nationalobserver--2020-12-11--Do Canadian kids need better media literacy?

Kids in Canada need greater access to up-to-date media literacy education to help them navigate what ’ s real and what ’ s fake or misleading online , experts say .
The rise of social media has led to the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation , which is spread intentionally , said Dr. Ghayda Hassan , a clinical psychologist and the director of the Canadian Practitioners Network for the Prevention of Radicalization and Extremist Violence .
`` Because of the speed of access to information , cognitively , people do not have time to process and to validate the kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a lot of biases that interfere , '' said Hassan , who is also a UNESCO co-chair for the prevention of radicalization .
`` The fact that information is often on social media propagated by individuals that we may like , that we may trust or that we may directly know , gives them more credibility , '' she said in an interview .
The COVID-19 pandemic is stoking fear and fuelling social and economic instability , creating conditions that intensify conspiratorial thinking , she said , adding she ’ s concerned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Could tidal power be the missing piece to the green energy puzzle ?
• Fraser River salmon get a boost as DFO announces $ 176M for fish ladder project • Provinces awash in second wave , concentrate on vaccine rollout plans Hassan is calling for stronger standards for how social media companies manage content on their platforms and a national strategy and mandatory curriculums covering digital media literacy in schools .
`` It has to become obligatory material , just as you teach math to kids . ''
School curriculums in each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for nearly 20 years , but the material largely hasn ’ t been updated to reflect how media has changed since the 1990s , said Matthew Johnson , the director of education for the Ottawa-based non-profit MediaSmarts .
`` The model today is not of a distribution chain , but of a network that is functionally infinite , '' he said .
`` In theory , anybody on YouTube can have as large an audience as a TV news network or a world leader . ''
Tools and signals that may have worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media in the past , such as bylines or photo credits , may not be as useful for authenticating information on social media .
Some of those signals or markers of reliability , such as a professional-looking website , may even be counterproductive , said Johnson .
The COVID-19 pandemic is stoking fear and fuelling social and economic instability , creating conditions that intensify conspiratorial thinking , one expert says .
# misinformation # disinformation `` That ’ s often extremely misleading , '' he said .
`` The people who intentionally spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at that , and so they will put a lot of effort into making something that looks good . ''
The extent to which media literacy is actually taught varies by province and territory , said Johnson .
For example , B.C .
has what he called an excellent digital literacy curriculum , but it ’ s not mandatory .
In Ontario , where media literacy is part of the evaluated language arts curriculum , he said it receives the least classroom time among other components .
`` We don ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are actually teaching and what students are actually learning at a national level . ''
MediaSmarts offers parents , teachers and students tips for authenticating information , from fact-checking tools to finding and verifying original sources and checking others to assess the veracity and intent of a story .
It draws on key concepts in media and digital media literacy , including that digital media has unexpected audiences , that online experiences are shaped by the social networks and search engines themselves , and that what we do online can have real-world impacts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the co-founder of TeachingKidsNews.com , a website she describes as a transparent source of news for kids that also helps them understand how credible news is made and how to spot content that ’ s deceptive or misleading .
`` Fake news , as it gets better , starts to better mimic journalism .
So , really , what it comes down to now is critical thinking , '' said Grant , who began delivering in−class media literacy workshops around a decade ago .
She aims to help youth recognize echo chambers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of them by seeking out diverse sources of information .
The goal is also a healthy skepticism that asks , `` What seems off about this ?
What is missing ?
Where are the points of view ?
Why did this person write this article or post ? ''
said Grant .

Kids in Canada need greater access to up-to-date media literacy education to help them navigate what’s real and what’s fake or misleading online, experts say. The rise of social media has led to the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation, which is spread intentionally, said Dr. Ghayda Hassan, a clinical psychologist and the director of the Canadian Practitioners Network for the Prevention of Radicalization and Extremist Violence. "Because of the speed of access to information, cognitively, people do not have time to process and to validate the kind of information they receive, so there are a lot of biases that interfere," said Hassan, who is also a UNESCO co-chair for the prevention of radicalization. "The fact that information is often on social media propagated by individuals that we may like, that we may trust or that we may directly know, gives them more credibility," she said in an interview. The COVID-19 pandemic is stoking fear and fuelling social and economic instability, creating conditions that intensify conspiratorial thinking, she said, adding she’s concerned that young people are particularly vulnerable.
Hassan is calling for stronger standards for how social media companies manage content on their platforms and a national strategy and mandatory curriculums covering digital media literacy in schools. "It has to become obligatory material, just as you teach math to kids." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions School curriculums in each province and territory have included media literacy for nearly 20 years, but the material largely hasn’t been updated to reflect how media has changed since the 1990s, said Matthew Johnson, the director of education for the Ottawa-based non-profit MediaSmarts.
"The model today is not of a distribution chain, but of a network that is functionally infinite," he said. "In theory, anybody on YouTube can have as large an audience as a TV news network or a world leader." The COVID-19 pandemic is stoking fear and fuelling social and economic instability, creating conditions that intensify conspiratorial thinking, one expert says. #misinformation #disinformation Tools and signals that may have worked on stories from traditional print and broadcast media in the past, such as bylines or photo credits, may not be as useful for authenticating information on social media. Some of those signals or markers of reliability, such as a professional-looking website, may even be counterproductive, said Johnson. "That’s often extremely misleading," he said. "The people who intentionally spread misinformation or disinformation know that we look at that, and so they will put a lot of effort into making something that looks good." The extent to which media literacy is actually taught varies by province and territory, said Johnson. For example, B.C. has what he called an excellent digital literacy curriculum, but it’s not mandatory. In Ontario, where media literacy is part of the evaluated language arts curriculum, he said it receives the least classroom time among other components.
"We don’t have any good recent data about what teachers are actually teaching and what students are actually learning at a national level." MediaSmarts offers parents, teachers and students tips for authenticating information, from fact-checking tools to finding and verifying original sources and checking others to assess the veracity and intent of a story. It draws on key concepts in media and digital media literacy, including that digital media has unexpected audiences, that online experiences are shaped by the social networks and search engines themselves, and that what we do online can have real-world impacts.


nationalobserver--2020-12-13--COVID infection rate low in  international travellers entering Alberta

The number of positive COVID-19 tests in a pilot project for international travellers at the Calgary airport and a United States border crossing in southern Alberta has been reasonably low after its first six weeks .
The program offers Canadians the option of getting a test when they arrive .
They must then self-isolate for 24 to 48 hours while they wait for the results .
If the results are negative , they can leave quarantine , but must monitor for symptoms daily and get a second swab within six to seven days of their arrival date .
As of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had taken tests .
About 1.4 per cent were positive with the initial swab .
After the second test , the infection rate was 0.7 per cent .
• Advocates turn to courts to stop evictions amid growing distrust of Ontario tenancy tribunal • Canada 's new climate plan will look like an 'industrial policy , ' Wilkinson says • NWT sees first cases of COVID-19 in weeks `` The border pilot is off to a successful start , '' Alberta Health spokesman Tom McMillan said in an email .
The project is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until 52,000 passengers have gone through the process , he added .
There are also plans to expand it next year .
`` This project is the first of its kind in Canada .
We continue to work to refine processes in co-operation with our partners , and all participating travellers are being closely monitored , '' McMillan said .
`` The intent is to add the Edmonton International Airport to the pilot in 2021 . ''
The program is fully voluntary .
Travellers can register up to five days before their arrival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are required to self-isolate for 14 days .
The initiative is a partnership between the Alberta and federal governments , and is currently only offered for those entering Canada by air through the Calgary International Airport and by land at the Coutts , Alta.
, border crossing .
Canadian citizens , permanent residents and foreign nationals who are allowed to enter the country are eligible to participate .
A spokesman with the Calgary airport said it saw a 77 per cent drop in its number of passengers at the end of October , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the COVID-19 testing program has been positively received .
`` It 's running well from the Calgary Airport Authority 's perspective .
We understand there 's a lot of positive interest in the pilot among qualified international arriving guests , '' Fiest said .
`` The Authority hopes the results of the pilot will lead to reducing and one day eliminating the current 14-day self-isolation requirements . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. , 12 , 2020

