nationalobserver--2020-12-31--Sacred Journey: An artistic look at the Pacific Northwest’s canoe culture

A massive canvas canoe adorned with sweeping bold lines of red , black and royal blue swallows up the space around it .
Artist KC Hall has little room to step back and get perspective on his latest work housed in a temporary workshop on Quadra Island a week before Christmas .
Hall , renowned for his synthesis of graffiti , manga and Northwest Coast art , is finishing up a central piece for the Sacred Journey travelling exhibition , slated to launch in Campbell River on Vancouver Island this spring .
Born in Bella Bella and based in Vancouver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working on the exhibit — itself an extension of a larger initiative to explore and celebrate the symbolism , culture and importance of the ocean canoe to the Heiltsuk and other First Nations along the coast of the Pacific Northwest .
The vessel ’ s resurgence signifies more than reviving an essential means of transport , it conveys freedom and the enduring strength of First Nations and their resistance to colonization , Hall said .
• This Calgarian supports Albertans transitioning to work in a greener economy • Air travellers will soon require @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It represents our means of travel , fishing and hunting and exploration of our own territory , ” he said .
“ But when we showed up to different communities , what we had ( depicted ) on our canoe represented who we were.
” The richly painted canvas canoe has two sections that can be separated , so exhibition guests can walk the length of the vessel during the multimedia exhibition , said Hall .
The canoe is adorned with four prominent Heiltsuk crests .
The raven and whale are illustrated on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the eagle and wolf dominate the other .
“ The ocean-going canoe has been a vessel of community empowerment , language revitalization and a way to reconnect our young people , ” said Frank Brown , member of the Heiltsuk First Nation and producer of the Sacred Journey exhibit .
“ Symbolically , it has the raven and eagle up front , using their wings to pull the canoe forward , ” Hall said .
“ And the whale and the wolf go behind both of them , controlling which direction they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other Heiltsuk artists , Ian Reid and Chazz Mack , will be showcased , said the exhibit ’ s executive producer Frank Brown .
Reid has created a welcome figure and transformative mask for the event , while Mack has designed the house posts and paddles to accompany the canoe , said Brown , also a member of the Heiltsuk First Nation .
“ All three are very talented artists , ” Brown said .
“ After touring for five years , the exhibit will come back to Bella Bella and be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interactive exhibit will also feature video and storytelling to immerse audiences in the canoe culture of the Pacific Northwest , said Brown , who also carries the hereditary hemas ( chief ) name of Dhadhiyasila ( λ.λ.yasila ) , meaning “ preparing for the largest potlatch.
” Frank Brown , above , says the Sacred Journey exhibit and online resources combine iconic artwork , technology and Indigenous people ’ s point of view to highlight the importance of the ocean-going canoe .
Photo courtesy of Frank Brown The Indigenous ocean-going canoe has made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Brown , a leader in the movement who also co-ordinated the annual Tribal Canoe Journeys event to Bella Bella in 1993 and again in 2014 .
The annual event , celebrated by Indigenous people across the Pacific Northwest coast from Alaska to Oregon , sees paddlers journey hundreds of kilometres to sister nations to build solidarity and cultural exchange .
“ We have a long history with the resurgence of the ocean-going canoe , ” said Brown , who , as a student , raised funds to carve a traditional canoe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and mobilized others to make a symbolic journey to Expo 86 in Vancouver .
“ The ocean-going canoe has been a vessel of community empowerment , language revitalization and a way to reconnect our young people , ” said Brown , who said a journey can lead to life-changing experiences .
A canoe journey also encourages the intergenerational transfer of knowledge between elders and youth , he said .
The Sacred Journey exhibit and online resources combine iconic artwork , technology and Indigenous people ’ s point of view to highlight the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Other First Nations or Indigenous people will also be invited to share their stories for the exhibit , he added .
“ I think it ’ s a unique project .
It ’ s going to be interactive , interesting and fun , ” Brown said .
“ We hope to share this story not only from the Heiltsuk perspective , but also from the perspective of the canoe-going nations from along the Pacific Northwest coast and other Indigenous people throughout the world , ” he said .

A massive canvas canoe adorned with sweeping bold lines of red, black and royal blue swallows up the space around it. Artist KC Hall has little room to step back and get perspective on his latest work housed in a temporary workshop on Quadra Island a week before Christmas. Hall, renowned for his synthesis of graffiti, manga and Northwest Coast art, is finishing up a central piece for the Sacred Journey travelling exhibition, slated to launch in Campbell River on Vancouver Island this spring. Born in Bella Bella and based in Vancouver, Hall is one of three artists working on the exhibit — itself an extension of a larger initiative to explore and celebrate the symbolism, culture and importance of the ocean canoe to the Heiltsuk and other First Nations along the coast of the Pacific Northwest. The vessel’s resurgence signifies more than reviving an essential means of transport, it conveys freedom and the enduring strength of First Nations and their resistance to colonization, Hall said.
“It represents our means of travel, fishing and hunting and exploration of our own territory,” he said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “But when we showed up to different communities, what we had (depicted) on our canoe represented who we were.”
The richly painted canvas canoe has two sections that can be separated, so exhibition guests can walk the length of the vessel during the multimedia exhibition, said Hall. “The ocean-going canoe has been a vessel of community empowerment, language revitalization and a way to reconnect our young people,” said Frank Brown, member of the Heiltsuk First Nation and producer of the Sacred Journey exhibit. The canoe is adorned with four prominent Heiltsuk crests. The raven and whale are illustrated on one outer side of the canoe, and the eagle and wolf dominate the other. “Symbolically, it has the raven and eagle up front, using their wings to pull the canoe forward,” Hall said. “And the whale and the wolf go behind both of them, controlling which direction they can go.”
The work of two other Heiltsuk artists, Ian Reid and Chazz Mack, will be showcased, said the exhibit’s executive producer Frank Brown. Reid has created a welcome figure and transformative mask for the event, while Mack has designed the house posts and paddles to accompany the canoe, said Brown, also a member of the Heiltsuk First Nation. “All three are very talented artists,” Brown said. “After touring for five years, the exhibit will come back to Bella Bella and be a permanent resource for the community.”


nationalobserver--2020-12-31--B.C. premier says 2021 focus will be on pandemic economic recovery, health reform

