nationalobserver--2020-08-15--La Ronge bares its grief

La Ronge bares its grief

“ I ’ ve lost 13 students to suicide since I started teaching .
I ’ ve done probably over 200 interventions and some multiple times with the same person , ” teacher Sarah Poole told the crowd .
The issue hits home for residents , who shared their experiences at the gathering .
Emergency medical services personnel , teachers , mental health workers and local business owners were on site to show their support .
A candlelight vigil was held Wednesday in La Ronge , Sask.
, to support Métis fiddle player Tristen Durocher ’ s advocacy for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Upon arrival in Regina , Durocher began a hunger strike .
The 44-days he plans to fast points a finger at Saskatchewan Party MLAs who unanimously defeated a suicide prevention bill put forward by Cumberland NDP MLA Doyle Vermette this spring .
Durocher and Christopher Merasty walked more than 600 kilometres from La Ronge to Regina last month calling for government action to address the high suicide rates in northern Saskatchewan .
Poole said she “ did what all good white girls do ” and joined a committee .
“ Sometimes it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was younger than Tristen , a little 11-year-old girl… hanged herself.
” Leaders in both La Loche and La Ronge have described the situation as an epidemic over the years .
But Poole said help is inconsistent and temporary .
“ I ’ m 47 and since I was younger than Tristen , I ’ ve been following the rules all this time .
I have taken the training and I have worked with the kids and I have done everything that I could ...
When I was in La Loche , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months , ” Poole said .
“ Our government is always open to conversations about how we can make improvements to the challenges of mental health and suicide , ” Glover said .
“ The tragic loss of a person by suicide is felt not only by family and friends , but by the entire community .
We want to assure the public that suicide prevention is a priority for the government of Saskatchewan , ” spokesperson Matthew Glover told Canada ’ s National Observer in July as Durocher and his supporters headed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Warren Kaeding released Pillars for Life : The Saskatchewan Suicide Prevention Plan in May , which outlines a collaborative approach to suicide prevention .
“ Seven reserves have declared states of emergencies .
What good did that do ?
We kept digging graves .
Politicians came for a weekend , took a few photos , called that consultation and continued to do nothing , ” Durocher told Canada ’ s National Observer in July .
“ You only get the help after a kid dies.
” “ Whenever there ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s great… But you know what happened ?
Three years later , there weren ’ t any more suicides , so they fired a counsellor , ” Poole said .
Cree Elder John Halkett stressed the importance of staying connected with loved ones and keeping children close with their families , `` so that we do n't lose them . ''
`` It 's always a challenge , but we have to take that step , ” Halkett said .
“ How many thousands of steps did ( Durocher ) take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to be fasting for us and to show the politicians and people that are in power where his heart is ?
” Durocher and Merasty have inspired at least one youth in La Ronge through their endeavours , too .
“ The fact that they went for that walk down to Regina meant a lot to me because I ’ ve lost people to suicide .
It hits way more hard when you know it was suicide than natural causes… Suicide is a scary thing to think about , ” 15-year-old Anthony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knowing that there ’ s people out there , because I 've been that far down in the hole where I felt like I couldn ’ t do anything about it , where I felt so alone .
But there are people out there to help you , ” Isbister said .
“ It ’ s always important to reach out to one of your friends .
Especially with the government saying no to that suicide prevention ( bill ) .
” Merasty , who founded a support group for men called Men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Durocher to offer protection .
He is now back in La Ronge .
Merasty shared that when he lived in the northwest community of La Loche , he saw many suicides .
“ In La Loche , we were losing about three or four kids a week to suicide .
Back in 2012-2013 , ( La Loche ) put in a state of emergency but nothing happened.
” What brought the issue home to him was when his daughter tried to take her own life twice last year .
Merasty felt helpless because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an eight-hour journey north by road from his family in La Ronge .
“ For me , that was a very difficult situation because I work way up in the mines and hearing this happening at home… This walk was for hope and I believe that we gave a lot of people hope , ” Merasty said .
He said that during the walk , support from passersby waned as they worked their way south to Regina .
He said onlookers stopped honking in support , and began making obscene gestures and using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kilometres to open up those people ’ s eyes was something that needed to be done , ” Merasty said .
“ Suicide affects so many people , so many families and so many communities .
Not only here in La Ronge.
” Kaeding and Lori Carr , minister responsible for First Nations , Métis and northern affairs , met with Durocher in Regina last Wednesday and thanked him for advocating for suicide prevention .
The government confirmed the meeting in a statement to the press and maintains that Pillars For Life is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ province .
“ The ministers appreciate Mr. Durocher ’ s advocacy on this issue and welcomed the opportunity to further this important conversation.
” That didn ’ t stop the province and the Provincial Capital Commission from filing an application for a court order to have Durocher and his companions “ vacate and cease occupying the land.
” The request lists Durocher as a respondent among “ other persons operating as , and in support of , ‘ Walking With Our Angels ' ( the name used for Durocher ’ s movement ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Land Act .
“ For them to not even let a couple of people from the north camp in a 24-foot diameter space on stolen lands , it ’ s less than ironic , it ’ s dark comedy , ” Durocher told Canada ’ s National Observer in Regina .
The motion also states that the protest breaks Wascana Centre bylaws under The Provincial Capital Commission Act .
Durocher said forcing him to leave would violate the right to peaceful protest , the rights of Indigenous people to the land and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to violate Canada ’ s Charter of Rights and Freedoms , one of the highest laws , with a municipal bylaw , ” Durocher said .
Durocher ’ s aunt , Jackie Durocher brought up her nephew ’ s Thursday court date , where he was to defend his presence outside the legislature building .
“ It ’ s going to be a tough day… We have a lot of people there supporting him and praying for him , but I ask for prayers for my family.
” On Thursday , a judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Regina pushed Durocher ’ s hearing to Sept. 4. at the request of his lawyer Eleanore Sunchild .
Durocher described the appointment , which he did not attend personally , as “ anticlimactic ” and is staying where he is .
Provincial lawyers had pushed for the issue to be settled sooner .
Durocher ’ s fast is set to end Sept. 13 unless the province passes legislation before then .
Poole was choking back tears , but made it through her speech .
She said Durocher ’ s actions seem radical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience , committees don ’ t work .
“ I ’ ve been following the rules for over 20 years and it hasn ’ t done anything… I have zero faith that people down south give one good damn about our children .
Not one .
Not one , ” Poole said .
“ I ’ m done with committees and I ’ m done with hearing big promises from the government and I ’ m really done with people coming to help us or to fix us and then all that drying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding for real mental health in this province .
However we get it .
I ’ m done with committees.
” If you are or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts , help is available at all hours .
Support can be found at the Canada Suicide Prevention Service website .
If you are in immediate danger , you can call 911 .
You can learn more about suicide prevention in the province at Saskatchewan.ca .