The number of positive COVID-19 tests in a pilot project for international travellers at the Calgary airport and a United States border crossing in southern Alberta has been reasonably low after its first six weeks.
The program offers Canadians the option of getting a test when they arrive. They must then self-isolate for 24 to 48 hours while they wait for the results.
If the results are negative, they can leave quarantine, but must monitor for symptoms daily and get a second swab within six to seven days of their arrival date.
As of Thursday, the province said 14,382 travellers had taken tests.
About 1.4 per cent were positive with the initial swab. After the second test, the infection rate was 0.7 per cent.


nationalobserver--2020-12-14--Human-made materials now weigh more than Earth's entire biomass: study

This article was originally published by The Guardian and appears here as part of Canada 's National Observer 's collaboration with Climate Desk .
The giant human footprint stamped across the world in 2020 is greater than the impact on the planet of all other living things , research suggests .
The amount of plastic alone is greater in mass than all land animals and marine creatures combined , the study estimates .
While human beings might believe in “ the immensity of the globe and the seeming infinity of the natural world , ” the researchers say they wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the reality of the balance between man and nature .
• Trudeau goes it alone with new climate plan , proposes carbon price hike • How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions • RCMP make more arrests in dispute over Indigenous lobster fishing in Nova Scotia Their research shows that human activity including production of concrete , metal , plastic , bricks and asphalt has brought the world to a crossover point where human-made mass — driven mostly by enhanced consumption and urban development — exceeds the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average , every person in the world is responsible for the creation of human-made matter equal to more than their bodyweight each week , the paper published in Nature says .
The research found that the stamp of humanity has been increasing in size rapidly since the beginning of the 20th century , doubling every 20 years .
The researchers support a proposal to name the current epoch as Anthropocene , reflecting the abrupt and considerable impact of human activity .
Ron Milo , of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global biomass and human-made mass from 1900 to the present day .
They calculated dry weight estimates , excluding water .
Anthropogenic mass is defined as the mass embedded in inanimate solid objects made by humans and does not include waste .
The dominant categories in the analysis were human-made mass in the form of buildings and infrastructure , composed of concrete , aggregates , bricks and asphalt .
As for global biomass , the majority is accounted for by plants and shrubs .
On average , every person in the world is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equal to more than their bodyweight each week , a new study says .
They found that at the beginning of the 20th century , the mass of human-produced objects was equal to about three per cent of the world ’ s total biomass .
But in 2020 , human-made mass has reached about 1.1 teratonnes , exceeding overall global biomass .
As human-made mass has increased , so too has the impact on plant biomass .
“ Since the first agricultural revolution , humanity has roughly halved the mass of plants , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modern agriculture utilizes an increasing land area for growing crops , the total mass of domesticated crops is vastly outweighed by the loss of plant mass resulting from deforestation , forest management and other land-use changes .
These trends in global biomass have affected the carbon cycle and human health.
” Over the decades there are rises and dips in human impact , including sharp increases after the switch in the 1950s from bricks to concrete and the use of asphalt for pavements in the 1960s .
“ Shifts in total anthropogenic mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world wars and major economic crises , ” the paper says .
Most notably , there are continuous increases in human-made mass of more than five per cent per year from the period immediately following the Second World War , which became known as the “ great acceleration ” and was characterized by enhanced consumption and urban development .
Conversely , during times of downturn the weight of the human footprint decreases .
There are key dips seen during the Great Depression and the 1979 oil crash .
“ The face of Earth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unprecedented manner by the activities of humanity and the production and accumulation of human-made objects , ” the researchers say .
Since 1900 overall biomass has decreased slightly , whereas human-made mass has increased rapidly to a production rate of more than 30 gigatonnes ( 30,000,000,000 tonnes ) per year .
If human production continues at this rate , the weight of our impact will exceed three teratonnes by 2040 .

This article was originally published by The Guardian and appears here as part of Canada's National Observer's collaboration with Climate Desk. The giant human footprint stamped across the world in 2020 is greater than the impact on the planet of all other living things, research suggests. The amount of plastic alone is greater in mass than all land animals and marine creatures combined, the study estimates. While human beings might believe in “the immensity of the globe and the seeming infinity of the natural world,” the researchers say they wanted to provide an objective and rigorous measure of the reality of the balance between man and nature.
Their research shows that human activity including production of concrete, metal, plastic, bricks and asphalt has brought the world to a crossover point where human-made mass — driven mostly by enhanced consumption and urban development — exceeds the overall living biomass on Earth. On average, every person in the world is responsible for the creation of human-made matter equal to more than their bodyweight each week, the paper published in Nature says. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The research found that the stamp of humanity has been increasing in size rapidly since the beginning of the 20th century, doubling every 20 years.
The researchers support a proposal to name the current epoch as Anthropocene, reflecting the abrupt and considerable impact of human activity. On average, every person in the world is responsible for the creation of human-made matter equal to more than their bodyweight each week, a new study says. Ron Milo, of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, and colleagues examined changes in global biomass and human-made mass from 1900 to the present day. They calculated dry weight estimates, excluding water. Anthropogenic mass is defined as the mass embedded in inanimate solid objects made by humans and does not include waste. The dominant categories in the analysis were human-made mass in the form of buildings and infrastructure, composed of concrete, aggregates, bricks and asphalt. As for global biomass, the majority is accounted for by plants and shrubs. They found that at the beginning of the 20th century, the mass of human-produced objects was equal to about three per cent of the world’s total biomass. But in 2020, human-made mass has reached about 1.1 teratonnes, exceeding overall global biomass. As human-made mass has increased, so too has the impact on plant biomass.
“Since the first agricultural revolution, humanity has roughly halved the mass of plants,” the authors write. “While modern agriculture utilizes an increasing land area for growing crops, the total mass of domesticated crops is vastly outweighed by the loss of plant mass resulting from deforestation, forest management and other land-use changes. These trends in global biomass have affected the carbon cycle and human health.” Over the decades there are rises and dips in human impact, including sharp increases after the switch in the 1950s from bricks to concrete and the use of asphalt for pavements in the 1960s. “Shifts in total anthropogenic mass are tied to global events such as world wars and major economic crises,” the paper says.


nationalobserver--2020-12-14--Aquaculture company pilots new salmon farm containment system on West Coast

