Morneau was unable to say Friday how much the extension would cost. He said much of that will be determined by the changes to be debated with employer groups and labour organizations. The most recent federal figures on the program show payouts of around $3.36 billion to 123,642 companies. Morneau said the design of the expanded wage subsidy will take into account its effect on the CERB, to have "the right incentives and right support" for workers and businesses "so they can get back to work appropriately."


nationalobserver--2020-05-16--B.C. classes will soon be in session, but parents' reactions are mixed

Students can head back to school on a voluntary basis starting June 1 , as the first step in a graduated return to full-time classes in the fall , B.C .
Premier John Horgan announced Friday .
But Quadra Island parents ’ reactions to the plan run the gamut from outright rejection to wholehearted acceptance of the offer to have kids head back to class .
Marc Doll , who has twin daughters in Grade 5 , said not only will the girls stay away from school next month , they likely won ’ t be returning in September either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most students will attend school part-time , Fleming said .
“ To do things safely , we will need to limit the number of students in schools , so we can manage physical distance.
” Kids from kindergarten to Grade 5 will be in class two to three days a week , Fleming said , adding elementary schools would be at 50 per cent or less of normal capacity .
“ My opinion is they are actually being quite smart about it by ensuring it ’ s part-time to ensure physical distancing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s being done willy-nilly , '' parent Heather Kent on B.C .
's plan to resume classes on a voluntary basis June 1 .
Students from Grade 6 upward will likely attend class one day each week , with only 20 per cent of students in school at a time .
However , children of essential workers or students who need extra supports will continue to be able to attend classes full-time , Fleming said .
Lunch breaks , recess , drop-offs and pick-ups will be staggered , and children will ride buses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another family member .
Each school board has to file protocol plans with the education ministry before opening , and parents can expect to hear details about their children ’ s return to school from their district by May 22 .
If they don ’ t , they should reach out to their school principal , Fleming said .
Tara Taylor , a mother of two children in Grades 1 and 9 , said she definitely wouldn ’ t be sending her daughter back to elementary school in June .
Younger kids are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taylor said .
“ My take … is that if we ’ re going back to a classroom situation , it will be impossible to maintain the safety and hygiene standards needed to keep everyone healthy , ” she said .
She would consider returning her daughter to school to get some social interaction under certain conditions .
“ Given the summer weather and our location , I could see how a modified outdoor program would be beneficial , ” Taylor said .
Her daughter is doing well at home , learning practical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the family has lots of resources to help educate her .
However , Taylor is still uncertain about whether her older son will head back to school , especially as he ’ d have to travel with other people by bus and ferry to get there .
“ It ’ s definitely a discussion I ’ d have with him , ” she said , adding he might not be interested , as he ’ s doing pretty well with his online learning .
Heather Kent says her son Breccan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head back in class in June , as spots can be better used by essential workers or vulnerable children .
Photo : Rochelle Baker Heather Kent , whose son Breccan is in Grade 2 , said she was surprised schools would even open for the last month of the year .
School District 72 has already sent out a survey asking parents if they wanted to have their child return or if they needed any other further supports , Kent said .
She ’ s not feeling overly worried about sending her son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the district ’ s plans will safeguard kids ’ health .
“ My opinion is they are actually being quite smart about it by ensuring it ’ s part-time to ensure physical distancing , ” Kent said .
“ I don ’ t feel it ’ s being done willy-nilly.
” Should there be a resurgence of COVID-19 cases , schools would shut quickly , she said .
But regardless , Kent and her husband will likely wait until September to send Breccan back to school .
“ We ’ re not fearful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noting she and her husband can work from home .
“ But we ’ re in the position where we don ’ t have to expose him , so why do it ?
” Additionally , she figures there might be a limited number of spots available for kids at school to maintain distancing protocols .
“ They can save those spots for essential workers , or parents of students that really need them.
” There are 5,000 students , children of essential workers or kids who need extra supports , who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Education Minister Rob Fleming .
School District 72 is also already providing child care for 17 children of essential workers , and is slated to start school for vulnerable students starting May 19 , the district officials stated in an email Tuesday .
Additionally , the district is providing 240 students a week with food assistance , with a handful of families getting aid on Quadra Island .
Mother Keri Smith , manager of the Quadra Island General Store , said she ’ s eager for her daughter Oaklyn , who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ class , as both she and her partner work outside the home .
Previously , Smith could take her child to work with her , but she feels Oaklyn would be as safe or safer at school .
“ The parents I 've talked to are sending their kids ( back ) because they feel it 's safe at this point , and the kids need it for their mental well-being , ” Smith said .
She and her partner have juggled their workload with home-schooling so far , but it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As much of a superhero as I like to think I am ...
I welcome the opportunity to have her somewhere supervised and safe while the dust is still settling.
” Plus , she feels Oaklyn will get more guidance and practice around physical distancing in the COVID-19 era .
“ Without a vaccine available , kids need to learn the new normal , keeping them home and sheltered prevents that , ” Smith said .