“Sometimes it didn’t work. When I was younger than Tristen, a little 11-year-old girl… hanged herself.”
“I’ve lost 13 students to suicide since I started teaching. I’ve done probably over 200 interventions and some multiple times with the same person,” teacher Sarah Poole told the crowd.
The issue hits home for residents, who shared their experiences at the gathering. Emergency medical services personnel, teachers, mental health workers and local business owners were on site to show their support.
A candlelight vigil was held Wednesday in La Ronge, Sask., to support Métis fiddle player Tristen Durocher’s advocacy for a legislated suicide prevention strategy in the province.
Upon arrival in Regina, Durocher began a hunger strike. The 44-days he plans to fast points a finger at Saskatchewan Party MLAs who unanimously defeated a suicide prevention bill put forward by Cumberland NDP MLA Doyle Vermette this spring.
Durocher and Christopher Merasty walked more than 600 kilometres from La Ronge to Regina last month calling for government action to address the high suicide rates in northern Saskatchewan.
Poole said she “did what all good white girls do” and joined a committee.
“The tragic loss of a person by suicide is felt not only by family and friends, but by the entire community. We want to assure the public that suicide prevention is a priority for the government of Saskatchewan,” spokesperson Matthew Glover told Canada’s National Observer in July as Durocher and his supporters headed to Regina.
Rural and Remote Health Minister Warren Kaeding released Pillars for Life: The Saskatchewan Suicide Prevention Plan in May, which outlines a collaborative approach to suicide prevention.
“Seven reserves have declared states of emergencies. What good did that do? We kept digging graves. Politicians came for a weekend, took a few photos, called that consultation and continued to do nothing,” Durocher told Canada’s National Observer in July.
“I’m 47 and since I was younger than Tristen, I’ve been following the rules all this time. I have taken the training and I have worked with the kids and I have done everything that I could... When I was in La Loche, we lost one kid a month for six months,” Poole said.
“Our government is always open to conversations about how we can make improvements to the challenges of mental health and suicide,” Glover said.
Leaders in both La Loche and La Ronge have described the situation as an epidemic over the years. But Poole said help is inconsistent and temporary.
“Whenever there’s a crisis, they send people in and that’s great… But you know what happened? Three years later, there weren’t any more suicides, so they fired a counsellor,” Poole said.
“You only get the help after a kid dies.”
Pictures of children who died by suicide in northern Saskatchewan surround Tristen Durocher's tipi at Wascana Park near the legislature in Regina. Photo by Michael Bramadat-Willcock.
Cree Elder John Halkett stressed the importance of staying connected with loved ones and keeping children close with their families, "so that we don't lose them."
"It's always a challenge, but we have to take that step,” Halkett said.
“How many thousands of steps did (Durocher) take to be where he is right now, to be fasting for us and to show the politicians and people that are in power where his heart is?”
Durocher and Merasty have inspired at least one youth in La Ronge through their endeavours, too.
“The fact that they went for that walk down to Regina meant a lot to me because I’ve lost people to suicide. It hits way more hard when you know it was suicide than natural causes… Suicide is a scary thing to think about,” 15-year-old Anthony Isbister said.
“It felt good knowing that there’s people out there, because I've been that far down in the hole where I felt like I couldn’t do anything about it, where I felt so alone. But there are people out there to help you,” Isbister said.
A mother lights a candle for her son at a vigil for suicide prevention in La Ronge. Photo by Brandon White.
“It’s always important to reach out to one of your friends. Especially with the government saying no to that suicide prevention (bill).”
Merasty, who founded a support group for men called Men of the North, went along with Durocher to offer protection. He is now back in La Ronge.
Merasty shared that when he lived in the northwest community of La Loche, he saw many suicides.
“In La Loche, we were losing about three or four kids a week to suicide. Back in 2012-2013, (La Loche) put in a state of emergency but nothing happened.”
What brought the issue home to him was when his daughter tried to take her own life twice last year. Merasty felt helpless because he works at Cigar Lake mine, an eight-hour journey north by road from his family in La Ronge.
A child holds a candle at a vigil for suicide prevention at the site of a former residential school in La Ronge. Photo by Brandon White.
“For me, that was a very difficult situation because I work way up in the mines and hearing this happening at home… This walk was for hope and I believe that we gave a lot of people hope,” Merasty said.
He said that during the walk, support from passersby waned as they worked their way south to Regina. He said onlookers stopped honking in support, and began making obscene gestures and using racial slurs.
"Walking over 600 kilometres to open up those people’s eyes was something that needed to be done,” Merasty said.
“Suicide affects so many people, so many families and so many communities. Not only here in La Ronge.”
Kaeding and Lori Carr, minister responsible for First Nations, Métis and northern affairs, met with Durocher in Regina last Wednesday and thanked him for advocating for suicide prevention.
Ministers Warren Kaeding and Lori Carr discuss with Tristen Durocher at the entrance to his tipi at Wascana Park near the legislature in Regina. Photo by Michael Bramadat-Willcock.
The government confirmed the meeting in a statement to the press and maintains that Pillars For Life is its plan to address suicide in the province.
“The ministers appreciate Mr. Durocher’s advocacy on this issue and welcomed the opportunity to further this important conversation.”
That didn’t stop the province and the Provincial Capital Commission from filing an application for a court order to have Durocher and his companions “vacate and cease occupying the land.”
The request lists Durocher as a respondent among “other persons operating as, and in support of, ‘Walking With Our Angels' (the name used for Durocher’s movement),” citing the Recovery of Possession of Land Act.
Ministers Warren Kaeding and Lori Carr signed Tristen Durocher's guest book. Kaeding thanked him for his advocacy and Carr called his words "touching." Photo by Michael Bramadat-Willcock.
“For them to not even let a couple of people from the north camp in a 24-foot diameter space on stolen lands, it’s less than ironic, it’s dark comedy,” Durocher told Canada’s National Observer in Regina.
The motion also states that the protest breaks Wascana Centre bylaws under The Provincial Capital Commission Act.
Durocher said forcing him to leave would violate the right to peaceful protest, the rights of Indigenous people to the land and religious practice.
Tristen Durocher in his tipi at Wascana Park reading "Two Families: Treaties and Government" by Cree author and former crown prosecutor Harold Johnson. Photo by Michael Bramadat-Willcock.
“They are willing to violate Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, one of the highest laws, with a municipal bylaw,” Durocher said.
Durocher’s aunt, Jackie Durocher brought up her nephew’s Thursday court date, where he was to defend his presence outside the legislature building.
“It’s going to be a tough day… We have a lot of people there supporting him and praying for him, but I ask for prayers for my family.”
On Thursday, a judge at the Court of Queen's Bench in Regina pushed Durocher’s hearing to Sept. 4. at the request of his lawyer Eleanore Sunchild.
Durocher described the appointment, which he did not attend personally, as “anticlimactic” and is staying where he is.
One supporter brought a puppy along to the vigil in La Ronge. Photos by Brandon White.
Provincial lawyers had pushed for the issue to be settled sooner. Durocher’s fast is set to end Sept. 13 unless the province passes legislation before then.
Poole was choking back tears, but made it through her speech. She said Durocher’s actions seem radical to some, but that in her experience, committees don’t work.
“I’ve been following the rules for over 20 years and it hasn’t done anything… I have zero faith that people down south give one good damn about our children. Not one. Not one,” Poole said.
“I’m done with committees and I’m done with hearing big promises from the government and I’m really done with people coming to help us or to fix us and then all that drying up. We need permanent legislation and funding for real mental health in this province. However we get it. I’m done with committees.”
Michael Bramadat-Willcock/Local Journalism Initiative/Canada's National Observer
If you are or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, help is available at all hours. Support can be found at the Canada Suicide Prevention Service website. If you are in immediate danger, you can call 911.
You can learn more about suicide prevention in the province at Saskatchewan.ca.


nationalobserver--2020-08-17--Asylum seekers on COVID-19 front lines demand permanent residency

Doll Jean Frejus Nguessan Bi says he could n't sleep at all last night .
The asylum seeker from Ivory Coast works as a security guard in hospitals and long-term care homes in the Montreal area , where he watched many of his colleagues stop coming in as deaths linked to COVID-19 began to mount this spring .
But while Nguessan Bi kept working , he said he found out Friday that he would be excluded from a new government program to fast-track the permanent residency applications of some asylum seekers working on the front lines during the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ We who gave our hearts and our love ... Why are we abandoned ? ''
he said in an interview at a protest camp across the street from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 's Montreal riding office Saturday .
`` What did we do to deserve this ? ''
Ottawa announced Friday that asylum seekers working in specific jobs in the health-care sector would be eligible for permanent residency without first having to wait for their asylum claims to be accepted , as is typically the process .
• Disease and warming oceans continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of extinction • Speaking out comes at a cost in Alberta .
Just look at the former CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino said the move came in response to public demand for so-called `` Guardian Angels '' — many in Quebec — to be recognized for their work .
`` They demonstrated a uniquely Canadian quality in that they were looking out for others and so that is why is today is so special , '' Mendicino said in an interview Friday afternoon .
But asylum seekers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excludes thousands of workers without permanent status in Canada who have laboured on the front lines during the pandemic , often at great personal risk to themselves and their families .
That includes security guards and janitorial staff , factory workers , and farm labourers , among others .
`` I have friends who worked with me in security that abandoned ( their posts ) because they were afraid of getting infected .
But I stayed , '' said Nguessan Bi .
He said he wants Trudeau and Quebec Premier Francois Legault to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not eligible for the new program .
Doll Jean Frejus Nguessan Bi says he could n't sleep at all last night .
Several dozen people rallied in front of Trudeau 's office on Saturday to demand permanent residency for all asylum seekers .
`` It 's an act of recognition .
They deserve status , '' Joseph Clormeus , a member of Debout pour la dignite , a Montreal advocacy group that organized the rally , told the crowd .
Anite Presume , a Haitian asylum seeker who came to Quebec in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was among the protesters .
She works in a medication factory , and said she kept working during the pandemic despite the risks .
`` To take the bus , we were all stressed , but we still went to work because it was essential .
They needed medication for the hospitals , '' she said in an interview .
She said she has not received a response yet to her application for asylum in Canada , and lives under a cloud of uncertainty and stress about her future .
`` It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , about not being included in Ottawa 's regularization program .
`` They rejected us as if we did nothing . ''
To apply for residency under the new program , applicants must have claimed asylum in Canada prior to March 13 and have spent no less than 120 hours working as an orderly , nurse or another designated occupation between the date of their claim and Aug. 14 .
They must also demonstrate they have six months of experience in the profession before they can receive permanent residency and have until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that requirement .