An international aquaculture company has launched a trial of a new salmon farm containment system expected to drastically reduce the exchange of sea lice between wild and farmed fish .
Cermaq Canada has stocked close to half a million Atlantic salmon smolts in a new semi-closed containment system ( SCCS ) in Millar Channel on the west coast of Vancouver Island .
It is the first time the technology has been tested in Canadian waters .
Salmon farm opponents have long argued traditional open-net pen systems promote the growth and spread of fish parasites along with other diseases .
High @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wild juvenile salmon .
If the technology is successful , it might allay some concerns of aquaculture critics about the dangerous decline in wild salmon stocks on the B.C .
coast .
The SCCS is a water-pressurized bag made out of a flexible , durable polymer material that surrounds the traditional net pen system — creating a barrier between the farmed fish and the open ocean .
• How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions • Advocates turn to courts to stop evictions amid growing distrust of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water-pressurized bag made out of a flexible , durable polymer material that surrounds the traditional fish pen system and allows for water to be drawn from deeper depths to prevent sea lice intake .
Image courtesy of Cermaq Canada Harmful algae and sea lice are generally found closer to the ocean ’ s surface , said Linda Sams , sustainable development director of Cermaq Canada .
One aim of the new technology is to keep those pathogens from entering the system by drawing in seawater from deeper depths ( between 22 and 27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are less likely to be , Sams said .
The system also greatly reduces the interaction between farmed and wild salmon , which , in turn , reduces the transfer of other pathogens between the two populations , she said .
“ Our fish enter the ocean environment free from disease and pass through several rounds of vaccination and health monitoring before being sent to an ocean farm , ” Sams said .
Farmed fish do encounter naturally occurring diseases , parasites and other organisms once placed in seawater , but Cermaq trials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduction of such pathogens into the system , she said .
“ I won ’ t dismiss it out of hand by a long shot , but nor do I think it ’ s a panacea that is ready to be rolled out and everything about the industry can stay the same , ” says the David Suzuki Foundation 's Jay Ritchlin on a new salmon farm technology .
Additionally , the tarpaulin bag prevents wild fish from getting trapped in the pens , and keeps seals and sea lions out , preventing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farm nets and fish , according to a Cermaq fact sheet .
Organic waste , such as food remains and fish feces , leave the system into the ocean through an exit at the bottom of the polymer bag .
The website of the company that produced the system for Cermaq , FiiZK , states the technology allows sludge to be collected and pumped to another location or filtered .
However , Cermaq Canada wasn ’ t able to clarify if the waste collection technology was being used with the system in its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The cost of the new technology is up to five times more than traditional salmon farm systems .
The system is one of four that the Canadian government is examining as it develops its 2025 plan to transition away from open-net pen salmon farms on the Pacific coast .
The Cermaq Canada trial of the SCCS will run until summer 2022 , when fish will be harvested from the site .
Photo courtesy of Cermaq Canada However , the technology isn ’ t going to immediately relieve pressure on wild salmon stocks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record , said Jay Ritchlin , David Suzuki Foundation director general for western Canada .
“ I do n't think there 's a magic bullet to this situation other than getting those farms out of the way of juvenile salmon and vulnerable salmon populations , ” Ritchlin said Potential success with the technology is some ways off , he said , adding Discovery Islands fish farms along wild salmon migration routes are of immediate concern .
Federal Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan is expected to decide whether to renew salmon farm licences in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advances in aquaculture technology are a positive step , but there are still unknowns associated with the SCCS , Ritchlin said .
“ The technology has potential , but the treatment and the collection of waste — and any evidence around the concentration of bacteria and virus diseases around the tank — is still something we do n't know anything about , ” he said .
“ I won ’ t dismiss it out of hand by a long shot … but nor do I think it ’ s a panacea that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the industry can stay the same .
”

An international aquaculture company has launched a trial of a new salmon farm containment system expected to drastically reduce the exchange of sea lice between wild and farmed fish. Cermaq Canada has stocked close to half a million Atlantic salmon smolts in a new semi-closed containment system (SCCS) in Millar Channel on the west coast of Vancouver Island. It is the first time the technology has been tested in Canadian waters. Salmon farm opponents have long argued traditional open-net pen systems promote the growth and spread of fish parasites along with other diseases. High concentrations of sea lice are particularly dangerous to wild juvenile salmon. If the technology is successful, it might allay some concerns of aquaculture critics about the dangerous decline in wild salmon stocks on the B.C. coast. The SCCS is a water-pressurized bag made out of a flexible, durable polymer material that surrounds the traditional net pen system — creating a barrier between the farmed fish and the open ocean.
The SCCS is a water-pressurized bag made out of a flexible, durable polymer material that surrounds the traditional fish pen system and allows for water to be drawn from deeper depths to prevent sea lice intake. Image courtesy of Cermaq Canada Harmful algae and sea lice are generally found closer to the ocean’s surface, said Linda Sams, sustainable development director of Cermaq Canada. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions One aim of the new technology is to keep those pathogens from entering the system by drawing in seawater from deeper depths (between 22 and 27 metres) where algae and sea lice are less likely to be, Sams said.
The system also greatly reduces the interaction between farmed and wild salmon, which, in turn, reduces the transfer of other pathogens between the two populations, she said. “I won’t dismiss it out of hand by a long shot, but nor do I think it’s a panacea that is ready to be rolled out and everything about the industry can stay the same,” says the David Suzuki Foundation's Jay Ritchlin on a new salmon farm technology. “Our fish enter the ocean environment free from disease and pass through several rounds of vaccination and health monitoring before being sent to an ocean farm,” Sams said. Farmed fish do encounter naturally occurring diseases, parasites and other organisms once placed in seawater, but Cermaq trials of the technology in Norway showed minimal introduction of such pathogens into the system, she said. Additionally, the tarpaulin bag prevents wild fish from getting trapped in the pens, and keeps seals and sea lions out, preventing risk to the animals and damage to farm nets and fish, according to a Cermaq fact sheet. Organic waste, such as food remains and fish feces, leave the system into the ocean through an exit at the bottom of the polymer bag.
The website of the company that produced the system for Cermaq, FiiZK, states the technology allows sludge to be collected and pumped to another location or filtered. However, Cermaq Canada wasn’t able to clarify if the waste collection technology was being used with the system in its B.C. trial before publication deadline. The cost of the new technology is up to five times more than traditional salmon farm systems.


nationalobserver--2020-12-14--Green bonds are going from 'niche' to 'mainstream': Can Canada catch up?