Students can head back to school on a voluntary basis starting June 1, as the first step in a graduated return to full-time classes in the fall, B.C. Premier John Horgan announced Friday. But Quadra Island parents’ reactions to the plan run the gamut from outright rejection to wholehearted acceptance of the offer to have kids head back to class. Marc Doll, who has twin daughters in Grade 5, said not only will the girls stay away from school next month, they likely won’t be returning in September either. “From our point of view, we won’t be having the kids return to school until we have a vaccine, or at least a better sense of how things are going to unfold,” said Doll. “There’s no problem for us in keeping the kids on the farm.” Doll and his wife fear there will be a second, more serious wave of COVID-19 as the respiratory flu season ramps up in the fall, just as full-time classes are expected to get underway.
Returning to class is optional and most students will attend school part-time, Fleming said. “My opinion is they are actually being quite smart about it by ensuring it’s part-time to ensure physical distancing. I don’t feel it’s being done willy-nilly," parent Heather Kent on B.C.'s plan to resume classes on a voluntary basis June 1. “To do things safely, we will need to limit the number of students in schools, so we can manage physical distance.” Kids from kindergarten to Grade 5 will be in class two to three days a week, Fleming said, adding elementary schools would be at 50 per cent or less of normal capacity. Students from Grade 6 upward will likely attend class one day each week, with only 20 per cent of students in school at a time. However, children of essential workers or students who need extra supports will continue to be able to attend classes full-time, Fleming said.
Lunch breaks, recess, drop-offs and pick-ups will be staggered, and children will ride buses one student per seat unless riding with another family member. Each school board has to file protocol plans with the education ministry before opening, and parents can expect to hear details about their children’s return to school from their district by May 22. If they don’t, they should reach out to their school principal, Fleming said.


nationalobserver--2020-05-16--Northwest residents cry foul over health order enforcement