Doll Jean Frejus Nguessan Bi says he couldn't sleep at all last night. The asylum seeker from Ivory Coast works as a security guard in hospitals and long-term care homes in the Montreal area, where he watched many of his colleagues stop coming in as deaths linked to COVID-19 began to mount this spring. But while Nguessan Bi kept working, he said he found out Friday that he would be excluded from a new government program to fast-track the permanent residency applications of some asylum seekers working on the front lines during the pandemic. "Why (not) us? We who gave our hearts and our love... Why are we abandoned?" he said in an interview at a protest camp across the street from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Montreal riding office Saturday. "What did we do to deserve this?" Ottawa announced Friday that asylum seekers working in specific jobs in the health-care sector would be eligible for permanent residency without first having to wait for their asylum claims to be accepted, as is typically the process.
Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino said the move came in response to public demand for so-called "Guardian Angels" — many in Quebec — to be recognized for their work. "They demonstrated a uniquely Canadian quality in that they were looking out for others and so that is why is today is so special," Mendicino said in an interview Friday afternoon. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions But asylum seekers and their supporters say Ottawa's plan excludes thousands of workers without permanent status in Canada who have laboured on the front lines during the pandemic, often at great personal risk to themselves and their families.
That includes security guards and janitorial staff, factory workers, and farm labourers, among others. Doll Jean Frejus Nguessan Bi says he couldn't sleep at all last night. "I have friends who worked with me in security that abandoned (their posts) because they were afraid of getting infected. But I stayed," said Nguessan Bi. He said he wants Trudeau and Quebec Premier Francois Legault to do something to help asylum seekers who are not eligible for the new program. Several dozen people rallied in front of Trudeau's office on Saturday to demand permanent residency for all asylum seekers. "It's an act of recognition. They deserve status," Joseph Clormeus, a member of Debout pour la dignite, a Montreal advocacy group that organized the rally, told the crowd.
Anite Presume, a Haitian asylum seeker who came to Quebec in August 2017 from the United States, was among the protesters. She works in a medication factory, and said she kept working during the pandemic despite the risks. "To take the bus, we were all stressed, but we still went to work because it was essential. They needed medication for the hospitals," she said in an interview.


nationalobserver--2020-08-17--U.S. left out key statements by Huawei executive in extradition request lawyer says

A former adviser to the U.S. State Department says the American government omitted key statements by Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in order to support its extradition case against her .
The U.S. used a presentation Meng made to HSBC in 2013 to allege that she lied about Huawei 's relationship to Skycom , putting the bank at risk of breaking American sanctions against Iran .
An affidavit filed in B.C .
Supreme Court by Meng 's lawyers from John Bellinger , a lawyer who advised the administration of former president George W. Bush , says the U.S. left out that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked with Skycom in Iran .
The presentation Meng gave to HSBC , which was also filed with the court , says Huawei 's engagement with Skycom is a normal business co-operation .
Meng was arrested at Vancouver 's airport in 2018 on a request from the United States where she 's accused of bank and wire fraud , which she has denied .
• Disease and warming oceans continue to push sea stars to the edge of extinction • Speaking out comes at a cost in Alberta .
Just look at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commerce Bellinger says HSBC knew all it needed to know to limit its exposure to liability over the Iran sanctions and Meng 's statements during the presentation reinforced that because she clearly said Skycom operates in Iran .
He says the assertion that Meng 's alleged misrepresentation would have put the bank in legal jeopardy is n't supported by past U.S. government practice .
`` Even if Ms. Meng misled the bank in some material way , I am not aware of any case in which the U.S. government has imposed civil or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party for engaging in prohibited transactions as a result of having been intentionally deceived by a third party , '' his affidavit says .
The arrest has led to deteriorating relations between Canada and China .
The Chinese government sees the arrest as a political manoeuvre by the United States .
Bellinger says the U.S. record of the case for prosecution does n't mention that Meng clearly stated in the presentation to the bank that Huawei worked with Skycom in Iran .
`` As a business partner of Huawei , Skycom works with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he quotes Meng as saying in her presentation .
A former adviser to the U.S. State Department says the American government omitted key statements by Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in order to support its extradition case against her .
The U.S. government alleges that Meng committed fraud by misleading HSBC about the extent of Huawei 's relationship with Skycom , not about the fact that Skycom or Huawei had a relationship or that they had operations in Iran , he says .
He says the bank was processing Skycom payments through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2013 meeting .
`` HSBC was apparently aware prior to August 2013 that Skycom was operating in Iran . ''
Bellinger says there 's no `` legally relevant '' connection between the alleged lies by Meng and the alleged Iran sanction violations by HSBC .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14 , 2020 .

A former adviser to the U.S. State Department says the American government omitted key statements by Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in order to support its extradition case against her.
The U.S. used a presentation Meng made to HSBC in 2013 to allege that she lied about Huawei's relationship to Skycom, putting the bank at risk of breaking American sanctions against Iran.
An affidavit filed in B.C. Supreme Court by Meng's lawyers from John Bellinger, a lawyer who advised the administration of former president George W. Bush, says the U.S. left out that Meng clearly told the bank that Huawei worked with Skycom in Iran.
The presentation Meng gave to HSBC, which was also filed with the court, says Huawei's engagement with Skycom is a normal business co-operation.
Meng was arrested at Vancouver's airport in 2018 on a request from the United States where she's accused of bank and wire fraud, which she has denied.


nationalobserver--2020-08-17--Singh calls on Ottawa to provide $12 billion for child care

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is calling on Ottawa to provide the provinces with billions in funding for child care — a demand that could help determine whether the minority Liberal government survives .
With the support of the Liberals , the NDP passed a motion this week calling on the federal government to immediately transfer $ 2 billion to the provinces for child care .
Singh is now upping the ante , calling for another $ 10 billion over the next four years .
Singh says $ 2 billion is needed this year just to ensure there are enough child-care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mothers — to go back to work now that restrictions to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic are being relaxed .
He says another $ 10 billion over the next four years is necessary to ensure universal , affordable , accessible child care for all .
• Disease and warming oceans continue to push sea stars to the edge of extinction • Speaking out comes at a cost in Alberta .
Just look at the former CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce With the Bloc Quebecois threatening to bring down the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justin Trudeau ca n't afford to dismiss the demands of New Democrats , whose support could be the key to avoiding defeat on a confidence motion .
`` The federal government must acknowledge that if we want a recovery , we need to make sure women can get back to work and that means assuring that there 's affordable and accessible child care , '' Singh told a news conference Friday in Victoria , B.C .
He noted the Liberals have been promising to bring in universal child care for more than 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see action .
It 's not enough to say the words .
We need to see Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberal government back it up . ''
The Liberals , with 156 seats , are 14 votes shy of a majority in the House of Commons .
Support from the NDP 's 24 MPs would ensure the government 's survival should the Bloc , Conservatives , Greens and Independent MPs join forces to bring it down .
Singh did not frame his call for child-care funding Friday as a condition for NDP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling on Ottawa to provide the provinces with billions in funding for child care — a demand that could help determine whether the minority Liberal government survives .
In a written statement later to The Canadian Press , he said : `` This is n't about us or our support .
This is about the government earning the confidence of people across this country .
`` They do that by keeping their promises , by working with us to fix ( employment insurance ) permanently so people get the help they need , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our call for an immediate investment in child care so parents can go back to work knowing their kids are safe at school or at child care . ''
Among the NDP 's priorities is ensuring that employment insurance is expanded sufficiently to ensure no jobless Canadian is left in the cold once the last eligibility period for the $ 2,000-per-month Canada Emergency Response Benefit ends on Sept. 26 .
The government has promised a `` seamless transition '' back to employment insurance that leaves no one behind but has yet to reveal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent analysis from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives shows that of the 4.7 million Canadians receiving the CERB as of Aug. 2 , 2.9 million would get less benefits or nothing at all under the existing employment insurance system .
Moreover , it said women account for 57 per cent of the CERB recipients who are at risk of being ineligible for employment insurance .
It 's not clear that the Conservatives , who have been the most vociferous critics of the Liberal government , would back a Bloc motion of non-confidence @

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is calling on Ottawa to provide the provinces with billions in funding for child care — a demand that could help determine whether the minority Liberal government survives. With the support of the Liberals, the NDP passed a motion this week calling on the federal government to immediately transfer $2 billion to the provinces for child care. Singh is now upping the ante, calling for another $10 billion over the next four years. Singh says $2 billion is needed this year just to ensure there are enough child-care spaces available to allow parents — particularly mothers — to go back to work now that restrictions to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic are being relaxed. He says another $10 billion over the next four years is necessary to ensure universal, affordable, accessible child care for all.
With the Bloc Quebecois threatening to bring down the Liberal government this fall, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can't afford to dismiss the demands of New Democrats, whose support could be the key to avoiding defeat on a confidence motion. "The federal government must acknowledge that if we want a recovery, we need to make sure women can get back to work and that means assuring that there's affordable and accessible child care," Singh told a news conference Friday in Victoria, B.C. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions He noted the Liberals have been promising to bring in universal child care for more than 20 years.
"Now we want to see action. It's not enough to say the words. We need to see Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberal government back it up." NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is calling on Ottawa to provide the provinces with billions in funding for child care — a demand that could help determine whether the minority Liberal government survives. The Liberals, with 156 seats, are 14 votes shy of a majority in the House of Commons. Support from the NDP's 24 MPs would ensure the government's survival should the Bloc, Conservatives, Greens and Independent MPs join forces to bring it down. Singh did not frame his call for child-care funding Friday as a condition for NDP support. In a written statement later to The Canadian Press, he said: "This isn't about us or our support. This is about the government earning the confidence of people across this country. "They do that by keeping their promises, by working with us to fix (employment insurance) permanently so people get the help they need, and by standing by their support of our call for an immediate investment in child care so parents can go back to work knowing their kids are safe at school or at child care."
Among the NDP's priorities is ensuring that employment insurance is expanded sufficiently to ensure no jobless Canadian is left in the cold once the last eligibility period for the $2,000-per-month Canada Emergency Response Benefit ends on Sept. 26. The government has promised a "seamless transition" back to employment insurance that leaves no one behind but has yet to reveal its plan for doing that. A recent analysis from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives shows that of the 4.7 million Canadians receiving the CERB as of Aug. 2, 2.9 million would get less benefits or nothing at all under the existing employment insurance system. Moreover, it said women account for 57 per cent of the CERB recipients who are at risk of being ineligible for employment insurance.