Premier John Horgan says economic recovery and health-care changes are the British Columbia government 's top priorities for 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic tested people individually and the resilience of the province .
Horgan said in a recent year-end interview that the pandemic has been a personal challenge for him as it has for others who have faced economic , social and health uncertainties .
Almost 900 people in B.C .
have died from COVID-19 .
`` It 's certainly tested me as a human being , '' said Horgan .
`` This has been such a sad time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggling '' to find ways to stay safe and protect loved ones .
• This Calgarian supports Albertans transitioning to work in a greener economy • Sacred Journey : An artistic look at the Pacific Northwest ’ s canoe culture • How about less patronizing , more positive reinforcement in COVID-19 messaging in 2021 ?
`` What I 've seen is the best side of humanity as we 've all held together , knowing and recognizing that we are all fallible human beings . ''
Despite facing a projected budget deficit of $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Horgan said the government will make economic recovery the aim of its budget in April .
`` There are challenges around how we get the economy back on track and that 's going to be the No .
1 priority come the budget in the spring , '' he said .
Health care will also be a major part of the government 's agenda in 2021 , Horgan said , as he joins other premiers to push the federal government to increase its funding above the current rate of about 23 per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how we deliver health care would be generational for Canadians and something I really want to focus on , '' Horgan said .
Provincially , health-care reforms will focus on improvements to long-term care in B.C.
, including hiring more care workers and cutting back on the number of shared rooms at care facilities , he said .
Premier John Horgan says economic recovery and health-care changes are the British Columbia government 's top priorities for 2021 .
# COVID-19 # pandemic .
# bcpoli `` I also want to make sure we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we make changes in long-term care , like reducing the number of multi-bed rooms and making sure we have sufficient staff to get our elders and our seniors the care that they deserve , '' he said .
Horgan 's New Democrats won a majority government in October after he called a snap election more than a year ahead of the scheduled date .
The premier said the NDP 's election win after three years of a minority government allows the province to focus completely on pandemic recovery efforts instead of announcements being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` What I 'm happy about , quite frankly , is the politics is behind us , '' he said .
`` If we had gone into the next 12 months ... every decision that government made would have been put in the lens of some partisan argument either in favour or against .
I do n't have , in my opinion , the luxury to engage in that . ''
Green Leader Sonia Furstenau said Horgan 's snap election call put the premier 's political motivations ahead of the collaborative efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , B.C .
Liberals and the NDP .
`` We have a year in B.C .
politics where for the first eight months the people of B.C.
, I think , felt really proud of what they saw from their elected officials , '' Furstenau said in an interview .
`` Then , I think , we saw the opposite in the last bit of the year with the election being called . ''
The two Green members of the legislature had an agreement to support the NDP in a minority government and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost with the election call .
`` It 's disappointing but I 've come back here and I 'm determined as ever to work with all my colleagues and to remember , as hard as it can be sometimes , that we are in service to people first and foremost , '' she said .
Shirley Bond , interim leader of the B.C .
Liberals , said the Opposition must look at next year as the start of a period of renewal for the party following its election defeat and resignation of leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members reduced to 28 seats in the 87-seat legislature , losing ridings to the NDP in Metro Vancouver and in their traditional Fraser Valley stronghold .
`` There seems to be consensus that first of all , before we launch into asking a new leader to take on the role , we have to ask ourselves some hard questions , '' Bond said in an interview .
`` What are the reasons we did n't resonate as well as we should have or could have with urban voters . ''
She said `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the party is more of a priority than choosing a new leader .
`` I do n't think you 'd be surprised to hear about the fact that they are concerned about our name , '' said Bond about long-standing concerns that the Liberal name does not appeal to the party 's conservative wing .
`` They also , as I , want to see a diverse range of candidates making sure our party reflects the faces of all British Columbians . ''
The B.C .
Liberals are not affiliated with the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a made-in-B.C .
free enterprise coalition . ''
Bond said timelines for the party 's renewal process and leadership campaign will be announced next year , but they will not be rushed .
`` We want to give the leadership candidates a sense of where people think we need to go , '' she said .
Bond , who has ruled herself out of the leadership race , said the party needs a leader who is bold and visionary .
`` They need to be able to capture the interest of British Columbians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to be passionate about where we live .
They need to be able to show British Columbians the path forward under a B.C .
Liberal government . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 31 , 2020 .

Premier John Horgan says economic recovery and health-care changes are the British Columbia government's top priorities for 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic tested people individually and the resilience of the province. Horgan said in a recent year-end interview that the pandemic has been a personal challenge for him as it has for others who have faced economic, social and health uncertainties. Almost 900 people in B.C. have died from COVID-19. "It's certainly tested me as a human being," said Horgan. "This has been such a sad time." He said people have been "struggling" to find ways to stay safe and protect loved ones.
"What I've seen is the best side of humanity as we've all held together, knowing and recognizing that we are all fallible human beings." Despite facing a projected budget deficit of $13.6 billion in the 2020-21 fiscal year, Horgan said the government will make economic recovery the aim of its budget in April. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "There are challenges around how we get the economy back on track and that's going to be the No. 1 priority come the budget in the spring," he said.
Health care will also be a major part of the government's agenda in 2021, Horgan said, as he joins other premiers to push the federal government to increase its funding above the current rate of about 23 per cent. Premier John Horgan says economic recovery and health-care changes are the British Columbia government's top priorities for 2021. #COVID-19 #pandemic. #bcpoli "A big change to how we deliver health care would be generational for Canadians and something I really want to focus on," Horgan said. Provincially, health-care reforms will focus on improvements to long-term care in B.C., including hiring more care workers and cutting back on the number of shared rooms at care facilities, he said. "I also want to make sure we learn the lessons of COVID-19 and that we make changes in long-term care, like reducing the number of multi-bed rooms and making sure we have sufficient staff to get our elders and our seniors the care that they deserve," he said. Horgan's New Democrats won a majority government in October after he called a snap election more than a year ahead of the scheduled date.
The premier said the NDP's election win after three years of a minority government allows the province to focus completely on pandemic recovery efforts instead of announcements being measured as events leading to an election. "What I'm happy about, quite frankly, is the politics is behind us," he said. "If we had gone into the next 12 months ... every decision that government made would have been put in the lens of some partisan argument either in favour or against. I don't have, in my opinion, the luxury to engage in that." Green Leader Sonia Furstenau said Horgan's snap election call put the premier's political motivations ahead of the collaborative efforts to fight the pandemic between the Greens, B.C. Liberals and the NDP.


nationalobserver--2020-12-31--Quebec Liberal vacationing down south called home by party leader

Quebec Liberal member Pierre Arcand is being asked to return home amid mounting criticism over his decision to vacation in @ @ @ @ @ for Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade confirmed today that she has asked Arcand to return home @ @ @ @ @ possible .
Arcand , a former interim leader of the party , issued a statement @ @ @ @ @ his decision to take the trip with his wife and promised to respect the 14-day @ @ @ @ @ federal government for travellers who return from abroad .