Following a series of mishaps , northwest Saskatchewan community leaders want the province to revert to the region 's original policy for COVID-19 security checkpoints .
The Northwest Communities Incident Command Centre is responsible for co-ordinating the COVID-19 response and co-operation between communities .
The command centre includes representatives from the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan , First Nations and municipal governments .
Leaders say they were not consulted by the province in the process of implementing Saskatchewan 's health order for the Northern Administration District .
“ There ’ s only one incident command in the northwest region .
The province has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ command has to be supported and respected , and we ’ re not getting that from the province , ” incident commander Rick Laliberte told National Observer on Wednesday .
He wants the province to revert to its April 30 health order , which barred southerners , such as cabin owners , from traveling north , but not the other way around .
That suited northerners just fine .
• Canada wants to extend U.S. travel ban • 'Alberta didn ’ t contain it ' : COVID-19 outbreak at oilsands camp has spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan : You can go shopping Tuesday , but you ca n't visit family A community information checkpoint along the 155 Highway .
Photograph courtesy of the Northwest ’ s Incident Command Centre .
Laliberte said the confusion and conflict arising from the behaviour of out-of-town peace officers manning the checkpoints on behalf of the province has made it difficult for his team to focus on the task of containing the virus .
“ They did the travel restrictions — which was fine — to support us .
That 's the April 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health order and they twisted it .
The original health order said you could go out for essentials , food and medicine .
The health order that ’ s in place now says that you can go out for medicine , but you have to get food from a neighbouring community , ” Laliberte said .
“ That totally counters what our strategy was .
We were trying to lock down each community so that we don ’ t have inter-community travel.
” He said it ’ s preferable for people to buy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a neighbouring community because it reduces the risk of cross-contamination between northern communities .
“ The north is united .
We ’ ve seen these tactics done before by governments to break up community alliances up here , and that ’ s what ’ s happening in the midst of COVID-19 .
We want to work collectively and they want to work apart , ” Rick Laliberte .
Also , many needed items are not always available for purchase in the far north .
Communities had a protocol in place whereby leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get essentials , which he said worked well .
An English River First Nation community manned checkpoint at the entrance to La Plonge in northwest Saskatchewan .
Photograph courtesy of Candyce Paul .
“ They were writing contracts , waivers , for each member to leave with an agreement that when you come back , these are the protocols .
Now we ’ re dealing with the province ’ s little twist , ” he said .
Since May 8 , Laliberte said , reports of issues at northern COVID-19 security checkpoints @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one case , a medical taxi from Turner Lake went south with patients who bought groceries .
Checkpoint authorities threatened them with a fine .
In another incident , Canoe Lake Cree First Nation Chief Francis Iron said he was denied access through a checkpoint on his way to Flying Dust First Nation .
“ Our First Nation primary cheque signatory lives in Flying Dust and our families on social assistance and the First Nation payroll depend on those cheques and we need to pay our bills .
These officers also have no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ northerners is , ” Iron said in a joint press release with the Meadow Lake Tribal Council , Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations and Métis Nation-Saskatchewan .
“ He had to go sign social assistance cheques for people ’ s essential needs so they can purchase ( items ) and support themselves .
The resource people wouldn ’ t let him through , ” Laliberte said .
He said many checkpoint patrol officers are not from the area , don ’ t know the people , and generally come off as rude or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Northern Saskatchewan Administrative District .
Graphic courtesy of the Government of Saskatchewan .
“ We were willing to do the security checkpoints — we just didn ’ t have the authority .
That ’ s what we ’ re being told .
Unless you ’ re a peace officer — then you can block the roads for the health order .
We were there as information checkpoints and that ’ s what we ’ re still doing .
We still have the same authority .
We asked for more authority , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to us .
Instead , they gave us people with authority and people with guns .
People are upset at the checkpoints , ” Laliberte said .
`` We had the community containment under control .
That ’ s a primary focus in our pandemic plan , and we had the regional perimeter to try to contain the oilsands infections .
We ’ re informing the residents , we ’ re co-ordinating , we 're managing the food delivery from the south , we ’ re disinfecting , we ’ re telling the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves with protocols . ''
He said that Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency officers and the provincial government are n't taking local residents or emergency response leaders seriously .
They ’ re treating us like kids , like we don ’ t know what we ’ re doing .
We know exactly what we ’ re doing .
We 've been engaged since March 30 .
They ’ re the late people ( who ) came to join us .
Their tactics are very colonial . ''
Laliberte sent a letter on March 8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Chief Medical Health Officer , calling for clarity .
 “ This situation is unprecedented , and we appreciate the frustration and uncertainty you are facing .
To leave us out — and not benefit from the knowledge we have , and the networks we understand — means you are facing even more uncertainty and frustration .
We wish this to end , ” Laliberte wrote .
The letter also cited confusion at Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency roadblock points and a “ high level of variability ” of “ often incorrect ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the Ministry of Health agrees that a successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic requires the collective efforts of all individuals and agencies .
“ The Ministry of Health and Saskatchewan Health Authority will continue to work with all partners , including northern communities and First Nations and Métis governments , to protect all citizens from this global pandemic , ” he said .
Hendricks said that while most of Saskatchewan is moving ahead with phases of reopening , the approach to reopening any community with an outbreak “ must be considered carefully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a downward trend in cases for two consistent weeks , adequate testing and contact tracing , and low risk of community transmission .
Residents say that they have been treated with disrespect by Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency peace officers manning highway checkpoints and enforcing a public health order that was revised after April 30 .
Graphic courtesy of the Government of Saskatchewan .
“ We are by no means over this threat , but it is encouraging to see how quickly our collective efforts have had a meaningful and positive impact , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a steady decline in new infections , ” he said .
The Ministry of Government Relations and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency are expected to address the issues raised under their jurisdiction in separate letters to the Treaty Ten Pandemic Council .
For Laliberte , it ’ s about collaborating effectively , so that the needs of northwest residents are addressed .
“ Here ’ s the important part .
The process of us coming together is just as important as the plan .
They have to be part of the process .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision makers , ” he said .
“ The north is united .
We ’ ve seen these tactics done before by governments to break up community alliances up here , and that ’ s what ’ s happening in the midst of COVID-19 .
We want to work collectively , and they want to work apart .
”