nationalobserver--2020-08-17--Ventilator supply increases as Tam warns of possible COVID-19 surge

Only a small fraction of the 40,000 new ventilators Canada ordered for hospitals last spring have already been delivered but several companies involved say their production lines will start delivering the products faster in the next few weeks .
The promise of new arrivals comes as Canada 's chief public health officer , Dr. Theresa Tam , warned Friday that a fall surge of COVID-19 cases could overwhelm the health-care system , including its supply of critical care beds and ventilators .
`` What we know based on what we learned from other countries and cities that had a devastating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you exceeded that capacity the mortality goes up really , really high , '' she said .
Flu season and other respiratory infections common in the fall could put added pressure on the system if COVID-19 flares up in a big way .
Tam said there were many lessons learned from the spring , when the government was ill-prepared and without enough protective equipment for health-care workers , and feared a massive surge of COVID-19 would overwhelm the health-care system .
• Disease and warming oceans continue to push sea stars to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a cost in Alberta .
Just look at the former CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce `` We are much better prepared than we were before , '' she said .
In March , Canadians watched in horror as northern Italy 's COVID-19 outbreak overran its health-care system , leaving doctors to choose which patients got a ventilator and which were left without one .
That experience , coupled with warnings it could happen here too , compelled federal and provincial governments to order thousands of new ventilators .
But much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Canada did n't already produce many ventilators domestically , and getting them from international sources is tough when global need for new ventilators is in the hundreds of thousands .
So Canada asked firms here if they could step up , and out of that four new consortiums to build ventilators were formed .
A fifth contract was signed with Thornhill Medical , a Toronto firm that at that point was making about 50 of its portable breathing machines a month .
In all , Canada ordered 40,328 ventilators , for an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Friday , it had just 606 in hand .
Paul-Emile Cloutier , the president of national health-care advocate HealthCareCAN , said there is concern about the status of the government 's orders for personal protective equipment and ventilators ahead of the possibility COVID-19 will surge again in Canada this fall .
Only a small fraction of the 40,000 new ventilators Canada ordered for hospitals last spring have already been delivered but several companies involved say their production lines will start delivering the products faster in the next few weeks .
`` Details @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected next wave of COVID-19 , '' he said .
Procurement Minister Anita Anand said Friday the government is pushing on to get the entirety of the orders in place .
A statement from her department said `` Canada currently has sufficient ventilators to meet current demands '' and that the ones on order are to bolster existing Public Health Agency of Canada stockpiles , as well as the units already in hospitals and provincial warehouses across the country .
But Health Canada wo n't say how many ventilators the country now has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disclose any modelling for how many could be needed in a worst-case scenario situation .
In March there were about 5,000 ventilators nationally , and another 500 in the national emergency stockpile .
Canada 's ability to plank the COVID-19 curve in the spring meant warnings about running out of ventilators never came to fruition .
John Walmsley , the executive vice president at Starfish Medical in Victoria , said that took the pressure off his new coalition , Canadian Emergency Ventilators , Inc. `` We have a little bit more elbow room @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a controlled manner but I would say we 're looking to get it done this year , '' he said .
`` We 're all concerned about a second wave and being ready for that and so we 're on board to deliver for that . ''
Canadian Emergency Ventilators is still waiting for Health Canada approval before it can start shipping its promised 7,500 machines .
It submitted the documents in June and it is taking a bit longer than expected to get the green light .
Once that happens , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to test the product , and then the units that have already been built could be shipped , said Walmsley .
He is still hopeful to fill the order by the end of the year .
Thornhill Medical CEO Lesley Gouldie said her company 's partnership with Linamar , a manufacturer based in Guelph , Ont.
, has been a great success .
Thornhill is to provide 1,020 machines to Canada , and has shipped 27 so far .
Gouldie said Linamar can make as many as 100 of the units a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,500 parts that make up their portable device proved to be difficult in a pandemic .
`` The limiting factor is the supply chains , '' Gouldie said .
She said the kinks are mostly worked out now , and she expects to ship enough machines each week to fulfil their contract by early December .
Rick Jamieson , the CEO of FTI Professional Grade , said they expect to fulfil their entire contract for 10,000 ventilators by Dec. 12 .
FTI is one of several companies in a consortium called Ventilators for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ventilators .
Another 120 are on track for delivery next week and 240 in the last week of August .
`` We have activated a fourth shift to increase production knowing that a second wave is likely this fall and winter , '' said Jamieson .
Montreal 's CAE received Health Canada approval for its new ventilator on June 17 , and said that day it expected to begin shipping `` hundreds each week . ''
It has a contract to deliver 10,000 .
The final company , Vexos , was the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to submit its product to Health Canada as well , and began shipping in late July .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15 , 2020 .

Only a small fraction of the 40,000 new ventilators Canada ordered for hospitals last spring have already been delivered but several companies involved say their production lines will start delivering the products faster in the next few weeks. The promise of new arrivals comes as Canada's chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, warned Friday that a fall surge of COVID-19 cases could overwhelm the health-care system, including its supply of critical care beds and ventilators. "What we know based on what we learned from other countries and cities that had a devastating impact in that initial wave, if you exceeded that capacity the mortality goes up really, really high," she said. Flu season and other respiratory infections common in the fall could put added pressure on the system if COVID-19 flares up in a big way. Tam said there were many lessons learned from the spring, when the government was ill-prepared and without enough protective equipment for health-care workers, and feared a massive surge of COVID-19 would overwhelm the health-care system.
"We are much better prepared than we were before," she said. In March, Canadians watched in horror as northern Italy's COVID-19 outbreak overran its health-care system, leaving doctors to choose which patients got a ventilator and which were left without one. That experience, coupled with warnings it could happen here too, compelled federal and provincial governments to order thousands of new ventilators. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions But much like surgical face masks and N95 respirators, Canada didn't already produce many ventilators domestically, and getting them from international sources is tough when global need for new ventilators is in the hundreds of thousands. So Canada asked firms here if they could step up, and out of that four new consortiums to build ventilators were formed.
A fifth contract was signed with Thornhill Medical, a Toronto firm that at that point was making about 50 of its portable breathing machines a month. Only a small fraction of the 40,000 new ventilators Canada ordered for hospitals last spring have already been delivered but several companies involved say their production lines will start delivering the products faster in the next few weeks. In all, Canada ordered 40,328 ventilators, for an estimated $1.1 billion, and as of Friday, it had just 606 in hand. Paul-Emile Cloutier, the president of national health-care advocate HealthCareCAN, said there is concern about the status of the government's orders for personal protective equipment and ventilators ahead of the possibility COVID-19 will surge again in Canada this fall. "Details are crucial as we prepare for the expected next wave of COVID-19," he said. Procurement Minister Anita Anand said Friday the government is pushing on to get the entirety of the orders in place. A statement from her department said "Canada currently has sufficient ventilators to meet current demands" and that the ones on order are to bolster existing Public Health Agency of Canada stockpiles, as well as the units already in hospitals and provincial warehouses across the country.
But Health Canada won't say how many ventilators the country now has in total. It will also not disclose any modelling for how many could be needed in a worst-case scenario situation. In March there were about 5,000 ventilators nationally, and another 500 in the national emergency stockpile. Canada's ability to plank the COVID-19 curve in the spring meant warnings about running out of ventilators never came to fruition. John Walmsley, the executive vice president at Starfish Medical in Victoria, said that took the pressure off his new coalition, Canadian Emergency Ventilators, Inc.


nationalobserver--2020-08-17--Ontario teachers say they're preparing for online and in-class lessons with little guidance