Quebec Liberal member Pierre Arcand is being asked to return home amid mounting criticism over his decision to vacation in the Caribbean.
A spokesperson for Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade confirmed today that she has asked Arcand to return home from Barbados as soon as possible.
Arcand, a former interim leader of the party, issued a statement on Tuesday saying he regretted his decision to take the trip with his wife and promised to respect the 14-day isolation period required by the federal government for travellers who return from abroad.
Both the federal and provincial governments have warned against non-essential holiday travel, and the Quebec government has asked Ottawa to increase surveillance of returning travellers amid soaring COVID-19 numbers.
Anglade told radio station 98,5 FM this morning that she had known Arcand planned to leave and said she had tried to discourage him from doing so.


nationalobserver--2020-12-31--Retiring N.S. premier reflects on tragic year

When Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil privately decided earlier this year he would retire after 17 years in politics , he had no idea of the challenges he was about to face .
Like all Canadian premiers , McNeil had the difficult job of balancing public health and the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic .
That task , however , was barely underway when the province was hit by tragedies that added misery to what would be a trying year .
`` I got to the point where I said to people , 'do n't answer the phone , ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recent interview .
In April , a gunman went on a 13-hour rampage in northern and central Nova Scotia , killing 22 people in the largest mass shooting in Canadian history .
Later that month , a Cyclone helicopter from a Halifax-based navy vessel off Greece crashed , claiming the lives of six service members .
Those two events were followed by the death of another service member from Halifax in the crash of a military Snowbird jet in Kamloops , B.C.
, in May .
And in mid-December , six scallop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in rough seas off southwestern Nova Scotia .
• This Calgarian supports Albertans transitioning to work in a greener economy • Sacred Journey : An artistic look at the Pacific Northwest ’ s canoe culture • How about less patronizing , more positive reinforcement in COVID-19 messaging in 2021 ?
That trauma , coupled with 53 COVID-related deaths at a single Halifax long-term care home , has taken its toll , McNeil said .
`` To be honest there were a few days where it was just overwhelming , '' he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ time how much it was weighing on you . ''
The premier , who publicly announced his retirement in August , said he never envisioned his last months in office would unfold as they did .
But he said he was relieved he could provide some continuity before his scheduled exit on Feb. 6 , when the Nova Scotia Liberals choose a new leader .
And despite what seemed like never-ending bad news , McNeil said he sees positive signs in the tragedies because of the way people rallied .
`` I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who we are , '' McNeil said .
`` This pandemic as much as it has been hard and with the loss of people from it … neighbours are thinking about neighbours . ''
This difficult year is ending around the same time as the first anniversary of one of McNeil 's momentous decisions — closing the Northern Pulp mill 's effluent treatment lagoon in Boat Harbour , near the Pictou Landing First Nation , which he announced on Dec. 20 , 2019 .
The mill closure cost 350 people their jobs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forestry industry .
McNeil said while a difficult choice , it was about keeping his government 's word to the First Nation after what amounted to decades of environmental racism .
He said that promise was similar to another one he made to victims of what he called `` systemic racism '' and of decades of abuse at a former Halifax orphanage .
A restorative inquiry was launched and McNeil eventually made a formal apology on behalf of the province to former residents of the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's time to go ' : N.S .
premier reflects on tragic year , retirement .
# StephenMcNeil # nspoli `` Those were pieces to me that gives your government a heart , '' he said , getting visibly emotional .
`` We recognized that you have to acknowledge past wrongs and deal with them . ''
McNeil won back-to-back majority governments in 2013 and 2017 , in large part by delivering on a promise to control spending .
Part of that plan involved a protracted fight with the province 's public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government legislate 2,400 striking nurses back to work in April 2014 .
That battle was followed by the imposition of a contract that ended a two-month work-to-rule campaign by public school teachers in February 2017 .
The moves enraged the unions and resulted in a string of protests in front of the provincial legislature .
McNeil maintains , however , that the heavy hand was necessary to rein in the growth in public sector wages in order to invest elsewhere in the economy .
`` I wish we could have got there a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where we had to be , '' McNeil said .
`` If I had to do it all over again to get to that result I 'd do it all over again . ''
One of his biggest regrets during seven years as premier was his decision to increase pharmacare premiums for seniors , he said .
But instead of fixing a problem , he said he just shifted it from one group of seniors to another .
Following relentless pressure from advocacy groups , the government shelved that plan in February 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is proud of his government 's overall record : universal pre-primary , investments in infrastructure such as roads and hospitals , population growth and a successful engagement with China that opened a major new market for the province 's businesses .
He also said a new law taking effect Jan. 18 requiring presumed consent for organ and tissue donations is an `` extraordinary gift '' to Nova Scotians .
He said the law , the first of its kind in the country , could lead to a rise in donation rates in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cent .
`` You have a window to do something , '' McNeil said of his time in office .
`` When it 's over you have to know it 's time to go .
It 's time for me to do something else . ''

When Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil privately decided earlier this year he would retire after 17 years in politics, he had no idea of the challenges he was about to face. Like all Canadian premiers, McNeil had the difficult job of balancing public health and the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. That task, however, was barely underway when the province was hit by tragedies that added misery to what would be a trying year. "I got to the point where I said to people, 'don't answer the phone,'" McNeil told The Canadian Press in a recent interview. In April, a gunman went on a 13-hour rampage in northern and central Nova Scotia, killing 22 people in the largest mass shooting in Canadian history. Later that month, a Cyclone helicopter from a Halifax-based navy vessel off Greece crashed, claiming the lives of six service members. Those two events were followed by the death of another service member from Halifax in the crash of a military Snowbird jet in Kamloops, B.C., in May. And in mid-December, six scallop fishermen were lost after their vessel sank in rough seas off southwestern Nova Scotia.
That trauma, coupled with 53 COVID-related deaths at a single Halifax long-term care home, has taken its toll, McNeil said. "To be honest there were a few days where it was just overwhelming," he said. "You don't realize at the time how much it was weighing on you." The premier, who publicly announced his retirement in August, said he never envisioned his last months in office would unfold as they did. But he said he was relieved he could provide some continuity before his scheduled exit on Feb. 6, when the Nova Scotia Liberals choose a new leader. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions And despite what seemed like never-ending bad news, McNeil said he sees positive signs in the tragedies because of the way people rallied. "I think in many ways we have reconnected to who we are," McNeil said. "This pandemic as much as it has been hard and with the loss of people from it … neighbours are thinking about neighbours."
This difficult year is ending around the same time as the first anniversary of one of McNeil's momentous decisions — closing the Northern Pulp mill's effluent treatment lagoon in Boat Harbour, near the Pictou Landing First Nation, which he announced on Dec. 20, 2019. 'You have to know it's time to go': N.S. premier reflects on tragic year, retirement. #StephenMcNeil #nspoli The mill closure cost 350 people their jobs and sent shock waves through the province's forestry industry. McNeil said while a difficult choice, it was about keeping his government's word to the First Nation after what amounted to decades of environmental racism. He said that promise was similar to another one he made to victims of what he called "systemic racism" and of decades of abuse at a former Halifax orphanage. A restorative inquiry was launched and McNeil eventually made a formal apology on behalf of the province to former residents of the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children, in October 2014. "Those were pieces to me that gives your government a heart," he said, getting visibly emotional. "We recognized that you have to acknowledge past wrongs and deal with them." McNeil won back-to-back majority governments in 2013 and 2017, in large part by delivering on a promise to control spending.
Part of that plan involved a protracted fight with the province's public sector unions, which ultimately saw the government legislate 2,400 striking nurses back to work in April 2014. That battle was followed by the imposition of a contract that ended a two-month work-to-rule campaign by public school teachers in February 2017. The moves enraged the unions and resulted in a string of protests in front of the provincial legislature. McNeil maintains, however, that the heavy hand was necessary to rein in the growth in public sector wages in order to invest elsewhere in the economy. "I wish we could have got there a little easier but the end result is where we had to be," McNeil said. "If I had to do it all over again to get to that result I'd do it all over again."