At 16 , Hirji , is younger than most organizers in her youth-led climate change advocacy group , Fridays for Future Toronto .
She studies the financial markets and their intersection with climate change .
“ A lot of adults in my life have thought that I ’ m ‘ going to grow out of it , ’ ” says Hirji , referring to her climate activism .
“ And dealing with those ( critics ) is not always the most fun .
But it ’ s part of the job.
” Hirji ’ s job is a part-time youth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investments .
During the pre-COVID-19 days , Hirji and the other climate change activists with Fridays for Future Toronto would hit the streets with signs advocating for a greener economy .
That protest is now part of a larger campaign targeting one of the country ’ s richest investors : the multibillion-dollar Ontario Teachers ’ Pension Plan ( OTPP ) .
A key part of that protest is an open letter that congratulates the plan for “ laudable first steps ” in green investments but pushes for even more .
Hirji says her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Your savings are being used to negatively impact the world I live in and the leaders of tomorrow ( who ) you teach.
” She hopes that enough teachers sign the letter so it can be sent to the pension plan executives in the new year .
Central to this letter-writing campaign and other clean investment initiatives are so-called sustainable bonds , an umbrella term for bonds with built-in commitments to reduce carbon emissions .
Green bonds are a type of sustainable bond that reward companies for specific initiatives that reduce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as making buildings more energy-efficient , building public transit and using clean sources of energy .
Governments and companies around the world , including the OTPP , the City of Toronto and Quebec , have issued them .
According to many leading experts in sustainable finance interviewed by Canada 's National Observer , pressure from young activists sounding the alarm about the “ climate crisis ” has nudged green bonds out of the “ niche market ” and into the “ mainstream.
” “ Without a doubt , the younger generations are behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sustainable finance .
And it goes from people in their 20s and 30s all the way to kids , ” said Nicholas Pfaff , managing director , head of sustainable finance and member of the executive committee of the International Capital Market Association , a non-profit international association that develops best practices and standards for debt capital markets .
“ When you talk to them about the way the markets operate , they kind of stare at you .
What they want to know is , ‘ Where ’ s the money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to good purposes ?
’ ” Pfaff said in an interview with National Observer from his home in Paris .
Young activists like Hirji have a point , says Andy Chisholm , who was an international investment banker with Goldman Sachs for 30 years before retiring and returning to Canada , where he is now a sustainable finance advocate .
“ They ’ re in that constructively naive phase ... and that ’ s putting a lot of pressure on these investment committees because all of a sudden the ( young activists ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not letting you off the hook this time.
’ ” Chisholm describes the green bond market as a “ puzzle piece in the context of a much larger puzzle , ” which is the sustainable bond market .
Green bonds help to pay for new or existing climate-friendly projects in areas such as energy , transport and waste management .
According to Bloomberg , governments at all levels , companies and banks from more than 50 countries have them on offer .
In the first three quarters of 2020 , green bond sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 200 billion , about 12 per cent more than the same period in 2019 , which itself was a record year.
” Since green bonds first hit the market about 12 years ago , more than US $ 1 trillion have been issued , Bloomberg reports .
Although the cumulative total may sound impressive , it ’ s only one per cent of the US $ 100 trillion global market , says Sean Kidney , CEO of Climate Bonds Initiative , an international organization that promotes low-carbon investments such as green bonds .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic , demand continues to outstrip supply , as more and more investors are thinking green .
Ever since some of the world ’ s largest banks and governments began issuing green bonds , interest has been growing , Kidney says , who also follows the growth of the bonds in Canada .
“ These ( green ) bonds were so successful .
There were a lot more buyers than there were bonds for sale , ” he said in an interview .
But despite their popularity , investors , issuers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bonds .
What is green ?
Climate activists such as Aliya Hirji are asking many questions : “ What ( company activities ) are really having an impact on the climate crisis ?
And what really should count as a green bond ?
” They are also concerned about “ greenwashing , ” a deceptive practice where companies make misleading sustainability claims .
“ We haven ’ t seen any major greenwashing cases in the green bond market yet , ” said Christa Clapp , co-founder and managing partner at CICERO Shades of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her home in Oslo , Norway .
“ There ’ s been some things on the fringe that were questionable .
But I think we haven ’ t seen big cases of it because nobody wants their reputation tarnished .
Nobody wants to be in the headlines with greenwashing.
” To ensure credibility , Clapp ’ s firm reviews the claims made by those issuing green bonds before they are issued .
These “ green reviews ” or “ second opinions ” have become accepted practice in the bond market .
CICERO has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Investment Board and , recently , Ontario Teachers ’ Finance Trust .
Clapp says in both instances her company awarded Canadian issuers high marks .
Still , concerns about the effectiveness of green investments persist .
A recent study from the Bank for International Settlements concluded that green bond projects “ have not necessarily translated into comparatively low or falling emissions at the firm level.
” The bank is now pushing for more rigorous assessments .
As a counter to pressure for more accountability , many institutions issuing green bonds stress that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Green Bond Principles , a set of rules released by the International Capital Market Association in 2014 to support market transparency and integrity .
Those rules , or “ taxonomies , ” allow investors to see what promises are being made and hold issuers to account .
“ The development of taxonomies makes the discussion around green much more tangible , ” says Pfaff .
“ ( Because the taxonomies ) aim to tell us what ’ s green and what ’ s not.
” Despite the fact that Canadian institutions already issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investments is not as advanced in this country as it is in jurisdictions such as the European Union .
In Canada , any discussion about sustainable finance is further complicated by the elephant in the room : Oil and gas .
Should fossil fuel companies be allowed into the growing sustainability market ?
Should they be able to one day issue green bonds if they promise to transition to cleaner sources of energy ?
For many Canadian activists leaning on universities and pension funds to divest from fossil fuels , the answer is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have spoken to Canada 's National Observer suggest it makes more sense to help the oil and gas sector reach sustainability than it does to simply shut the door .
A large question yet to be answered is , what position will the Canadian government ultimately take when it comes to sustainable investments ?
As a starting point , Chisholm , the sustainable finance advocate , says he pushed for the establishment of an expert panel to study ways of helping Canadian markets adapt their normal patterns to explicitly consider the implications of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sustainability .
“ Because China had ... ( developed expert committees ) .
The EU had done it .
The U.K. had done it .
France had done it .
And it proved to be very beneficial for them as a means to create a roadmap for action with the objective of avoiding systemic risk and seizing economic opportunity while preserving the planet for future generations , ” he said .
“ And ultimately we convinced the government to do that .
And they were tremendously hands-off and allowed us to conduct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a year .
Did an enormous ( number ) of consultations .
Hundreds and hundreds of phone calls and meetings ... And put out a final report last year .
We believe the implications ( and opportunities ) for Canada are profound as we have a carbon-intense economy and must act strategically to adjust and adapt while ensuring a bright future.
” One of the experts who worked with Chisholm to craft the report was Tiff Macklem , now Canada ’ s top banker .
The Department of Finance Canada , the lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Observer ’ s interview request to discuss the report 's recommendations to , among other things , help Canadians make “ climate-smart investments.
” However , in a statement , spokesperson Chelsea Steacy said the government followed up on a number of the report ’ s recommendations , including the creation of “ a public-private Sustainable Finance Action Council , which will launch in early 2021 and aim to develop a well-functioning sustainable finance market in Canada.
” Steacy also said last month ’ s economic statement made it clear the direction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Government of Canada intends on issuing its first ever green bond in 2021-2022 , ” Steacy wrote , echoing a promise made in the economic statement .
When that happens , it will help stimulate even more activity in this country , say the experts interviewed by Canada 's National Observer .
As proof , they point to the explosion in the bond markets in countries such as Germany and France after those national governments shifted to green bonds .
Government involvement lends greater credibility and helps to set a standard , giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suit , the experts say .
Aliya Hirji will be watching the developments in the sustainability and green bond debate very closely , as she and the other young advocates vow to sustain the pressure for more green investments .
Learning about the world of finance at such a young age has been challenging , but she ’ s determined to keep pushing for change .
“ I don ’ t even feel 16 at this point , ” she said .
“ Climate action has aged me 20 years — in a @ @ @ @