Rachel Rosen does n't even know what classes she 'll be teaching in three weeks , let alone how she 'll juggle preparing in-person and online lessons .
An ever-fluctuating set of back-to-school guidelines from Ontario 's Ministry of Education has left Rosen with little information about how to approach delivering learning materials both in class and online .
`` The board makes its plans , and lets us know the plans , and then the ministry changes the plans , '' said Rosen , who teaches at an alternative high school in Toronto .
`` It 's really been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without being able to actually prepare . ''
The province is giving parents the option to keep kids out of the classroom and have them learn from home , with materials provided by their schools .
And in two dozen school boards , including the Toronto District School Board for which Rosen works , high schoolers will do remote , online learning half the time .
• Disease and warming oceans continue to push sea stars to the edge of extinction • Speaking out comes at a cost in Alberta .
Just look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chamber of Commerce Rosen said she typically teaches tech courses — photography , graphic design and film — which lean heavily on collaboration and sharing equipment , so preparing online materials will be particularly difficult .
She said classtime will be divided up into synchronous learning , which is a more traditional lesson , and asynchronous learning , which would see students working independently .
She said online asynchronous learning is easier to manage — she 'll give students tutorial videos and time to work on the written parts of their assignments .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of it , I really have no idea how that 's going to work , '' she said .
`` We 're being expected to do that in the classroom , which means that this video conference is going to involve me wearing a mask when I 'm teaching , which I think is going to be kind of hard for the students . ''
But even without the mask , she said , online learning is n't her first choice .
`` So much of what teaching is , to me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` And if I 'm not able to connect with my students , they 're not going to understand why they need to be invested in what I 'm teaching them . ''
Rachel Rosen does n't even know what classes she 'll be teaching in three weeks , let alone how she 'll juggle preparing in-person and online lessons .
The head of the union that represents many of the province 's high school teachers said it 's not just Rosen facing these kinds of issues .
Many teachers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools still do n't know how they 'll manage teaching students in class and creating online learning materials .
`` It 's just not a reasonable expectation , '' Harvey Bischof said .
`` And I do n't mean that people would have to work hard .
I mean you can not effectively do both .
They are two completely different modes of education delivery .
And there 's no possible way for one educator to do both , or certainly to do both well at the same time . ''
From the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand what they 're being taught , Bischof said , teaching is entirely different online than it is in-class .
Complicating matters , he noted , is that different school boards are developing different plans for how in-class and online learning will be handled .
That could mean students in different boards are learning different pieces of the curriculum online and in person , potentially leading to an uneven playing field .
Bischof said it 's another symptom of one of the union 's chief complaints about the back-to-school framework : that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ view , `` abdicating '' its responsibility and leaving too much up to the school boards .
Education Minister Stephen Lecce and Premier Doug Ford have both argued that it 's necessary for them to provide flexibility in their plans , because some parts of the province have seen very few COVID-19 cases and are at a much lower risk of outbreaks .
They 've said a `` one size fits all '' approach to pandemic response does n't make sense in a province as big as Ontario , and they characterize the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's announcement that boards can stagger the start to the school year throughout the week after Labour Day — as a response to boards ' requests .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 16 , 2020 .

Rachel Rosen doesn't even know what classes she'll be teaching in three weeks, let alone how she'll juggle preparing in-person and online lessons. An ever-fluctuating set of back-to-school guidelines from Ontario's Ministry of Education has left Rosen with little information about how to approach delivering learning materials both in class and online. "The board makes its plans, and lets us know the plans, and then the ministry changes the plans," said Rosen, who teaches at an alternative high school in Toronto. "It's really been jarring to have all of this time without being able to actually prepare." The province is giving parents the option to keep kids out of the classroom and have them learn from home, with materials provided by their schools. And in two dozen school boards, including the Toronto District School Board for which Rosen works, high schoolers will do remote, online learning half the time.
Rosen said she typically teaches tech courses — photography, graphic design and film — which lean heavily on collaboration and sharing equipment, so preparing online materials will be particularly difficult. She said classtime will be divided up into synchronous learning, which is a more traditional lesson, and asynchronous learning, which would see students working independently. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions She said online asynchronous learning is easier to manage — she'll give students tutorial videos and time to work on the written parts of their assignments.
"In terms of the synchronous learning part of it, I really have no idea how that's going to work," she said. "We're being expected to do that in the classroom, which means that this video conference is going to involve me wearing a mask when I'm teaching, which I think is going to be kind of hard for the students." Rachel Rosen doesn't even know what classes she'll be teaching in three weeks, let alone how she'll juggle preparing in-person and online lessons. But even without the mask, she said, online learning isn't her first choice. "So much of what teaching is, to me, is relationship building," she said. "And if I'm not able to connect with my students, they're not going to understand why they need to be invested in what I'm teaching them." The head of the union that represents many of the province's high school teachers said it's not just Rosen facing these kinds of issues. Many teachers in boards adopting the adapted model for secondary schools still don't know how they'll manage teaching students in class and creating online learning materials. "It's just not a reasonable expectation," Harvey Bischof said. "And I don't mean that people would have to work hard. I mean you cannot effectively do both. They are two completely different modes of education delivery. And there's no possible way for one educator to do both, or certainly to do both well at the same time."
From the structure of lessons to making sure students understand what they're being taught, Bischof said, teaching is entirely different online than it is in-class. Complicating matters, he noted, is that different school boards are developing different plans for how in-class and online learning will be handled. That could mean students in different boards are learning different pieces of the curriculum online and in person, potentially leading to an uneven playing field.


nationalobserver--2020-08-17--Canada Revenue Agency suspends online services after cyberattacks hit thousands of accounts

The Canada Revenue Agency has temporarily suspended its online services after two cyberattacks in which hackers used thousands of stolen usernames and passwords to fraudulently obtain government services and compromise Canadians ' personal information .
A total of 5,500 CRA accounts were targeted in what the federal government described as two `` credential stuffing '' schemes , in which hackers use passwords and usernames from other websites to access Canadians ' accounts with the revenue agency .
The decision to suspend CRA 's online services comes at a time when many Canadians and businesses have been using the revenue agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial support related to the COVID-19 pandemic .
The government is hoping to reinstate online access for businesses on Monday , according to a senior government official .
That is when companies struggling due to the pandemic can start to apply for the latest round of federal wage subsidies .
It was n't immediately clear what impact the suspension of services will have in terms of other federal benefits , however , including the Canada Child Benefit and Canada Emergency Response Benefit for those affected by COVID-19 .
• Disease and warming oceans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ edge of extinction • Speaking out comes at a cost in Alberta .
Just look at the former CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce The revenue agency was also vague in terms of what victims of the attack will have to do to get their accounts reinstated after it disabled them to prevent further fraud , saying only that letters will be mailed to those who have been affected .
At least one victim says she has yet to hear anything from the government after someone hacked into her CRA account earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 2,000-per-month Canada Emergency Response Benefit for COVID-19 .
Leah Baverstock , a law clerk in Kitchener , Ont.
, says she first realized her account had been compromised and contacted the revenue agency herself when she received several emails from CRA on Aug. 7 saying she had successfully applied for the CERB .
`` The lady I spoke to at CRA , she 's said : 'This is a one-off , ' '' said Baverstock , who has continued to work through the pandemic and did not apply for the support payments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior officer would be calling me within 24 hours because my account was completely locked down .
And I still have n't heard from anybody . ''
Baverstock expressed frustration at the lack of contact , adding she still does not know how the hackers accessed her account .
She has since contacted her bank and other financial institutions to stop the hackers from using her information to commit more fraud .
A total of 5,500 CRA accounts were targeted in what the federal government described as two `` credential stuffing '' schemes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usernames from other websites to access Canadians ' accounts with the revenue agency .
`` I am quite concerned , '' she said .
`` Somebody could be leaving under my name .
Who knows .
It 's scary .
It 's really scary . ''
Many of the hacked CRA accounts were targeted as part of a broader `` credential stuffing '' attack in which more than 9,000 accounts that Canadians use to apply for and access federal services were compromised .
Those hacked accounts were tied to GCKey , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allows Canadians to access various services such as employment insurance , veterans ' benefits and immigration applications .
`` These attacks , which used passwords and usernames collected from previous hacks of accounts worldwide , took advantage of the fact that many people reuse passwords and usernames across multiple accounts , '' the Treasury Board of Canada said in a statement .
One-third of those accounts successfully accessed services before all of the affected accounts were shut down , said the Treasury Board , which is responsible for managing the federal civil service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officials are now trying to determine not only how many of those services were fraudulent while the RCMP and federal privacy commissioner have been called in to assess the scale and scope of personal information stolen .