nationalobserver--2020-12-31--Medical and public health experts among new additions to Order of Canada

It was near the end of June that Dr. Vivek Goel decided to give up his job as vice-president research at the University of Toronto to make whatever contribution he could as a public health physician .
The founding president and CEO of Public Health Ontario , created after the SARS outbreak in 2003 , has since advised the university 's president on COVID-19 and served on the federal immunity task force .
In a year marked by COVID-19 , where public health professionals were front-and-centre , it seems fitting that Goel would be among the 59 additions to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the nation 's highest honours that since 1967 has added more than 7,000 names .
`` For me , it 's really important for my contributions to be recognized on behalf of everyone working in public health , as well , because people working in public health tend to be more invisible , '' Goel said , before adding , `` except when they 're on the daily news conferences . ''
• This Calgarian supports Albertans transitioning to work in a greener economy • Sacred Journey : An artistic look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Among the names made public Wednesday by Rideau Hall are science journalist Yanick Villedieu ; opera singer Daniel Taylor ; philanthropist Sally Horsfall Eaton ; Louise Mailhot , who was the first woman appointed as a judge to the Quebec Court of Appeal ; and John Borrows , who holds the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Law at the University of Victoria .
Elder Carolyn King from the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation has likened the Order of Canada to the eagle feather she received from her community .
Now , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rideau Hall noting her years of efforts to educate the non-Indigenous population about Indigenous culture , issues and history .
Her latest effort is The Moccasin Identifier project aimed at helping students learn about and mark culturally significant Indigenous sites and traditional territories .
`` That 's how we change the world , '' King said .
Dr. Jacalyn Duffin received an appointment for her work as a medical historian .
From the late 1980s until her retirement from Queen 's University in Kingston , Ont.
, three years ago , she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medical and public health experts make list of new additions to Order of Canada .
# COVID19 # OrderofCanada Now she is updating her history textbook , including the portion on pandemics that explains how COVID-19 follows a narrative structure similar to past episodes , as well as a book solely on COVID-19 .
`` It 's very hard to be writing a history of what is today the future a month or two away , '' Duffin said .
`` But that concept of the structure of an epidemic is in my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as I write . ''
The narrative of the COVID-19 pandemic is well known since the first lockdowns in March , impacting the bottom line of businesses , charities and non-profits .
Restrictions have loosened and tightened since , requiring major philanthropic organizations to adapt to support organizations that were retooling in the face of COVID-19 .
`` Canada was was hunkering down and bracing ourselves with what was before us and institutions like our family foundation had to be there , '' said Andrew Molson , who heads the the Molson Foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about what the institutions that we support were going to do during these really tough times . ''
Andrew is one of two Molsons being appointed to the Order of Canada for their community work .
The other is his brother Geoff Molson , CEO of the Montreal Canadiens .
`` We have a big responsibility to maintain an important name in the country and that could be through business , community , or society in general , '' Geoff Molson said .
`` As long as we continue to do that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country . ''
Meanwhile , scientists from around the globe raced to develop a vaccine , the first doses of which being administered in Canada in recent days .
The breakneck speed of development caught Helen Burt by surprise .
Burt has spent 40 years as a pharmaceutical scientist , looking for ways to better deliver life-saving drugs .
Her research is somewhat related to the technology behind the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine .
Key to the delivery of the vaccines approved for use in Canada is protecting their genetic material known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that trains the body to develop antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 , the virus that causes COVID-19 .
Burt called the speedy development of the vaccine an attestation to science and scientists .
`` It really has been such an incredible year to have been a pharmaceutical scientist to just have seen what can be accomplished when such a global machine takes off , '' she said .
But the pandemic is n't over .
And what happens next is of interest to Goel .
After the pandemic is firmly in the rear-view mirror @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country will forget about the importance of public health agencies who may see budgets cut as as governments hit deficit-reduction mode .
`` What I really hope for is that as we come out of this , public health will not become invisible again , '' he said .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 30 , 2020 .

It was near the end of June that Dr. Vivek Goel decided to give up his job as vice-president research at the University of Toronto to make whatever contribution he could as a public health physician. The founding president and CEO of Public Health Ontario, created after the SARS outbreak in 2003, has since advised the university's president on COVID-19 and served on the federal immunity task force. In a year marked by COVID-19, where public health professionals were front-and-centre, it seems fitting that Goel would be among the 59 additions to the Order of Canada. Each join one of the nation's highest honours that since 1967 has added more than 7,000 names. "For me, it's really important for my contributions to be recognized on behalf of everyone working in public health, as well, because people working in public health tend to be more invisible," Goel said, before adding, "except when they're on the daily news conferences."
Among the names made public Wednesday by Rideau Hall are science journalist Yanick Villedieu; opera singer Daniel Taylor; philanthropist Sally Horsfall Eaton; Louise Mailhot, who was the first woman appointed as a judge to the Quebec Court of Appeal; and John Borrows, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Law at the University of Victoria. Elder Carolyn King from the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation has likened the Order of Canada to the eagle feather she received from her community. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Now, she joked, she has both honours with Rideau Hall noting her years of efforts to educate the non-Indigenous population about Indigenous culture, issues and history.
Her latest effort is The Moccasin Identifier project aimed at helping students learn about and mark culturally significant Indigenous sites and traditional territories. Medical and public health experts make list of new additions to Order of Canada. #COVID19 #OrderofCanada "That's how we change the world," King said. Dr. Jacalyn Duffin received an appointment for her work as a medical historian. From the late 1980s until her retirement from Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., three years ago, she was a history professor and practicing doctor. Now she is updating her history textbook, including the portion on pandemics that explains how COVID-19 follows a narrative structure similar to past episodes, as well as a book solely on COVID-19. "It's very hard to be writing a history of what is today the future a month or two away," Duffin said. "But that concept of the structure of an epidemic is in my mind and it's helping guide me as I write."
The narrative of the COVID-19 pandemic is well known since the first lockdowns in March, impacting the bottom line of businesses, charities and non-profits. Restrictions have loosened and tightened since, requiring major philanthropic organizations to adapt to support organizations that were retooling in the face of COVID-19. "Canada was was hunkering down and bracing ourselves with what was before us and institutions like our family foundation had to be there," said Andrew Molson, who heads the the Molson Foundation.