At 16, Hirji, is younger than most organizers in her youth-led climate change advocacy group, Fridays for Future Toronto . She studies the financial markets and their intersection with climate change.
“A lot of adults in my life have thought that I’m ‘going to grow out of it,’” says Hirji, referring to her climate activism.
“And dealing with those (critics) is not always the most fun. But it’s part of the job.”
Hirji’s job is a part-time youth climate activist, pushing for more green investments.
During the pre-COVID-19 days, Hirji and the other climate change activists with Fridays for Future Toronto would hit the streets with signs advocating for a greener economy.
That protest is now part of a larger campaign targeting one of the country’s richest investors: the multibillion-dollar Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP). A key part of that protest is an open letter that congratulates the plan for “laudable first steps” in green investments but pushes for even more.
Hirji says her clean investment message to teachers is simple: “Your savings are being used to negatively impact the world I live in and the leaders of tomorrow (who) you teach.”
She hopes that enough teachers sign the letter so it can be sent to the pension plan executives in the new year.
Green bonds are a type of sustainable bond that reward companies for specific initiatives to reduce carbon emissions.
Central to this letter-writing campaign and other clean investment initiatives are so-called sustainable bonds, an umbrella term for bonds with built-in commitments to reduce carbon emissions.
Green bonds are a type of sustainable bond that reward companies for specific initiatives that reduce carbon emissions through targeted industrial strategies such as making buildings more energy-efficient, building public transit and using clean sources of energy.
Governments and companies around the world, including the OTPP, the City of Toronto and Quebec, have issued them.
According to many leading experts in sustainable finance interviewed by Canada's National Observer, pressure from young activists sounding the alarm about the “climate crisis” has nudged green bonds out of the “niche market” and into the “mainstream.”
“Without a doubt, the younger generations are behind a very significant push to promote green and sustainable finance. And it goes from people in their 20s and 30s all the way to kids,” said Nicholas Pfaff, managing director, head of sustainable finance and member of the executive committee of the International Capital Market Association, a non-profit international association that develops best practices and standards for debt capital markets.
“Without a doubt, the younger generations are behind a very significant push to promote green and sustainable finance,” says Nicholas Pfaff of the International Capital Market Association. Photo provided
“When you talk to them about the way the markets operate, they kind of stare at you. What they want to know is, ‘Where’s the money going? And is the money going to good purposes?’” Pfaff said in an interview with National Observer from his home in Paris.
Young activists like Hirji have a point, says Andy Chisholm, who was an international investment banker with Goldman Sachs for 30 years before retiring and returning to Canada, where he is now a sustainable finance advocate.
All of a sudden the (young activists) … are saying ‘I’m not letting you off the hook this time.’
“They’re in that constructively naive phase ... and that’s putting a lot of pressure on these investment committees because all of a sudden the (young activists) … are saying ‘I’m not letting you off the hook this time.’”
Chisholm describes the green bond market as a “puzzle piece in the context of a much larger puzzle,” which is the sustainable bond market.
Green bonds help to pay for new or existing climate-friendly projects in areas such as energy, transport and waste management. According to Bloomberg, governments at all levels, companies and banks from more than 50 countries have them on offer.
In the first three quarters of 2020, green bond sales globally topped “(US)$200 billion, about 12 per cent more than the same period in 2019, which itself was a record year.” Since green bonds first hit the market about 12 years ago, more than US$1 trillion have been issued, Bloomberg reports.
Although the cumulative total may sound impressive, it’s only one per cent of the US $100 trillion global market, says Sean Kidney, CEO of Climate Bonds Initiative, an international organization that promotes low-carbon investments such as green bonds.
"We’ll lose the green moniker in due course," says Sean Kidney, CEO of Climate Bonds Initiative. "But we’ve got at least 15 years before we get there. In the meantime, we’ll grow this market super fast." Photo provided
Still, he points out that despite the pandemic, demand continues to outstrip supply, as more and more investors are thinking green.
Ever since some of the world’s largest banks and governments began issuing green bonds, interest has been growing, Kidney says, who also follows the growth of the bonds in Canada.
“These (green) bonds were so successful. There were a lot more buyers than there were bonds for sale,” he said in an interview.
But despite their popularity, investors, issuers and regulators are still struggling to define green bonds. What is green?
Climate activists such as Aliya Hirji are asking many questions: “What (company activities) are really having an impact on the climate crisis? And what really should count as a green bond?”
They are also concerned about “greenwashing,” a deceptive practice where companies make misleading sustainability claims.
“We haven’t seen any major greenwashing cases in the green bond market yet,” said Christa Clapp, co-founder and managing partner at CICERO Shades of Green Ltd., in an interview from her home in Oslo, Norway.
“There’s been some things on the fringe that were questionable. But I think we haven’t seen big cases of it because nobody wants their reputation tarnished. Nobody wants to be in the headlines with greenwashing.”
"Green bond principles focus on transparency and reporting," says Christa Clapp, co-founder and managing partner of CICERO Shades of Green Ltd. Photo courtesy of CICERO
To ensure credibility, Clapp’s firm reviews the claims made by those issuing green bonds before they are issued. These “green reviews” or “second opinions” have become accepted practice in the bond market. CICERO has conducted reviews for the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and, recently, Ontario Teachers’ Finance Trust.
Clapp says in both instances her company awarded Canadian issuers high marks.
Still, concerns about the effectiveness of green investments persist.
A recent study from the Bank for International Settlements concluded that green bond projects “have not necessarily translated into comparatively low or falling emissions at the firm level.” The bank is now pushing for more rigorous assessments.
As a counter to pressure for more accountability, many institutions issuing green bonds stress that they adhere to what’s called the Green Bond Principles, a set of rules released by the International Capital Market Association in 2014 to support market transparency and integrity.
Those rules, or “taxonomies,” allow investors to see what promises are being made and hold issuers to account.
“The development of taxonomies makes the discussion around green much more tangible,” says Pfaff.
“(Because the taxonomies) aim to tell us what’s green and what’s not.”
Despite the fact that Canadian institutions already issue green bonds, the discussion around sustainable investments is not as advanced in this country as it is in jurisdictions such as the European Union.
In Canada, any discussion about sustainable finance is further complicated by the elephant in the room: Oil and gas.
In Canada, any discussion about sustainable finance is further complicated by the elephant in the room: Oil and gas.
Should fossil fuel companies be allowed into the growing sustainability market? Should they be able to one day issue green bonds if they promise to transition to cleaner sources of energy?
For many Canadian activists leaning on universities and pension funds to divest from fossil fuels, the answer is simple: No.
But experts who have spoken to Canada's National Observer suggest it makes more sense to help the oil and gas sector reach sustainability than it does to simply shut the door.
A large question yet to be answered is, what position will the Canadian government ultimately take when it comes to sustainable investments?
Canada is urged to play catch-up.
As a starting point, Chisholm, the sustainable finance advocate, says he pushed for the establishment of an expert panel to study ways of helping Canadian markets adapt their normal patterns to explicitly consider the implications of climate change and incorporate the key notions of sustainability.
“Because China had ... (developed expert committees). The EU had done it. The U.K. had done it. France had done it. And it proved to be very beneficial for them as a means to create a roadmap for action with the objective of avoiding systemic risk and seizing economic opportunity while preserving the planet for future generations,” he said.
We believe the implications (and opportunities) for Canada are profound.
“And ultimately we convinced the government to do that. And they were tremendously hands-off and allowed us to conduct our work independently ... We worked for a year. Did an enormous (number) of consultations. Hundreds and hundreds of phone calls and meetings ... And put out a final report last year. We believe the implications (and opportunities) for Canada are profound as we have a carbon-intense economy and must act strategically to adjust and adapt while ensuring a bright future.”
One of the experts who worked with Chisholm to craft the report was Tiff Macklem, now Canada’s top banker.
The Department of Finance Canada, the lead federal institution on this topic, declined National Observer’s interview request to discuss the report's recommendations to, among other things, help Canadians make “climate-smart investments.”
However, in a statement, spokesperson Chelsea Steacy said the government followed up on a number of the report’s recommendations, including the creation of “a public-private Sustainable Finance Action Council, which will launch in early 2021 and aim to develop a well-functioning sustainable finance market in Canada.”
Steacy also said last month’s economic statement made it clear the direction the government is heading.
“The Government of Canada intends on issuing its first ever green bond in 2021-2022,” Steacy wrote, echoing a promise made in the economic statement.
When that happens, it will help stimulate even more activity in this country, say the experts interviewed by Canada's National Observer.
As proof, they point to the explosion in the bond markets in countries such as Germany and France after those national governments shifted to green bonds. Government involvement lends greater credibility and helps to set a standard, giving other issuers the green light to follow suit, the experts say.
Aliya Hirji will be watching the developments in the sustainability and green bond debate very closely, as she and the other young advocates vow to sustain the pressure for more green investments.
Learning about the world of finance at such a young age has been challenging, but she’s determined to keep pushing for change.
“I don’t even feel 16 at this point,” she said.
“Climate action has aged me 20 years — in a good way.”


nationalobserver--2020-12-14--How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions

As part of a series highlighting the work of young people in addressing the climate crisis , writer Patricia Lane interviews Anishinaabe lawyer , linguist and storyteller Lindsay Borrows .
The 1990s were personally tough for me .
I spent the decade immersed in action based on climate catastrophe science , trying , and by all accounts failing , to stem the tide .
Hardest of all , death and dementia came to my family .
As my awareness deepened about the growing divide between young and old and rich and poor , grief had become a pretty constant companion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the abyss of fear and loss or choose the only thing stronger : love .
To choose love is to hope .
But I had forgotten how .
So I made a resolution — one that could last a year or even a decade if need be .
I chose to study hope .
Part of my journey is to seek out promising young people who are contending in evidence-based and impactful ways with the climate crisis and engage them in conversations about hope .
I am grateful for Canada ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalism , which provides these determined , joyful and , yes , hopeful young people a voice .
Keegitah , the Anishinaabe word for “ speaker , ” seems an apt choice of name for lawyer , linguist and storyteller Lindsay Borrows .
At 32 , she has practised law , written a book , introduced hundreds of law students to her people ’ s world view and legal traditions and is contributing to the revitalization of the Anishinaabe legal system .
• Advocates turn to courts to stop evictions amid growing distrust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it alone with new climate plan , proposes carbon price hike • Human-made materials now weigh more than Earth 's entire biomass : study Portrait of Anishinaabe lawyer , storyteller and scholar Lindsay Borrows .
Photo submitted by Lindsay Borrows Can you tell us about your current work and why it matters ?
My work through the University of Victoria ’ s Indigenous law research unit is focused on partnering with Indigenous communities interested in revitalizing their own legal traditions .
I ’ m inspired by the love people have for their homelands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they take to ensure future generations will enjoy and benefit from a healthy home .
Supporting the work of Indigenous Peoples to make their own decisions over our territories is an essential step in building and maintaining reconciliation .
Otter 's Journey through Indigenous Language and Law follows Otter , my dodem , or clan , relation , in her travels from Anishinaabe homelands across Inuit , Māori , Coast Salish and Abenaki territories as they re-emerge from colonial suppression .
Through her interactions with people from parallel cultures , Otter teaches us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws they reveal help form guiding principles for our lives today .
At 32 , linguist and storyteller Lindsay Borrows has practised law , written a book , introduced hundreds of law students to her people ’ s world view and is contributing to the revitalization of the Anishinaabe legal system .
Can you give us an example ?
Anishinaabe means “ good being.
” We can look to our ecosystems to learn how to reach that state .
Take the maple tree , for example .
It gives sap freely to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , provides shade in the hot summer , beauty and soil enrichment from its leaves in the fall and firewood in the winter .
Yet it asks very little in return .
In the Anishinaabe language , the verb “ to teach ” is “ akinomaage , ” which literally means “ point towards the earth.
” Our laws can be learned by looking to the earth and asking : “ What does this show us about how we might act , and what our obligations may be ?
” In settler culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law ” quite differently .
There are winners and losers .
Police must enforce the law .
Canadians are proud of their “ bill of rights.
” But my elders teach me that law is for the lawless .
You do n't need laws that punish and constrain when people live good lives .
If we use the maple tree as our model , we realize we actually need a “ bill of obligations.
” We will be taken care of if we take care of nature .
Indigenous legal orders are less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more about what we owe to each other and our surrounding ecosystems , from which we are inseparable .
Tell us about your childhood and how it impacted the way you move through the world today .
Anishinaabe territory is partially situated around the Great Lakes .
My family is from the Saugeen-Bruce Peninsula on Georgian Bay .
I moved every two years growing up because of my father 's work .
In the midst of this constant change , we would spend our summers with family at Neyaashiinigmiing , which nourished me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
Something important my grandmother taught me is that there are people who will challenge everything you know you are , but you do have the power to stand up and do what is right .
A community of support can help us find the courage to be our best selves .
You have been part of running immersive Indigenous law camps for law students .
Tell us about that work .
Since 2015 , we have hosted law students for four days each September in our community of Neyaashiinigmiing .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal system that emerges from our world view .
The sessions are outdoors , and we encourage students to approach ecosystems as their teachers , and elders or knowledge-keepers as the lesson interpreters .
For many , this is their first and potentially only exposure to Indigenous law .
We hope it adds depth to their future work , whether they are representing the claims of extractive industries , representing parties in land disputes or one day judging land disputes , especially when Indigenous people are involved .
A judge who participated in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hear a court case with important implications for Anishinaabe people .
Anishinaabe legal process guided the hearings , and we like to think the law camp helped sensitize her to better understand the arguments .
Anishinaabe lawyer , storyteller and scholar Lindsay Borrows outside of Kasabonika Lake band office on an Indigenous law research unit trip .
Photo submitted by Lindsay Borrows What advice do you have for young people ?
There are so many Anishinaabe stories that tell of the wisdom of celebrating small successes .
In our creation story , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Turtle ’ s back .
Turtle Island as we know it today grew from this simple act .
Some days will be hard , but we can live each day knowing that small things done over a long time matter .
What do you want to say to older readers ?
It means the world to me as a young person that you reach across the generations to support me .
So much power comes from that intergenerational confidence .
When you as an older person take the time to sit with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be with them , it is a gift of great value .

As my awareness deepened about the growing divide between young and old and rich and poor, grief had become a pretty constant companion. I could choose to go further into the abyss of fear and loss or choose the only thing stronger: love. To choose love is to hope. But I had forgotten how. So I made a resolution — one that could last a year or even a decade if need be. I chose to study hope.
The 1990s were personally tough for me. I spent the decade immersed in action based on climate catastrophe science, trying, and by all accounts failing, to stem the tide. Hardest of all, death and dementia came to my family.
Keegitah, the Anishinaabe word for “speaker,” seems an apt choice of name for lawyer, linguist and storyteller Lindsay Borrows. At 32, she has practised law, written a book, introduced hundreds of law students to her people’s world view and legal traditions and is contributing to the revitalization of the Anishinaabe legal system.
Part of my journey is to seek out promising young people who are contending in evidence-based and impactful ways with the climate crisis and engage them in conversations about hope. I am grateful for Canada’s National Observer’s commitment to solutions journalism, which provides these determined, joyful and, yes, hopeful young people a voice.
My work through the University of Victoria’s Indigenous law research unit is focused on partnering with Indigenous communities interested in revitalizing their own legal traditions. I’m inspired by the love people have for their homelands and waters, and the sophisticated steps they take to ensure future generations will enjoy and benefit from a healthy home. Supporting the work of Indigenous Peoples to make their own decisions over our territories is an essential step in building and maintaining reconciliation.
Can you tell us about your current work and why it matters?
Otter's Journey through Indigenous Language and Law follows Otter, my dodem, or clan, relation, in her travels from Anishinaabe homelands across Inuit, Māori, Coast Salish and Abenaki territories as they re-emerge from colonial suppression. Through her interactions with people from parallel cultures, Otter teaches us about the ways Indigenous languages and the laws they reveal help form guiding principles for our lives today.
Can you give us an example?
Anishinaabe means “good being.” We can look to our ecosystems to learn how to reach that state. Take the maple tree, for example. It gives sap freely to bring us energy and sweetness in early spring, provides shade in the hot summer, beauty and soil enrichment from its leaves in the fall and firewood in the winter. Yet it asks very little in return.
In the Anishinaabe language, the verb “to teach” is “akinomaage,” which literally means “point towards the earth.” Our laws can be learned by looking to the earth and asking: “What does this show us about how we might act, and what our obligations may be?”
In settler culture, people tend to think of “law” quite differently. There are winners and losers. Police must enforce the law. Canadians are proud of their “bill of rights.” But my elders teach me that law is for the lawless. You don't need laws that punish and constrain when people live good lives.
If we use the maple tree as our model, we realize we actually need a “bill of obligations.” We will be taken care of if we take care of nature. Indigenous legal orders are less about what is owed to me and more about what we owe to each other and our surrounding ecosystems, from which we are inseparable.
Tell us about your childhood and how it impacted the way you move through the world today.
Anishinaabe territory is partially situated around the Great Lakes. My family is from the Saugeen-Bruce Peninsula on Georgian Bay. I moved every two years growing up because of my father's work. In the midst of this constant change, we would spend our summers with family at Neyaashiinigmiing, which nourished me with stability and a deep sense of home. Something important my grandmother taught me is that there are people who will challenge everything you know you are, but you do have the power to stand up and do what is right. A community of support can help us find the courage to be our best selves.
You have been part of running immersive Indigenous law camps for law students. Tell us about that work.
Since 2015, we have hosted law students for four days each September in our community of Neyaashiinigmiing. They aim to teach students about the Anishinaabe legal system that emerges from our world view.
The sessions are outdoors, and we encourage students to approach ecosystems as their teachers, and elders or knowledge-keepers as the lesson interpreters. For many, this is their first and potentially only exposure to Indigenous law. We hope it adds depth to their future work, whether they are representing the claims of extractive industries, representing parties in land disputes or one day judging land disputes, especially when Indigenous people are involved.
A judge who participated in one of our earlier camps went on to hear a court case with important implications for Anishinaabe people. Anishinaabe legal process guided the hearings, and we like to think the law camp helped sensitize her to better understand the arguments.
Anishinaabe lawyer, storyteller and scholar Lindsay Borrows outside of Kasabonika Lake band office on an Indigenous law research unit trip. Photo submitted by Lindsay Borrows
What advice do you have for young people?
There are so many Anishinaabe stories that tell of the wisdom of celebrating small successes. In our creation story, Muskrat placed a small handful of dirt on Turtle’s back. Turtle Island as we know it today grew from this simple act. Some days will be hard, but we can live each day knowing that small things done over a long time matter.
What do you want to say to older readers?
It means the world to me as a young person that you reach across the generations to support me. So much power comes from that intergenerational confidence. When you as an older person take the time to sit with a young person and really listen and be with them, it is a gift of great value.