Following a series of mishaps, northwest Saskatchewan community leaders want the province to revert to the region's original policy for COVID-19 security checkpoints. The Northwest Communities Incident Command Centre is responsible for co-ordinating the COVID-19 response and co-operation between communities. The command centre includes representatives from the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan, First Nations and municipal governments. Leaders say they were not consulted by the province in the process of implementing Saskatchewan's health order for the Northern Administration District. “There’s only one incident command in the northwest region. The province has to work with us. The incident command has to be supported and respected, and we’re not getting that from the province,” incident commander Rick Laliberte told National Observer on Wednesday. He wants the province to revert to its April 30 health order, which barred southerners, such as cabin owners, from traveling north, but not the other way around. That suited northerners just fine.
A community information checkpoint along the 155 Highway. Photograph courtesy of the Northwest’s Incident Command Centre. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Laliberte said the confusion and conflict arising from the behaviour of out-of-town peace officers manning the checkpoints on behalf of the province has made it difficult for his team to focus on the task of containing the virus.
“They did the travel restrictions — which was fine — to support us. That's the April 30 health order. Then they changed that health order and they twisted it. The original health order said you could go out for essentials, food and medicine. The health order that’s in place now says that you can go out for medicine, but you have to get food from a neighbouring community,” Laliberte said. “The north is united. We’ve seen these tactics done before by governments to break up community alliances up here, and that’s what’s happening in the midst of COVID-19. We want to work collectively and they want to work apart,” Rick Laliberte. “That totally counters what our strategy was. We were trying to lock down each community so that we don’t have inter-community travel.” He said it’s preferable for people to buy groceries in Saskatoon or Prince Albert than in a neighbouring community because it reduces the risk of cross-contamination between northern communities. Also, many needed items are not always available for purchase in the far north. Communities had a protocol in place whereby leaders would write permission letters for people needing to get essentials, which he said worked well.
An English River First Nation community manned checkpoint at the entrance to La Plonge in northwest Saskatchewan.
Photograph courtesy of Candyce Paul. “They were writing contracts, waivers, for each member to leave with an agreement that when you come back, these are the protocols. Now we’re dealing with the province’s little twist,” he said. Since May 8, Laliberte said, reports of issues at northern COVID-19 security checkpoints have flooded in from residents.


nationalobserver--2020-05-18--Chinese consulate fires back at Alberta Premier Jason Kenney