The Canada Revenue Agency has temporarily suspended its online services after two cyberattacks in which hackers used thousands of stolen usernames and passwords to fraudulently obtain government services and compromise Canadians' personal information. A total of 5,500 CRA accounts were targeted in what the federal government described as two "credential stuffing" schemes, in which hackers use passwords and usernames from other websites to access Canadians' accounts with the revenue agency. The decision to suspend CRA's online services comes at a time when many Canadians and businesses have been using the revenue agency's website to apply for and access financial support related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The government is hoping to reinstate online access for businesses on Monday, according to a senior government official. That is when companies struggling due to the pandemic can start to apply for the latest round of federal wage subsidies. It wasn't immediately clear what impact the suspension of services will have in terms of other federal benefits, however, including the Canada Child Benefit and Canada Emergency Response Benefit for those affected by COVID-19.
The revenue agency was also vague in terms of what victims of the attack will have to do to get their accounts reinstated after it disabled them to prevent further fraud, saying only that letters will be mailed to those who have been affected. At least one victim says she has yet to hear anything from the government after someone hacked into her CRA account earlier this month and successfully applied for the $2,000-per-month Canada Emergency Response Benefit for COVID-19. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Leah Baverstock, a law clerk in Kitchener, Ont., says she first realized her account had been compromised and contacted the revenue agency herself when she received several emails from CRA on Aug. 7 saying she had successfully applied for the CERB.
"The lady I spoke to at CRA, she's said: 'This is a one-off,'" said Baverstock, who has continued to work through the pandemic and did not apply for the support payments. A total of 5,500 CRA accounts were targeted in what the federal government described as two "credential stuffing" schemes, in which hackers use passwords and usernames from other websites to access Canadians' accounts with the revenue agency. "And she told me a senior officer would be calling me within 24 hours because my account was completely locked down. And I still haven't heard from anybody." Baverstock expressed frustration at the lack of contact, adding she still does not know how the hackers accessed her account. She has since contacted her bank and other financial institutions to stop the hackers from using her information to commit more fraud. "I am quite concerned," she said. "Somebody could be leaving under my name. Who knows. It's scary. It's really scary." Many of the hacked CRA accounts were targeted as part of a broader "credential stuffing" attack in which more than 9,000 accounts that Canadians use to apply for and access federal services were compromised.
Those hacked accounts were tied to GCKey, which is used by around 30 federal departments and allows Canadians to access various services such as employment insurance, veterans' benefits and immigration applications. "These attacks, which used passwords and usernames collected from previous hacks of accounts worldwide, took advantage of the fact that many people reuse passwords and usernames across multiple accounts," the Treasury Board of Canada said in a statement. One-third of those accounts successfully accessed services before all of the affected accounts were shut down, said the Treasury Board, which is responsible for managing the federal civil service as well as the public purse.


nationalobserver--2020-08-17--Quebec students push for law to stop sexual violence in schools

Sophie was 15 years old when she says her history teacher made comments about her breasts in front of the entire class .
She reported what happened to a support staff member at her high school .
But instead of being taken seriously and getting support , she said the employee told her the teacher did n't mean anything bad by what he said .
`` It was like they were trying to trivialize my situation and ( tell me ) that in the end , I do n't need to get upset , I do n't need to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be frustrated by it , '' said Sophie , which is not her real name .
The Montreal woman , now 20 , spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of her allegations .
`` Well no , it 's not normal .
It 's not normal to trivialize and normalize that situation , '' she said in a recent interview .
Sophie is part of a group of current and former Quebec high school students who are demanding the provincial government adopt a law specifically targeting sexual violence at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those institutions to have clear protocols to respond to incidents between students or between a student and teacher or other adult in the school .
• Disease and warming oceans continue to push sea stars to the edge of extinction • Speaking out comes at a cost in Alberta .
Just look at the former CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce Quebec 's Education Department , however , says there is already a legal framework in place to protect children against violence .
Sophie and her group are undaunted .
They say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Quebec students are too afraid to come forward when they are sexually harassed , abused or assaulted by peers or staff in schools .
Their campaign for a provincial law dates back a few years , but it recently regained momentum after a wave of public denunciations of sexual violence began on social media across Quebec in July .
Clorianne Augustin , a Montreal youth worker who supports the students ' call for a law , says schools fail to take sexual violence seriously .
She said educators often do not respond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disclose abuse , either because they are overworked or they are uncomfortable and do n't have the necessary training .
`` The young person is stuck with the psychological ramifications , '' Augustin said in recent interview .
`` Some youth told me , ' I do n't want to go to school .
I do n't want to walk next to my abuser .
I do n't want to be surrounded by people who are going to tell me that I was n't supposed to denounce . '
... All these repercussions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years old when she says her history teacher made comments about her breasts in front of the entire class .
A spokeswoman for Quebec 's Education Department said the government has no plans to pass a law to specifically deal with sexual violence in elementary and high schools .
`` Intervention protocols for violence , including sexual violence , are already required in elementary and high schools , '' the department 's spokeswoman , Esther Chouinard , said in an email .
She pointed to the province 's Education Act , which makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Quebec to have a plan to prevent bullying and violence in all its forms and provide support for students .
Under Quebec 's current legislation , principals are tasked with drafting a plan to address violence , which must be approved by their schools ' governing boards .
But Augustin said the current system is insufficient , as students continue to say it is difficult to denounce sexual violence because the subject remains taboo and school staff are not trained to respond .
`` That means it 's not working , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specific laws are n't needed for elementary and high schools , Quebec passed legislation in 2017 requiring post-secondary institutions adopt anti-sexual violence protocols .
That law requires staff be trained on know how to respond to sexual violence allegations and provide services to victims should they wish to make a complaint .
In January , the province 's largest public school board , the Commission scolaire de Montreal , adopted intervention protocols regarding sexual violence in its elementary and high schools .
That board , which counts over 16,000 staff and about 114,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of educators who work closely with students `` to welcome and listen to all victims of sexual violence in order to direct them to appropriate resources . ''
Augustin said if the province 's universities and junior colleges have a specific law designed to protect students , `` I do n't understand why high school and elementary school students ca n't also benefit from a law . ''
For Sophie , a law would help make sure students of all ages across Quebec feel safe in their schools — and protect the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same type of sexual abuse she faced .

Sophie was 15 years old when she says her history teacher made comments about her breasts in front of the entire class. She reported what happened to a support staff member at her high school. But instead of being taken seriously and getting support, she said the employee told her the teacher didn't mean anything bad by what he said. "It was like they were trying to trivialize my situation and (tell me) that in the end, I don't need to get upset, I don't need to be shocked, I don't need to be frustrated by it," said Sophie, which is not her real name. The Montreal woman, now 20, spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of her allegations. "Well no, it's not normal. It's not normal to trivialize and normalize that situation," she said in a recent interview. Sophie is part of a group of current and former Quebec high school students who are demanding the provincial government adopt a law specifically targeting sexual violence at elementary and high schools. They want those institutions to have clear protocols to respond to incidents between students or between a student and teacher or other adult in the school.
Quebec's Education Department, however, says there is already a legal framework in place to protect children against violence. Sophie and her group are undaunted. They say the status quo isn't working and that Quebec students are too afraid to come forward when they are sexually harassed, abused or assaulted by peers or staff in schools. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Their campaign for a provincial law dates back a few years, but it recently regained momentum after a wave of public denunciations of sexual violence began on social media across Quebec in July.
Clorianne Augustin, a Montreal youth worker who supports the students' call for a law, says schools fail to take sexual violence seriously. Sophie was 15 years old when she says her history teacher made comments about her breasts in front of the entire class. She said educators often do not respond quickly when a student comes forward to disclose abuse, either because they are overworked or they are uncomfortable and don't have the necessary training. "The young person is stuck with the psychological ramifications," Augustin said in recent interview. "Some youth told me, 'I don't want to go to school. I don't want to walk next to my abuser. I don't want to be surrounded by people who are going to tell me that I wasn't supposed to denounce.' ... All these repercussions are serious." A spokeswoman for Quebec's Education Department said the government has no plans to pass a law to specifically deal with sexual violence in elementary and high schools. "Intervention protocols for violence, including sexual violence, are already required in elementary and high schools," the department's spokeswoman, Esther Chouinard, said in an email. She pointed to the province's Education Act, which makes it mandatory for public and private schools in Quebec to have a plan to prevent bullying and violence in all its forms and provide support for students.
Under Quebec's current legislation, principals are tasked with drafting a plan to address violence, which must be approved by their schools' governing boards. But Augustin said the current system is insufficient, as students continue to say it is difficult to denounce sexual violence because the subject remains taboo and school staff are not trained to respond. "That means it's not working," she said. And while Chouinard said specific laws aren't needed for elementary and high schools, Quebec passed legislation in 2017 requiring post-secondary institutions adopt anti-sexual violence protocols. That law requires staff be trained on know how to respond to sexual violence allegations and provide services to victims should they wish to make a complaint.


nationalobserver--2020-08-17--2020's crude price crash offers good news for natural gas producers