nationalobserver--2020-12-31--Planned CPP premium increase will hit some workers more due to pandemic

Come Jan. 1 , Canada Pension Plan contributions are going up again , although higher than originally planned .
The reason is largely because of the pandemic 's effect on the labour market , which has some groups noting the impact will be felt by some workers more than others .
Here 's a rundown of what 's happening , and how long the effect might last .
Why premiums are going up The planned increase on Jan. 1 is part of a multi-year plan approved by provinces and the federal government four years ago to boost retirement benefits through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
The first premium bump was in 2019 , another was earlier this year and the next is due at the beginning of 2021 .
• This Calgarian supports Albertans transitioning to work in a greener economy • Sacred Journey : An artistic look at the Pacific Northwest ’ s canoe culture • How about less patronizing , more positive reinforcement in COVID-19 messaging in 2021 ?
A KPMG note in November said the maximum employer and employee contributions will hit $ 3,166 each in 2021 , an increase from the $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the maximum amount will be $ 6,332 , up from $ 5,796 .
Why next year is different The plan requires contributions to go up alongside the upper limit on earnings that are subject to those premiums .
For next year , the earnings ceiling , known as the yearly maximum pensionable earnings or YMPE , was supposed to be $ 60,200 , an increase of $ 1,500 from the 2020 limit .
But the actual amount is going to be higher at $ 61,600 .
The reason is due to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and how the YMPE is calculated .
The formula to calculate the earnings limit relies on increases in the average weekly earnings recorded over the year ending June 30 , compared to the same figure during the preceding 12-month period .
Planned increase in # CPP premiums on Jan. 1 to hit some workers more due to # pandemic .
# COVID19 # YMPE Over the course of the pandemic , average weekly earnings have increased , but not because people are earning more .
More lower-income workers lost their jobs between March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were fewer low-wage workers as part of the calculation .
The federal chief actuary 's office says that 's why the overall increase is larger than originally projected Dan Kelly , president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business , estimates that anyone around the maximum earnings limit will effectively see a 9.3 per cent increase in premiums , beyond the just over five-per-cent bump baked into law .
`` That 's going to be hundreds of dollars of new CPP premiums out of paycheques of middle-income Canadians not because they got a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not had a COVID adjustment , '' Kelly says .
`` We think this is deeply unfair . ''
Provincial finance ministers had asked the government to put a pause on increases for next year , pointing to the economic fallout from COVID-19 , but that was easier said than done .
Any changes to contribution rates or the earnings ceiling at which point contributions top-out would need the approval of Parliament and seven provinces representing at least two-thirds of the national population — a higher bar than what 's required to amend @ @ @

Come Jan. 1, Canada Pension Plan contributions are going up again, although higher than originally planned. The reason is largely because of the pandemic's effect on the labour market, which has some groups noting the impact will be felt by some workers more than others. Here's a rundown of what's happening, and how long the effect might last. Why premiums are going up The planned increase on Jan. 1 is part of a multi-year plan approved by provinces and the federal government four years ago to boost retirement benefits through the public plan by increasing contributions over time. The first premium bump was in 2019, another was earlier this year and the next is due at the beginning of 2021.
A KPMG note in November said the maximum employer and employee contributions will hit $3,166 each in 2021, an increase from the $2,898 this year. For self-employed contributions, the maximum amount will be $6,332, up from $5,796. Why next year is different Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The plan requires contributions to go up alongside the upper limit on earnings that are subject to those premiums.
For next year, the earnings ceiling, known as the yearly maximum pensionable earnings or YMPE, was supposed to be $60,200, an increase of $1,500 from the 2020 limit. But the actual amount is going to be higher at $61,600. Planned increase in #CPP premiums on Jan. 1 to hit some workers more due to #pandemic. #COVID19 #YMPE The reason is due to the pandemic's effects on the labour market and how the YMPE is calculated. The formula to calculate the earnings limit relies on increases in the average weekly earnings recorded over the year ending June 30, compared to the same figure during the preceding 12-month period. Over the course of the pandemic, average weekly earnings have increased, but not because people are earning more. More lower-income workers lost their jobs between March and June than higher-wage workers meaning there were fewer low-wage workers as part of the calculation. The federal chief actuary's office says that's why the overall increase is larger than originally projected
The reaction Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, estimates that anyone around the maximum earnings limit will effectively see a 9.3 per cent increase in premiums, beyond the just over five-per-cent bump baked into law. "That's going to be hundreds of dollars of new CPP premiums out of paycheques of middle-income Canadians not because they got a raise, but because the formula has not had a COVID adjustment," Kelly says.


nationalobserver--2020-12-31--B.C. helps blueberry farmers embroiled in U.S. trade commission investigation

British Columbia is making a financial contribution to help blueberry farmers fight a looming trade investigation in the United States over imported berries , including from Canada .
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer requested an investigation by the U.S. International Trade Commission in September after reports that domestic farmers are being hurt by cheaper imported berries .
Ravi Kahlon , B.C .
's minister for jobs and economic recovery , says the province is giving Ottawa about $ 80,000 for economic research to strengthen Canada 's legal strategy ahead of a hearing next month .
Kahlon says the vast majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States come from about 800 blueberry growers in B.C.
, while overall , Canada is a top importer of fresh U.S. blueberries .
The trade commission could recommend tariffs or quotas if it finds U.S. blueberry growers have been injured or are under the threat of injury by imports , but Kahlon says he 's optimistic about a positive outcome since Canada 's share of the U.S. berry market has decreased in recent years .
• How about less patronizing , more positive reinforcement in COVID-19 messaging in 2021 ?
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a greener economy • Sacred Journey : An artistic look at the Pacific Northwest ’ s canoe culture The first hearing in the investigation is set for Jan. 12 .
`` The irony of the whole thing is that Canada , overall , actually imports more blueberries than we export to the U.S .
It just happens to be that B.C .
is the major producer , '' Kahlon said in an interview Wednesday .
A report from Lighthizer 's office shows that Peru is the top exporter of blueberries to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exports were worth about $ 12.6 million in 2014 and it increased to more than $ 485 million by 2019 .
Chile and Mexico were second and third last year , while Canada 's blueberry exports to the States came in fourth , valued at almost $ 116 million .
That 's up from just under $ 102 million five years earlier .
Anju Gill , the executive director of the B.C .
Blueberry Council , says the cost of responding to trade investigations can exceed $ 1 million , so the B.C @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizations as a legal team prepares a case .
`` We feel that there is no injury from the Canadian perspective , '' said Gill , adding there has n't been a marked surge of Canadian berries into the States .
# BritishColumbia is helping # blueberry farmers fight a looming trade investigation in the # UnitedStates over imported berries , including from Canada .
# BC In a letter to Lighthizer in September , members of Congress from Maine advocated for blueberry producers north of the border , saying the state 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Canada .
The processors turn excess perishable berries into frozen products ready for distribution and sale , the members explained .
`` These bulk imports do not harm Maine 's domestic growers of wild blueberries , but rather these operations allow many of Maine 's blueberry businesses to survive , '' their letter reads .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 30 , 2020 .