The Chinese Consulate-General in Calgary is firing back at Alberta Premier Jason Kenney for his rebuke of China 's handling of the initial outbreak of the novel coronavirus .
In a scathing statement posted on its website Saturday , the consulate accused Kenney of wilfully ignoring the `` facts '' in an effort to appease U.S. President Donald Trump with anti-China rhetoric .
The consulate appears to be responding to a story by The Canadian Press published by the Calgary Herald last Thursday about Kenney 's remarks at a virtual roundtable of the Canadian American Business Council .
The premier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` great reckoning '' for downplaying the dangers posed by the novel coronavirus when it first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan .
China 's diplomatic outpost in Calgary countered with a warning that Kenney may face his own `` reckoning , '' suggesting `` he will not look smarter '' in a comparison between the COVID-19 responses in Alberta and Wuhan .
• Freeland refrains from discussing details on Canada 's ongoing talks with U.S. on border opening • B.C .
prepares for phase 2 of reopening as U.S. border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want courts to clear the air after federal firearms ban A spokesperson for the premier said in an email Sunday that the premier 's comments to the council `` speak for themselves . ''
During last week 's roundtable , Kenney accused China of working to suppress early evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus , including misleading and stonewalling the World Health Organization .
This echoes reported plans by the White House and Capitol Hill legislators to penalize China for what it considers to be a coverup .
China has strenuously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he intends to seek damages and impose retaliatory measures , even as his administration tries to preserve its efforts to secure a long-term trade deal .
Kenney told the council that China 's `` significant role '' in the global public health crisis and its devastating economic fallout can not go without consequences .
`` Western countries , including Canada and the United States , must have a reset in their relationship with China — and part of that reset , in my judgment , must be a deliberate effort to onshore production @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
In response to Kenney 's calls for a `` reshoring '' of manufacturing capacity from China , the Calgary consulate offered a pithy retort : `` Please go ahead .
`` We are more than happy to share with him our rich experience on how to quickly set up factories , just like how we built two entirely new hospitals with 2,600 beds in about 10 days in Wuhan . ''
The consulate rejected the notion that it 's adopted a more aggressive `` wolf-warrior diplomacy '' in response to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 outbreak .
Rather , it insists China is working with Alberta towards a `` win-win situation based on mutual respect '' in fighting the virus .
`` A final friendly reminder for the Premier : You are based in Edmonton not in Ottawa , '' the consulate wrote .
`` Your China-blaming comment might not please Mr. Trump since he will not spare a glance . ''

The Chinese Consulate-General in Calgary is firing back at Alberta Premier Jason Kenney for his rebuke of China's handling of the initial outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
In a scathing statement posted on its website Saturday, the consulate accused Kenney of wilfully ignoring the "facts" in an effort to appease U.S. President Donald Trump with anti-China rhetoric.
The consulate appears to be responding to a story by The Canadian Press published by the Calgary Herald last Thursday about Kenney's remarks at a virtual roundtable of the Canadian American Business Council.
The premier cautioned that China will soon face a "great reckoning" for downplaying the dangers posed by the novel coronavirus when it first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.
China's diplomatic outpost in Calgary countered with a warning that Kenney may face his own "reckoning," suggesting "he will not look smarter" in a comparison between the COVID-19 responses in Alberta and Wuhan.


nationalobserver--2020-05-18--Feds to give $100 million for Canadian Red Cross response to COVID-19, disasters