Veteran oilman Mike Rose says he does n't want to `` jinx it , '' but he admits it 's not so bad heading the company that last year became the biggest producer of natural gas in Canada .
While many oil companies have curtailed production and chopped capital budgets to deal with a massive drop in demand for crude this year , Tourmaline Oil Corp. has been buying assets , running a fleet of 10 drilling rigs and reporting production at the high end of guidance .
`` On the oil side , that 's where the crisis was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was hue and cry from all governments and industry , '' said Rose , who has been CEO of Tourmaline since its founding in 2008 .
`` But the reality is we 've had horrible gas prices for five years and it did n't seem to be as big a crisis .
The gas producers that survived have figured out how to survive very low prices for extended periods of time .
So that 's partly why we 're a little healthier . ''
Natural gas has been considered by many as little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a decade , as the North American shale gas boom launched billions of cubic feet of the heating fuel on markets , driving down prices .
• Disease and warming oceans continue to push sea stars to the edge of extinction • Speaking out comes at a cost in Alberta .
Just look at the former CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce Gas economics got worse five years later when the technology was adapted to extract crude oil from tight underground shale formations in Canada and the United States , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cubic feet of associated natural gas .
When the twin crises of the Russia-Saudi price war and COVID-19 outbreak hit earlier this year , oil producers stopped drilling and shut down producing wells to avoid selling at a loss .
In turn , the sudden withdrawal of gas byproducts created a shortage , sending prices higher .
Futures contracts at the Alberta marketing hub for gas to be delivered next year have recently surged to a nearly four-year high of about $ 2.75 per thousand cubic feet — for comparison , Tourmaline 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` In many ways , for the gas producers , what 's bad for oil is good for gas , '' said Jordan McNiven , an analyst for Tudor Pickering Holt & Co. A seasonal increase in gas demand this winter , combined with an expected recovery in global liquefied natural gas demand as economies recover from the pandemic , is expected to spur North American gas prices even higher , analysts say .
Veteran oilman Mike Rose says he does n't want to `` jinx it , '' but he admits it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that last year became the biggest producer of natural gas in Canada .
`` We 're constructive on the gas quote .
We could see reasons why it could flex higher , '' said Robert Fitzmartyn , head of energy institutional research at Stifel FirstEnergy .
The rise of natural gas has been noticed at Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. , the Calgary-based oilsands giant that was Canada 's top gas producer before being dethroned last year .
In May , Canadian Natural announced it would reboot drilling on its long-ignored natural gas fields @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its long-standing output of around 1.4 billion cf/d .
Earlier this month , it doubled down on that interest by announcing a $ 461-million deal to buy Calgary rival Painted Pony Energy Ltd. , which produces 270 million cf/d of natural gas in northeastern B.C .
`` When we went into this year we thought prices would be a little more depressed , '' said Canadian Natural president Tim McKay in an interview after its second-quarter results were released last week .
`` They 've been quite strong and that gives us the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The oil price crash is reflected in share prices .
As of Tuesday , the only positive stock year-to-date of the 16 oil and gas producers on the S & P/TSX Capped Energy Index is Tourmaline , up 6.77 per cent since Jan. 1 .
The remainder have dropped between 20 and 70 per cent , with ARC Resources Ltd. , primarily a natural gas producer , down by the least amount with a 19.3 per cent loss .
Last week , Tourmaline reported second-quarter production of more than 299,000 barrels of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per cent over the same period last year , composed of 61,800 bpd of oil and liquids and 1.425 billion cubic feet of natural gas .
It reported its average gas price was up 16 per cent but its average oil and liquids price fell by 41 per cent .
Second-quarter cash flow — arrived at by subtracting operating and maintenance costs from revenue — came to $ 225 million , in line with $ 226 million in the same quarter of 2019 .
It expects $ 1.05 billion in cash flow this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The company aims to reach more than 322,000 boe/d by year-end after drilling 42 new wells in the third quarter and bringing on 57 more in the fourth .
It estimates its 2020 average gas production will be 1.5 billion cf/d .
In April , Tourmaline completed the acquisition of Chinook Energy Inc. for $ 24.5 million and it bought several assets in northwestern Alberta for a total of $ 38.3 million .
Asked if there are more acquisitions to come , CEO Rose said , `` Oh yeah .
Potentially .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on strict control over costs , careful marketing to extract every possible penny from every cubic foot of gas and never getting too deep in debt .
On the latter front , he predicts the company will pay down enough debt to achieve an enviable debt-to-cash-flow ratio of 1:1 or lower sometime this year , if prices hold up .
`` Fortunately , finally , we 're looking at a pretty strong gas price recovery for 2021 and hopefully that extends into 2022 , '' he said .
`` It 's looking a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side than it has for a while .
But I do n't want to jinx it . ''
This report by the Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13 , 2020 .

Veteran oilman Mike Rose says he doesn't want to "jinx it," but he admits it's not so bad heading the company that last year became the biggest producer of natural gas in Canada. While many oil companies have curtailed production and chopped capital budgets to deal with a massive drop in demand for crude this year, Tourmaline Oil Corp. has been buying assets, running a fleet of 10 drilling rigs and reporting production at the high end of guidance. "On the oil side, that's where the crisis was in March and April, and there was hue and cry from all governments and industry," said Rose, who has been CEO of Tourmaline since its founding in 2008. "But the reality is we've had horrible gas prices for five years and it didn't seem to be as big a crisis. The gas producers that survived have figured out how to survive very low prices for extended periods of time. So that's partly why we're a little healthier." Natural gas has been considered by many as little more than an unprofitable byproduct for more than a decade, as the North American shale gas boom launched billions of cubic feet of the heating fuel on markets, driving down prices.
Gas economics got worse five years later when the technology was adapted to extract crude oil from tight underground shale formations in Canada and the United States, a technique that also freed more billions of cubic feet of associated natural gas. When the twin crises of the Russia-Saudi price war and COVID-19 outbreak hit earlier this year, oil producers stopped drilling and shut down producing wells to avoid selling at a loss. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions In turn, the sudden withdrawal of gas byproducts created a shortage, sending prices higher.
Futures contracts at the Alberta marketing hub for gas to be delivered next year have recently surged to a nearly four-year high of about $2.75 per thousand cubic feet — for comparison, Tourmaline's break-even price is about $1.75. Veteran oilman Mike Rose says he doesn't want to "jinx it," but he admits it's not so bad heading the company that last year became the biggest producer of natural gas in Canada. "In many ways, for the gas producers, what's bad for oil is good for gas," said Jordan McNiven, an analyst for Tudor Pickering Holt & Co. A seasonal increase in gas demand this winter, combined with an expected recovery in global liquefied natural gas demand as economies recover from the pandemic, is expected to spur North American gas prices even higher, analysts say. "We're constructive on the gas quote. We could see reasons why it could flex higher," said Robert Fitzmartyn, head of energy institutional research at Stifel FirstEnergy. The rise of natural gas has been noticed at Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., the Calgary-based oilsands giant that was Canada's top gas producer before being dethroned last year.
In May, Canadian Natural announced it would reboot drilling on its long-ignored natural gas fields to add about 60 million cf/d to its long-standing output of around 1.4 billion cf/d. Earlier this month, it doubled down on that interest by announcing a $461-million deal to buy Calgary rival Painted Pony Energy Ltd., which produces 270 million cf/d of natural gas in northeastern B.C. "When we went into this year we thought prices would be a little more depressed," said Canadian Natural president Tim McKay in an interview after its second-quarter results were released last week.


nationalobserver--2020-08-17--Speaking out comes at a cost in Alberta. Just look at the former CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Comme

Speaking out comes at a cost in Alberta. Just look at the former CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce

For as long as Jason Kenney has been involved in public life , he ’ s been a passionate defender of free speech rights .
When the Reform Club at the University of Calgary got into a dispute with the students ' union in the late 1990s , for example , he was there to show his support .
And when Bishop Fred Henry got in trouble in 2004 for suggesting that then Prime Minister Paul Martin was a “ bad Catholic ” for supporting same-sex marriage , Kenney spoke out on his behalf .
It shouldn ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he formed government in Alberta in 2019 , he set out to rectify what he saw as undue infringements on free speech at the province ’ s post-secondary institutions .
Lalli was a bit more direct a few months later when , in the wake of the decision by Teck Resources to pull the application for its Frontier oilsands mine , she called on both the federal and provincial governments to work more effectively together .
“ The political rhetoric , on all sides , that has engulfed our province , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to further entrench the damaging perception that governments are , at best , incapable of adapting to changing expectations from stakeholders and global capital markets , or at worst , unwilling to , ” she wrote .
“ Teck ’ s recent decision to withdraw the Frontier oilsands project is a clear signal that more anger and louder voices are not in the best interest of our citizens.
” But Brad Tennant , the UCP ’ s executive director , apparently didn ’ t get that memo .
Instead , he tweeted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Calgary Chamber putting themselves on a pedestal no one else ( believes ) they ’ re on… When Calgary businesses are struggling , it ’ s a genuine shame the chamber is focused on nothing but stroking their own vanity with downtown elites.
” Sandip Lalli 's departure as the head of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce 's CEO shows that there ’ s a high cost attached to speaking truth to power in Alberta right now .
To her credit , Lalli didn ’ t back down .
She followed that up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that called for less conflict and more collaboration between different levels of government .
“ Policy before politics .
Collaboration with accountability .
Developing our natural resources AND fighting climate change .
It ’ s what the Calgary Chamber has been saying for two years now.
” It ’ s unlikely that the chamber will keep saying that now that Lalli has been “ transitioned ” to her new role as a strategic adviser .
Politics have won out over policy , as she warned against , and her aborted tenure at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important question for other civic leaders in Alberta : Now that you know the price of speaking out against this government , are you going to be willing to pay it ?
After all , Kenney ’ s government has already earned a well-deserved reputation for trying to fight its way forward , whether that ’ s with its `` War Room '' and public inquiry into anti-energy campaigns or its ongoing battles on social media with doctors , teachers , and other private citizens .
Given that , it shouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader in the business community become collateral damage in the crossfire .
For all the talk coming from the government about the importance of free speech , her departure shows that there ’ s a high cost attached to speaking truth to power in Alberta right now .