British Columbia is making a financial contribution to help blueberry farmers fight a looming trade investigation in the United States over imported berries, including from Canada.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer requested an investigation by the U.S. International Trade Commission in September after reports that domestic farmers are being hurt by cheaper imported berries.
Ravi Kahlon, B.C.'s minister for jobs and economic recovery, says the province is giving Ottawa about $80,000 for economic research to strengthen Canada's legal strategy ahead of a hearing next month.
Kahlon says the vast majority of Canada's fresh blueberry exports to the United States come from about 800 blueberry growers in B.C., while overall, Canada is a top importer of fresh U.S. blueberries.
The trade commission could recommend tariffs or quotas if it finds U.S. blueberry growers have been injured or are under the threat of injury by imports, but Kahlon says he's optimistic about a positive outcome since Canada's share of the U.S. berry market has decreased in recent years.


nationalobserver--2020-12-31--How 9/11 shaped my life and led me to start a new publication in Canada

As the rain pours down , it has me looking forward to 2021 , to when the days will grow longer and the light will return .
As we enter a new year , our sixth at National Observer , I 'd like to share my story with you .
As I write , mist hides the mountains and a steady rain falls on the city .
For me , Vancouver 's winter weather encourages introspection .
Today , it has me reflecting on how and why I started Canada 's National Observer , and some of the things it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really did n't know I had in me .
Just as lives could have been saved if the Trump administration had relied on facts and science from the start of the COVID-19 outbreak , the Bush administration could have protected public health and saved the lives of many people with the truth .
“ In 2018 , 17 years out from the Sept. 11 , 2001 terrorist attacks , nearly 10,000 first responders and others who were in the World Trade Center area have been diagnosed with cancer , ” USA Today reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sinai Hospital in New York City .
“ More than 2,000 deaths have been attributed to 9/11 illnesses.
” The fatally inaccurate information reassured hundreds of people , many of them first responders .
The story of why I came to Canada is also the story of why I founded Canada ’ s National Observer , and why I place so much value on fact-based news and investigative reporting .
Whether you ’ re a reader or a subscriber , you ’ ve been a huge part of why we ’ re here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m deeply grateful .
I was living in New York City when , following the 9/11 attacks , the government urged New Yorkers to return to work and allowed children to go back to schools near Ground Zero .
Federal officials told us the air was safe to breathe .
It wasn ’ t .
Later , it came out that they knew it wasn ’ t true .
Profound changes have shaped society over the nearly 20 years since 9/11 .
A rise in nationalism and emergence of far-right global leaders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alliances , a global pandemic and climate change , have altered the world .
Yet resilience , co-operation and hope continue to move us forward .
Anyway , now we know what the world became .
In 2009 , I founded Observer Media Group in Canada because I wanted to help ensure a positive future for my kids and because facts , science and transparency are critical to the future , to democracy and to public safety .
Since the attack , then-president George W. Bush was talking about `` an endless war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mass destruction in Iraq , although the men who ’ d hijacked and crashed the planes were Saudi Arabians , as was the mastermind of the attack , Osama bin Laden .
Bush seemed to be twisting the truth to scare and confuse people so he could convince the public to go along with a war against a country that had insulted his father and was unrelated to the attacks .
Based on a lie , the Iraq war resulted in at least 400,000 violent deaths , possibly as many as a million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Trade Center , and it had been a couple of weeks since 9/11 had ripped our lives apart .
After the sudden rise of nationalism and Islamophobia in New York City , I remember how we parents , representing many cultures , stood watching our small children file into the school in a neat line , saying little , each of us deep in thought .
I was standing with a group of parents outside New Explorations into Science and Technology , the new Kindergarten-Grade 12 public school on the Lower East @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enrolled my son .
I imagined my son exiting the school 18 years later as a young adult .
What would the world have become by then ?
I was four and a half months pregnant with Lev , my second son .
He would eventually be born in Vancouver , a Canadian .
As we wrap up our fifth year at National Observer in the midst of a pandemic where , once again , facts can save lives , this is a reflection on five years of truth in reporting and how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ ve got even bigger plans for next year ’ s journalism .
I ’ ll tell you more about the specific plans towards the end of this letter and I hope you will be part of it .
That 's why editorially independent , well-resourced , aggressive investigative journalism is so important .
A shared set of facts can literally save lives .
Climate change is like a slow , silent , ongoing 9/11 .
It is a disaster where information can make all the difference , for people and for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an alarming rate .
“ I just renewed my subscription to @ NatObserver .
This critically important journal is Canada 's most clear-sighted source of news and informed opinion .
If you want to stay on top of what matters , subscribe !
” — Glen Murray , former Ontario environment minister This is why , every day , we report on solutions , we hold industry to account .
It is why we look for dark money and why we write about and investigate corporate control of the economy and politics .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We persist , even when there 's no big , dramatic story .
That 's what it takes to respond to the challenge of living on a planet threatened by global warming .
A slow , silent calamity demands a daily response .
Stories of people meeting the challenge of climate change are so important .
The man protecting endangered marmots on Vancouver Island .
The church that makes climate change mitigation part of its mission .
The business in Ontario that helped the environment and saved millions by drastically cutting emissions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alberta committed to sustainable energy development .
The Nova Scotia scuba diver cleaning up fishing waste from oceans and the Montreal-developed satellite that can pinpoint carbon from space .
Everyone 's efforts matter in the effort to tackle this existential threat .
How did I get here ?
I never imagined myself in fundraising or sales .
I worked my first journalism job when I was 16 years old , writing obituaries for the Greenfield Recorder .
I spent my free time watching television coverage of the Watergate hearings .
Watching the Watergate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigative reporting .
Growing up in Chattanooga , Tenn. , the only woman I knew who worked or had power in the community was Ruth Holmberg .
She was a family friend and the publisher of the Chattanooga Times .
She must have been in her 40s when I was a kid , so impressed by seeing her at the helm of the city 's newspaper .