The Canadian Red Cross is poised to receive $ 100 million in federal funds to support public health measures and rapidly enhance the group 's capacity to respond to COVID-19 , as well as future floods and wildfires .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the funding on Saturday , saying national and community organizations are stepping up to provide crucial support to vulnerable people during the pandemic .
`` They are being asked to deliver the same services and support that we have always depended on , in much more challenging circumstances .
It takes resources to do that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Up to $ 41 million would address the charity 's immediate needs , including recruiting volunteers and staff , supporting quarantine and isolation sites , and expanding its roster of infection prevention and control specialists .
The funding could also be used to procure and deploy emergency health supplies and equipment in case of future waves of the virus .
• Freeland refrains from discussing details on Canada 's ongoing talks with U.S. on border opening • B.C .
prepares for phase 2 of reopening as U.S. border remains shut • B.C .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ air after federal firearms ban The president and CEO of the Canadian Red Cross , Conrad Sauve , said the charity has been heavily involved in a wide range of activities associated with Canada 's response to the pandemic .
It has supported repatriated Canadians quarantined at the Canadian Forces Base in Trenton , Ont.
, and worked with Global Affairs Canada to support Canadians hospitalized in Japan after the outbreak of COVID-19 on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in February .
In Toronto , the Red Cross has helped reach out and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave their homes , such as seniors and people with compromised immune systems , and volunteers are calling seniors across the country to make sure they have what they need as the pandemic wears on .
Sauve said the Red Cross is also active in about 20 long-term care and assisted living facilities in Montreal , and that number is rising .
`` We 're deploying health experts within the institutions , the facilities , to help them work with management on how to make sure the infection controls within the institution are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's mobile field hospital have also been deployed in British Columbia and Quebec , said Sauve , noting that such equipment is typically used internationally .
Many First Nations have also contacted the charity about accessing mobile health units in case of an outbreak , he added .
Sauve said it 's through international work that the Canadian Red Cross has developed expertise in infectious disease prevention and control , including the deployment of special teams to respond to Cholera and Ebola outbreaks .
`` Running an Ebola clinic requires an awful lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gown , how you remove your gown , how you create safe spaces , '' said Sauve , adding that the international team has now turned its attention towards Canada .
It 's designing protocols and training to help build up the capacity of municipalities and community-based organizations to respond to COVID-19 and future viral outbreaks , he said .
The remainder of the latest funding — up to $ 59 million — would be available to support additional COVID-19 relief efforts by the Red Cross this year , as well as flood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's working with the Red Cross to align emergency plans for such disasters with the latest public health advice on COVID-19 .
Sauve noted there 's been a `` dramatic increase '' in the charity 's domestic operations in recent years , pointing to wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta , as well as flooding in central and eastern Canada .
Canadians must stop treating disasters and outbreaks of infectious diseases as exceptional , as if they happen in other parts of the world but not at home , he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Sauve .

The Canadian Red Cross is poised to receive $100 million in federal funds to support public health measures and rapidly enhance the group's capacity to respond to COVID-19, as well as future floods and wildfires. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the funding on Saturday, saying national and community organizations are stepping up to provide crucial support to vulnerable people during the pandemic. "They are being asked to deliver the same services and support that we have always depended on, in much more challenging circumstances. It takes resources to do that," Trudeau said in a statement. Up to $41 million would address the charity's immediate needs, including recruiting volunteers and staff, supporting quarantine and isolation sites, and expanding its roster of infection prevention and control specialists. The funding could also be used to procure and deploy emergency health supplies and equipment in case of future waves of the virus.
The president and CEO of the Canadian Red Cross, Conrad Sauve, said the charity has been heavily involved in a wide range of activities associated with Canada's response to the pandemic. It has supported repatriated Canadians quarantined at the Canadian Forces Base in Trenton, Ont., and worked with Global Affairs Canada to support Canadians hospitalized in Japan after the outbreak of COVID-19 on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in February. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions In Toronto, the Red Cross has helped reach out and deliver food to those who cannot leave their homes, such as seniors and people with compromised immune systems, and volunteers are calling seniors across the country to make sure they have what they need as the pandemic wears on.
Sauve said the Red Cross is also active in about 20 long-term care and assisted living facilities in Montreal, and that number is rising. Ottawa pledges $100 million for Canadian Red Cross response to COVID-19, disasters "We're deploying health experts within the institutions, the facilities, to help them work with management on how to make sure the infection controls within the institution are safe." Parts of the charity's mobile field hospital have also been deployed in British Columbia and Quebec, said Sauve, noting that such equipment is typically used internationally. Many First Nations have also contacted the charity about accessing mobile health units in case of an outbreak, he added. Sauve said it's through international work that the Canadian Red Cross has developed expertise in infectious disease prevention and control, including the deployment of special teams to respond to Cholera and Ebola outbreaks.
"Running an Ebola clinic requires an awful lot of discipline in terms of how you gown, how you remove your gown, how you create safe spaces," said Sauve, adding that the international team has now turned its attention towards Canada. It's designing protocols and training to help build up the capacity of municipalities and community-based organizations to respond to COVID-19 and future viral outbreaks, he said. The remainder of the latest funding — up to $59 million — would be available to support additional COVID-19 relief efforts by the Red Cross this year, as well as flood and wildfire response.