For as long as Jason Kenney has been involved in public life, he’s been a passionate defender of free speech rights. When the Reform Club at the University of Calgary got into a dispute with the students' union in the late 1990s, for example, he was there to show his support. And when Bishop Fred Henry got in trouble in 2004 for suggesting that then Prime Minister Paul Martin was a “bad Catholic” for supporting same-sex marriage, Kenney spoke out on his behalf. It shouldn’t have been much of a surprise then that when he formed government in Alberta in 2019, he set out to rectify what he saw as undue infringements on free speech at the province’s post-secondary institutions. But Kenney’s passion for free speech comes with an important caveat: It’s only free if you’re speaking in ways that reflect or amplify his political values. If you happen to be on the other side of them, then speaking freely can come at a high cost. Just ask Sandip Lalli, the now-former CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, who was replaced on an interim basis Monday by former chamber president Murray Sigler.
The press release announcing the decision described it as a “repositioning,” although changing leaders in the midst of a major crisis is pretty much the opposite of what conventional wisdom would recommend. And while the UCP would surely deny having any influence over the decision made by the chamber’s board of directors, it’s not hard to put the pieces together. After all, over the course of the past year, Lalli had offered occasional criticism of decisions taken by the UCP government, beginning in November 2019 when Kenney announced his “Fair Deal” panel. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “I think the best thing for business is always certainty, and having a Fair Deal panel creates a level of uncertainty,” she told the National Post. “We need to think about (the federal government) as a four-year government, so courting tension for four years doesn’t help Alberta and it doesn’t help Canada,” she said.
Lalli was a bit more direct a few months later when, in the wake of the decision by Teck Resources to pull the application for its Frontier oilsands mine, she called on both the federal and provincial governments to work more effectively together. Sandip Lalli's departure as the head of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce's CEO shows that there’s a high cost attached to speaking truth to power in Alberta right now. “The political rhetoric, on all sides, that has engulfed our province, especially around climate change, has only served to further entrench the damaging perception that governments are, at best, incapable of adapting to changing expectations from stakeholders and global capital markets, or at worst, unwilling to,” she wrote. “Teck’s recent decision to withdraw the Frontier oilsands project is a clear signal that more anger and louder voices are not in the best interest of our citizens.” But Brad Tennant, the UCP’s executive director, apparently didn’t get that memo. Instead, he tweeted that this was “another example of the Calgary Chamber putting themselves on a pedestal no one else (believes) they’re on… When Calgary businesses are struggling, it’s a genuine shame the chamber is focused on nothing but stroking their own vanity with downtown elites.” To her credit, Lalli didn’t back down. She followed that up with an op-ed in the Calgary Herald that called for less conflict and more collaboration between different levels of government. “Policy before politics. Collaboration with accountability. Developing our natural resources AND fighting climate change. It’s what the Calgary Chamber has been saying for two years now.” It’s unlikely that the chamber will keep saying that now that Lalli has been “transitioned” to her new role as a strategic adviser. Politics have won out over policy, as she warned against, and her aborted tenure at the head of the chamber should raise an important question for other civic leaders in Alberta: Now that you know the price of speaking out against this government, are you going to be willing to pay it?


nationalobserver--2020-08-17--Finance Minister Bill Morneau resigns abruptly

Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau resigned his cabinet position and his seat in Parliament Monday evening as rumours swirled about tension between him and the prime minister amid the WE scandal .
Morneau , who had been the only finance minister in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 's cabinet since the prime minister was elected in 2015 , made the announcement at a hastily called press conference Monday evening .
His resignation comes as Canada faces ongoing threats from COVID-19 , which has caused an economic downturn worse than the Great Depression .
“ I had been thinking about this for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ At a time when Canadians are worried about their health and their finances , Justin Trudeau ’ s government is so consumed by scandal that Trudeau has amputated his right hand to try and save himself , ” Scheer said via Twitter .
Bill Morneau ’ s “ resignation ” is further proof of a government in chaos .
At a time when Canadians are worried about their health and their finances , Justin Trudeau ’ s government is so consumed by scandal that Trudeau has amputated his right hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Andrew Scheer ( @ AndrewScheer ) August 18 , 2020 Morneau said Monday that he intends to put his name forward as a candidate for secretary-general of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) , an international economic organization .
In a statement , Trudeau thanked Morneau for his “ leadership , advice and close friendship.
” Rumours have swirled about tension between Morneau and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after the WE scandal .
His resignation comes as Canada faces ongoing threats from COVID-19 , which has caused an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Prime Minister 's Office did not hint at who might be Morneau 's successor , though there has been plenty of speculation , including Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland , and former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England Mark Carney .
`` I 'm confident ( Trudeau will ) have a positive choice in that regard , '' Morneau said , referring to his successor .
Morneau also said he did not intend to run for office again during the next election .
`` We need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be there for the long term , '' he added , referring to the long economic recovery Canada now faces .
The resignation also comes as the Liberal government is still reeling from the WE scandal ; the Conservatives had been calling for Morneau to resign because of his perceived conflict of interest .
Morneau has been under significant pressure since he revealed last month that he had repaid WE Charity for $ 41,000 in travel-related expenses .
The federal ethics commissioner is investigating whether Morneau and Trudeau — who both have close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules when awarding WE a federal contract .
One of Morneau ’ s daughters works for the organization , and several of Trudeau ’ s family members had taken money from WE for speaking fees or travel .
Both have apologized for not recusing themselves .
“ I wish that , in hindsight , that we had done things differently around the WE Charity , ” Morneau said Monday .
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh accused Trudeau of forcing “ someone else to take the heat .
”

Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau resigned his cabinet position and his seat in Parliament Monday evening as rumours swirled about tension between him and the prime minister amid the WE scandal. Morneau, who had been the only finance minister in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet since the prime minister was elected in 2015, made the announcement at a hastily called press conference Monday evening. His resignation comes as Canada faces ongoing threats from COVID-19, which has caused an economic downturn worse than the Great Depression. “I had been thinking about this for a period of time,” Morneau said. Morneau said he handed in his resignation Monday morning. He said Trudeau had not asked for him to leave, but that “we both recognized the necessary vigorous debate that comes between a finance minister and a prime minister.” Last week, the Globe and Mail reported that Trudeau wasn’t committed to keeping Morneau as finance minister as the two were clashing over the government’s response to the economic fallout of COVID-19.
At the time, Trudeau said he had “full confidence” in Morneau, and Morneau said he had no intention of leaving politics. Meanwhile, Trudeau had begun tapping former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney as an “informal adviser” on economic matters, Bloomberg reported. Trudeau and Morneau had also clashed in recent days over the size and scope of environmental measures in the government’s economic recovery plans, and the country’s soaring deficit, Reuters reported Sunday. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Opposition Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer said the move is “proof of a government in chaos.”
“At a time when Canadians are worried about their health and their finances, Justin Trudeau’s government is so consumed by scandal that Trudeau has amputated his right hand to try and save himself,” Scheer said via Twitter. Rumours have swirled about tension between Morneau and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after the WE scandal. His resignation comes as Canada faces ongoing threats from COVID-19, which has caused an economic downturn worse than the Great Depression. Bill Morneau’s “resignation” is further proof of a government in chaos.
At a time when Canadians are worried about their health and their finances , Justin Trudeau’s government is so consumed by scandal that Trudeau has amputated his right hand to try and save himself. 1/3 — Andrew Scheer (@AndrewScheer) August 18, 2020 Morneau said Monday that he intends to put his name forward as a candidate for secretary-general of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an international economic organization. In a statement, Trudeau thanked Morneau for his “leadership, advice and close friendship.” The Prime Minister's Office did not hint at who might be Morneau's successor, though there has been plenty of speculation, including Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, as well as Mark Carney. "I'm confident (Trudeau will) have a positive choice in that regard," Morneau said, referring to his successor.
Morneau also said he did not intend to run for office again during the next election. "We need a finance minister that's going to be there for the long term," he added, referring to the long economic recovery Canada now faces. The resignation also comes as the Liberal government is still reeling from the WE scandal; the Conservatives had been calling for Morneau to resign because of his perceived conflict of interest.