I would occasionally visit her in her publisher ’ s office and remarked that this wonderful woman I usually saw at family gatherings ran a newspaper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the community .
No other woman I knew worked outside the home .
When I officially launched the Vancouver Observer in November 2009 , I had no business operation , no team of journalists and no printing press .
But the internet offered the opportunity to start a publication without any real capital .
I jumped into the entrepreneurial adventure full of optimism that if we did good journalism , the money would follow .
I had no idea what it would actually take to finance ambitious reporting .
Surely , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ print to online journalism , but it didn ’ t flow our direction .
The lion ’ s share of those billions went to Facebook and Google .
My apartment doubled as Vancouver Observer 's offices .
From my dining room table , a reporter fresh out of UBC 's master 's program and a recent university graduate uncovered the Koch brothers ' funding of the Fraser Institute .
Another young reporter exposed spying on environmental and citizens groups by CSIS and the RCMP .
He revealed how the leader of the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lobbyist for Enbridge , which was trying everything during those years to get an oil pipeline through from Alberta to the West Coast .
Our investigation triggered his resignation .
We wrote dozens of stories about how Second World War brides were disenfranchised from citizenship by archaic Canadian laws , reporting that led to legislative change .
Young people just getting their start in journalism did the reporting .
As our reporting on pipelines and the oilsands grew , so did the scope of our reporting on climate change .
Stories about global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we decided to start a new national publication .
The launch of National Observer in March 2015 Over 500 people donated around $ 80,000 to help launch `` a new , progressive , national news site for Canada ” on Kickstarter .
With these funds , we turned the dream of going national into reality .
It was excruciating to ask for money .
But asking was the only option .
I pushed through my aversion and began to reach out for funding to finance Reports from the Energy Battlegrounds .
To my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were in backing a journalism project that was focused on undercovered stories in Canada about the oil industry , public health and the environment .
Our donors were kind and thoughtful and deeply engaged .
Our first three Kickstarter crowdfunding campaigns financed National Observer 's reporting on the proposed Energy East pipeline , the proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline .
Another crowdfunding campaign gave us the resources to investigate disinformation during the 2019 federal election in Canada .
We wrote a report about the impact of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I urge you to read .
You can download it here .
Everything we do in our investigative journalism department is funded by subscriptions or donations made by people like you .
We don ’ t have a billionaire backer .
We are accountable to you , our subscribers .
And it ’ s these subscriptions and donations that will allow us to do so much more in 2021 .
Here ’ s what is coming in 2021 : • Guided by managing editor Adrienne Tanner , the Climate Integrity Reporting Project will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intimate look at what ’ s working and what ’ s in the way of progressive climate policy in Canada .
• Bruce Livesey leads a top-secret investigation vital to public health .
Bruce teams up with partners at the Toronto Star and the Investigative Journalism Bureau at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto on this series .
• David McKie leads another top-secret investigation working with a team of students at Carleton University on an issue haunting Canada .
• Thanks to crowdfunding on the site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be reporting to you on how one industry is trying to bully Canada into doing the wrong thing .
• Online events will bring to my Conversations interview series the European Union ’ s top officials working on climate change and climate policy ; Ethel Blondin-Andrew , the first Indigenous woman ever to be elected as a member of Parliament ; and Sophie Brochu , CEO of Hydro‑Québec .
We ’ ll be announcing more interviews in the new year .
• A new newsletter will feature exclusive opinion pieces from columnists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lourie , Julian Brave NoiseCat , Max Fawcett and Andrea Reimer on a regular basis , with occasional cartoons by Michael De Adder .
When people cancel their subscriptions , they often tell us it is because they do n't have time to read enough .
But even if you do n't have time to read National Observer every day , your subscription will keep us working for you .
Janel Johnson manages subscriptions and takes care of our help desk .
She puts it like this : Amid a storm of disinformation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've seen how healthy debate gets bogged down by narrow , partisan bickering .
The result is an abject failure to achieve progress on terrifying issues like climate change , social inequality and rising right-wing populism .
Good journalism exists to counter that so that there 's a shared baseline of facts .
It was critical 20 years ago , and it ’ s more urgent today .
Dick Fadden , former head of CSIS under the previous Conservative government , told me that `` democracy is not going to work unless people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talk . ''
I agree , and that dialogue can begin with a shared foundation of factual reality .
Mother Jones CEO Monika Bauerlein told me : “ There ’ s an overload that people are experiencing where they want to turn away .
As journalists , we need to respect that and help curate the information that we share.
” It ’ s more than just finding a big exclusive or uncovering a scandal or reporting on the latest weather .
Especially in these isolating times , a newspaper is like a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangers ahead as well as solutions .
In these fast-changing and uncertain times , we need to remain more steady and trustworthy than ever .
The past year has posed unimaginable challenges for all of us , and our families , as we dealt with the day-to-day realities of living through the largest threat to public health of our lifetimes .
But it has also shone a light on all that we have to be thankful for as Canadians , and how our government and communities have stepped up to keep us all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health-care heroes and their untiring service .
I ’ m incredibly proud of the hard work , commitment and flexibility of National Observer ’ s team of reporters and staff across the country , and I ’ d like to acknowledge them for their superlative work during this unprecedented time .
There is good reason to be optimistic about what 2021 will bring , with the COVID vaccine on the horizon for all and National Observer continuing to expand our exceptional reporting .
The events of 2020 have made clear to the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to public health and safety .
Having the right facts at the right time , as during the confusing aftermath of 9/11 , can leave long-lasting impacts on people ’ s lives .
Now that we face a major turning point in the pandemic with the new vaccines and an unprecedented opportunity to rebuild our economy around climate change , news reporting , communicating and sharing information through networks — and even outside our usual silos — plays such a vital role .
We ’ re all needed .
We ’ re all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is CEO and editor-in-chief of Canada 's National Observer .