nationalobserver--2020-12-14--What Canada can — and must — do to reach its 2050 carbon targets

By 2050 , if the federal government has its way , Canada will reach its net-zero carbon emissions target .
And now , thanks to legislation it tabled last month , it ’ s more than just talk .
If passed , Bill C-12 will force current and future governments to set binding five-year emissions reduction targets that will get the country to its preferred environmental destination .
And while the new legislation might not be aggressive enough for some climate advocates , it ’ s far more ambitious than anyone would have thought possible even a few years ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we want to go on climate change , the real question becomes : How do we get there ?
One major answer to that question lies in our own homes — or , more specifically , the opportunity to improve their energy efficiency and carbon reduction .
That can be done through deep energy retrofits , the replacement of older natural gas furnaces with electric heat pumps , better insulation , more efficient lighting and appliances and other “ house-as-a-system ” renovations that help reduce heat loss and improve overall home comfort .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know what cost-optimal combinations of retrofits might best suit their needs .
As a result , governments can ’ t effectively incentivize them to make the right investments .
That ’ s because our carbon emissions targets are established using top-down economics-based methods , not bottom-up science-based predictive analytics .
And as the famous management consultant Peter Drucker once said : “ If you can ’ t measure it , you can ’ t improve it.
” • How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amid growing distrust of Ontario tenancy tribunal But with recent advances in data science and geospatial mapping ( think of the maps on your phone ) , we can model and measure energy , emissions and costs at the household level with far more precision .
In other words , while we measure carbon today with a top-down provincial carbon emission inventories , if we use new data science , machine learning and housing energy modeling techniques , we can achieve a much more precise and usable bottom-up method of determining a carbon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ savings opportunities .
This is a golden green leadership opportunity for the federal government .
With its legislated mandate to advance science and technology for the benefit of Canadians , the federal government can work with the provinces to improve the ability of Canadians and entrepreneurs to access and understand the buildings and energy data that ’ s already out there .
The necessary leadership includes working with provincial utility regulators to demonstrate how sharing data with allied organizations , such as municipalities , universities and private-sector service providers , can benefit their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective and saving capital dollars in the long run .
In the United States , the Obama administration did this with its 2014 Climate Data Initiative , billed as “ a broad effort to leverage the federal government ’ s extensive , freely available climate-relevant data resources to stimulate innovation and private-sector entrepreneurship in support of national climate change preparedness.
” We can , and must , do the same thing here if we ’ re going to reach our 2050 net-zero targets .
American entrepreneurs have used that data to develop new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ green jobs in the process .
As a Canadian clean tech entrepreneur , I want to be able to do that here .
`` Canadians don ’ t know what cost-optimal combinations of retrofits might best suit their needs .
As a result , governments can ’ t effectively incentivize them to make the right investments , '' @ thejamesriley says .
Customized home energy and carbon scores based on more granular housing data and behavioural economics can be extremely positive for cities who wish to meet and measure their climate reduction targets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We could do this for every household in the country and demonstrate this success transparently .
With this important and innovative view of this data , governments and utilities can use that information to better design and deliver deep energy retrofit programming that will save Canadians money , create more green jobs and demonstrate that Canada is a technology innovator against the challenge of climate change .
All of this depends on the availability and accessibility of good information .
More data isn ’ t a silver bullet , but right now we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mid-21st-century problem with 20th-century data and methods .
As a result , Canadians don ’ t have the tools and information they need to make decisions that will reach our environmental goals and benefit themselves financially .
By providing a tangible number for their home ’ s emissions and showing them cost-effective carbon reduction options , governments and utilities can empower homeowners , landlords and renters to take action through available programs and incentives .
More importantly , it provides a sense of agency in the conversation about climate change , one that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In time , and with access to the right information , we could have an even larger community of engaged citizens who make the best choices for the largest number of people .
All it takes is a government that ’ s willing to lead and enable new data-driven clean tech solutions for the benefit of Canadians .
James Riley is an experienced digital strategist and entrepreneur .
He is currently the CEO and Founder of Lightspark , a Vancouver-based company that uses machine learning to provide fast , measurable carbon and energy @ @ @ @ @ @ @