That's why editorially independent, well-resourced, aggressive investigative journalism is so important. A shared set of facts can literally save lives.
Just as lives could have been saved if the Trump administration had relied on facts and science from the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Bush administration could have protected public health and saved the lives of many people with the truth.
“In 2018, 17 years out from the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, nearly 10,000 first responders and others who were in the World Trade Center area have been diagnosed with cancer,” USA Today reported that year, citing data from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. “More than 2,000 deaths have been attributed to 9/11 illnesses.”
The fatally inaccurate information reassured hundreds of people, many of them first responders .
I was living in New York City when, following the 9/11 attacks, the government urged New Yorkers to return to work and allowed children to go back to schools near Ground Zero. Federal officials told us the air was safe to breathe. Later, it came out that they knew it wasn’t true.
I lived 15 blocks from the World Trade Center, and it had been a couple of weeks since 9/11 had ripped our lives apart. After the sudden rise of nationalism and Islamophobia in New York City, I remember how we parents, representing many cultures, stood watching our small children file into the school in a neat line, saying little, each of us deep in thought.
I was standing with a group of parents outside New Explorations into Science and Technology, the new Kindergarten-Grade 12 public school on the Lower East Side of Manhattan where I’d enrolled my son. I imagined my son exiting the school 18 years later as a young adult. What would the world have become by then? I was four and a half months pregnant with Lev, my second son. He would eventually be born in Vancouver, a Canadian.
“I just renewed my subscription to @NatObserver . This critically important journal is Canada's most clear-sighted source of news and informed opinion. If you want to stay on top of what matters, subscribe!” — Glen Murray , former Ontario environment minister
Profound changes have shaped society over the nearly 20 years since 9/11. A rise in nationalism and emergence of far-right global leaders, social media dominance, the dissolution of alliances, a global pandemic and climate change, have altered the world. Yet resilience, co-operation and hope continue to move us forward.
Anyway, now we know what the world became.
Since the attack, then-president George W. Bush was talking about "an endless war" against terrorism and finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, although the men who’d hijacked and crashed the planes were Saudi Arabians, as was the mastermind of the attack, Osama bin Laden. Bush seemed to be twisting the truth to scare and confuse people so he could convince the public to go along with a war against a country that had insulted his father and was unrelated to the attacks. Based on a lie, the Iraq war resulted in at least 400,000 violent deaths, possibly as many as a million.
We do this on a daily basis. We persist, even when there's no big, dramatic story.
This is why, every day, we report on solutions, we hold industry to account. It is why we look for dark money and why we write about and investigate corporate control of the economy and politics.
Climate change is like a slow, silent, ongoing 9/11. It is a disaster where information can make all the difference, for people and for plants and animals that are dying at an alarming rate.
That's what it takes to respond to the challenge of living on a planet threatened by global warming. A slow, silent calamity demands a daily response.
Stories of people meeting the challenge of climate change are so important. The man protecting endangered marmots on Vancouver Island. The church that makes climate change mitigation part of its mission. The business in Ontario that helped the environment and saved millions by drastically cutting emissions. The group of oilsands workers in Alberta committed to sustainable energy development. The Nova Scotia scuba diver cleaning up fishing waste from oceans and the Montreal-developed satellite that can pinpoint carbon from space.
Everyone's efforts matter in the effort to tackle this existential threat.
How did I get here?
I never imagined myself in fundraising or sales. I worked my first journalism job when I was 16 years old, writing obituaries for the Greenfield Recorder. I spent my free time watching television coverage of the Watergate hearings. Watching the Watergate hearings put me on the path to investigative reporting.
Growing up in Chattanooga, Tenn., the only woman I knew who worked or had power in the community was Ruth Holmberg. She was a family friend and the publisher of the Chattanooga Times. She must have been in her 40s when I was a kid, so impressed by seeing her at the helm of the city's newspaper. I would occasionally visit her in her publisher’s office and remarked that this wonderful woman I usually saw at family gatherings ran a newspaper and played such a meaningful leadership role in the community. No other woman I knew worked outside the home.
When I officially launched the Vancouver Observer in November 2009, I had no business operation, no team of journalists and no printing press. But the internet offered the opportunity to start a publication without any real capital.
I jumped into the entrepreneurial adventure full of optimism that if we did good journalism, the money would follow. I had no idea what it would actually take to finance ambitious reporting. Surely, I thought advertising revenue would flood away from print to online journalism, but it didn’t flow our direction. The lion’s share of those billions went to Facebook and Google.
My apartment doubled as Vancouver Observer's offices. From my dining room table, a reporter fresh out of UBC's master's program and a recent university graduate uncovered the Koch brothers' funding of the Fraser Institute.
Another young reporter exposed spying on environmental and citizens groups by CSIS and the RCMP. He revealed how the leader of the top spy oversight agency had registered as a lobbyist for Enbridge, which was trying everything during those years to get an oil pipeline through from Alberta to the West Coast. Our investigation triggered his resignation.
We wrote dozens of stories about how Second World War brides were disenfranchised from citizenship by archaic Canadian laws, reporting that led to legislative change. Young people just getting their start in journalism did the reporting.
As our reporting on pipelines and the oilsands grew, so did the scope of our reporting on climate change. Stories about global warming outgrew the local brand. So we decided to start a new national publication.
The launch of National Observer in March 2015
Over 500 people donated around $80,000 to help launch "a new, progressive, national news site for Canada” on Kickstarter. With these funds, we turned the dream of going national into reality.
It was excruciating to ask for money. But asking was the only option. I pushed through my aversion and began to reach out for funding to finance Reports from the Energy Battlegrounds.
To my delight, I discovered how interested people were in backing a journalism project that was focused on undercovered stories in Canada about the oil industry, public health and the environment. Our donors were kind and thoughtful and deeply engaged.
Our first three Kickstarter crowdfunding campaigns financed National Observer's reporting on the proposed Energy East pipeline, the proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline.
Another crowdfunding campaign gave us the resources to investigate disinformation during the 2019 federal election in Canada. We wrote a report about the impact of Canadian journalism in fighting disinformation, which I urge you to read. You can download it here.
Amid a storm of disinformation and propaganda masquerading as news, we've seen how healthy debate gets bogged down by narrow, partisan bickering. The result is an abject failure to achieve progress on terrifying issues like climate change, social inequality and rising right-wing populism.
Good journalism exists to counter that so that there's a shared baseline of facts. It was critical 20 years ago, and it’s more urgent today.
Dick Fadden, former head of CSIS under the previous Conservative government, told me that "democracy is not going to work unless people are able to compromise, dialogue and talk."
I agree, and that dialogue can begin with a shared foundation of factual reality.
Mother Jones CEO Monika Bauerlein told me: “There’s an overload that people are experiencing where they want to turn away. As journalists, we need to respect that and help curate the information that we share.”
That’s so true.
It’s more than just finding a big exclusive or uncovering a scandal or reporting on the latest weather. Especially in these isolating times, a newspaper is like a lighthouse showing the way forward, the dangers ahead as well as solutions.
In these fast-changing and uncertain times, we need to remain more steady and trustworthy than ever.
The past year has posed unimaginable challenges for all of us, and our families, as we dealt with the day-to-day realities of living through the largest threat to public health of our lifetimes. But it has also shone a light on all that we have to be thankful for as Canadians, and how our government and communities have stepped up to keep us all safe, such as the front-line COVID-19 health-care heroes and their untiring service.
Having the right facts at the right time, as during the confusing aftermath of 9/11, can leave long-lasting impacts on people’s lives. Now that we face a major turning point in the pandemic with the new vaccines and an unprecedented opportunity to rebuild our economy around climate change, news reporting, communicating and sharing information through networks — and even outside our usual silos — plays such a vital role.
This article was updated on September 12, 2021 at 8 AM