By 2050, if the federal government has its way, Canada will reach its net-zero carbon emissions target. And now, thanks to legislation it tabled last month, it’s more than just talk. If passed, Bill C-12 will force current and future governments to set binding five-year emissions reduction targets that will get the country to its preferred environmental destination. And while the new legislation might not be aggressive enough for some climate advocates, it’s far more ambitious than anyone would have thought possible even a few years ago. But now that we know where we want to go on climate change, the real question becomes: How do we get there? One major answer to that question lies in our own homes — or, more specifically, the opportunity to improve their energy efficiency and carbon reduction. That can be done through deep energy retrofits, the replacement of older natural gas furnaces with electric heat pumps, better insulation, more efficient lighting and appliances and other “house-as-a-system” renovations that help reduce heat loss and improve overall home comfort. But right now, most Canadians don’t know what cost-optimal combinations of retrofits might best suit their needs. As a result, governments can’t effectively incentivize them to make the right investments. That’s because our carbon emissions targets are established using top-down economics-based methods, not bottom-up science-based predictive analytics. And as the famous management consultant Peter Drucker once said: “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.”
But with recent advances in data science and geospatial mapping (think of the maps on your phone), we can model and measure energy, emissions and costs at the household level with far more precision. In other words, while we measure carbon today with a top-down provincial carbon emission inventories, if we use new data science, machine learning and housing energy modeling techniques, we can achieve a much more precise and usable bottom-up method of determining a carbon score for each home and cost-effective energy savings opportunities. This is a golden green leadership opportunity for the federal government. With its legislated mandate to advance science and technology for the benefit of Canadians, the federal government can work with the provinces to improve the ability of Canadians and entrepreneurs to access and understand the buildings and energy data that’s already out there. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The necessary leadership includes working with provincial utility regulators to demonstrate how sharing data with allied organizations, such as municipalities, universities and private-sector service providers, can benefit their customers, making their own programs more effective and saving capital dollars in the long run.
In the United States, the Obama administration did this with its 2014 Climate Data Initiative, billed as “a broad effort to leverage the federal government’s extensive, freely available climate-relevant data resources to stimulate innovation and private-sector entrepreneurship in support of national climate change preparedness.” "Canadians don’t know what cost-optimal combinations of retrofits might best suit their needs. As a result, governments can’t effectively incentivize them to make the right investments," @thejamesriley says. We can, and must, do the same thing here if we’re going to reach our 2050 net-zero targets. American entrepreneurs have used that data to develop new products and services, and create new green jobs in the process. As a Canadian clean tech entrepreneur, I want to be able to do that here. Customized home energy and carbon scores based on more granular housing data and behavioural economics can be extremely positive for cities who wish to meet and measure their climate reduction targets across Canada through deep energy retrofits. We could do this for every household in the country and demonstrate this success transparently. With this important and innovative view of this data, governments and utilities can use that information to better design and deliver deep energy retrofit programming that will save Canadians money, create more green jobs and demonstrate that Canada is a technology innovator against the challenge of climate change.
All of this depends on the availability and accessibility of good information. More data isn’t a silver bullet, but right now we’re stuck trying to solve a mid-21st-century problem with 20th-century data and methods. As a result, Canadians don’t have the tools and information they need to make decisions that will reach our environmental goals and benefit themselves financially. By providing a tangible number for their home’s emissions and showing them cost-effective carbon reduction options, governments and utilities can empower homeowners, landlords and renters to take action through available programs and incentives. More importantly, it provides a sense of agency in the conversation about climate change, one that can often feel overwhelming and demoralizing. In time, and with access to the right information, we could have an even larger community of engaged citizens who make the best choices for the largest number of people. All it takes is a government that’s willing to lead and enable new data-driven clean tech solutions for the benefit of Canadians.


nationalobserver--2020-12-14--'A big, historic day': First Quebecer gets COVID-19 vaccine at Quebec City care home

MONTREAL — Gloria Lallouz , a 78-year-old resident of Montreal 's Maimonides Geriatric Centre , said Monday she feels `` fabulous . ''
Lallouz , the first person to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in Montreal , said the stakes could n't be higher .
`` It ’ s my life , '' Lallouz told reporters outside the long-term care home , which received the first batches of the vaccine Monday morning .
`` It gives me the opportunity to see my family , to see my friends .
`` We 're not going to be able to live properly until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officials began distributing the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to residents and staff at Maimonides and at a Quebec City long-term care home after receiving a shipment Sunday night .
• How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions Gisele Levesque , an 89-year-old resident of the Saint-Antoine residence in the provincial capital , was the first Quebecer to receive a COVID-19 vaccination , Premier Francois Legault said Monday .
Levesque 's nieces said in a news release Sunday their aunt was calm and direct about being number one on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was chosen , of course , '' according to her nieces .
Speaking outside Maimonides Monday , Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube said it was `` a very , very big day '' for the province .
He said Levesque had received her vaccine at 11:30 a.m. , making her the first in Canada to get the shot .
`` It 's a big , historic day for Quebec , '' Dube added .
`` You know , they say that it 's a big marathon that we 've been doing for nine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … the light at the end of the tunnel . ''
Speaking alongside Dube , federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu said she was emotional seeing the first people get vaccinated .
`` I see this as the first step forward into the light , '' Hajdu said .
The Quebec City health authority said it received 3,000 doses Monday morning and that 220 Saint-Antoine residents and 400 staff will be the first vaccinated .
`` It gives me the opportunity to see my family , to see my friends , '' says Gloria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to receive a # COVID-19 # vaccination .
# Quebec In Montreal , Francine Dupuis , associate CEO of the regional health authority that oversees Maimonides , said the agency expected to receive 1,950 initial doses , which will first go to Maimonides residents and staff and then to health-care workers in other long-term care homes .
A few hundred residents of Maimonides had given consent to be vaccinated , Dupuis said .
`` The important thing is not to lose any doses and to take into consideration the fact that we ca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` We wo n't lose any doses . ''
Health officials are hoping the vaccine will help protect the most vulnerable people in the province and bring the pandemic under control .
Kitra Cahana 's father , 67-year-old Rabbi Ronnie Cahana , has lived at Maimonides since 2012 , following a brain-stem stroke that left him quadriplegic .
She said she was n't sure whether her father would receive the vaccine on Monday or Tuesday , but that the family was `` so thrilled '' to see the vaccinations begin .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maimonides had been extremely stressful .
`` It really felt like the building was on fire and my father was in the middle of it and there was no way to rescue him , '' she said in an interview .
`` To hear that he 's going to get vaccinated , it really feels like a little bit of light in the darkness . ''
That sense of relief was shared by Brenda Sachin , whose mother , Mildred , is a resident at Maimonides .
Sachin said she was happy the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get the vaccine .
But she said she will worry about residents during the 21-day period between when they receive the first and second doses of the vaccine .
She also said she had concerns some staff members would not get vaccinated .
`` I know there 's some that absolutely will , but there 's always going to be people that wo n't get vaccinated , '' Sachin said .
`` The quicker everybody gets vaccinate , the more relaxed we will all be . ''
The first vaccines were distributed as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 25 more deaths linked to the novel coronavirus .
The province has reported a total of 165,535 infections and 7,533 deaths since the pandemic began .
The regions with the most new cases were Montreal with 552 ; the Quebec City area with 198 ; and Monteregie , south of Montreal , with 182 .
Hospitalizations increased by 10 over the past 24 hours for a total of 890 .
Of those , 122 people were in intensive care , a drop of one from the previous day .
Montreal Mayor Valerie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's arrival is `` excellent news , '' but cautioned that people need to remain vigilant and follow public health guidelines .
`` The start of vaccinations is only a first step toward getting back to normal , '' she said .
Quebec is expected to announce new COVID-related restrictions this week .
In an interview on Montreal radio station 98.5 FM Monday , Legault said the holiday period presents an opportunity to get the pandemic under control .
But , he said , his government wo n't go as far in closing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first wave in the spring .
`` Construction is closed for two weeks during the holiday break , '' Legault said .
`` Schools are closed for two weeks ; a lot of businesses are closed for at least one week .
Do we need to close shops for a certain time ?
It 's there we are looking at . ''

Jillian Kestler-D'Amours, Jacob Serebrin

MONTREAL — Gloria Lallouz, a 78-year-old resident of Montreal's Maimonides Geriatric Centre, said Monday she feels "fabulous." Lallouz, the first person to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in Montreal, said the stakes couldn't be higher. "It’s my life," Lallouz told reporters outside the long-term care home, which received the first batches of the vaccine Monday morning. "It gives me the opportunity to see my family, to see my friends. "We're not going to be able to live properly until everybody gets a vaccination." Provincial health officials began distributing the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to residents and staff at Maimonides and at a Quebec City long-term care home after receiving a shipment Sunday night.
Gisele Levesque, an 89-year-old resident of the Saint-Antoine residence in the provincial capital, was the first Quebecer to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, Premier Francois Legault said Monday. Levesque's nieces said in a news release Sunday their aunt was calm and direct about being number one on the list. Levesque said, "I was chosen, of course," according to her nieces. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Speaking outside Maimonides Monday, Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube said it was "a very, very big day" for the province. He said Levesque had received her vaccine at 11:30 a.m., making her the first in Canada to get the shot.
"It's a big, historic day for Quebec," Dube added. "You know, they say that it's a big marathon that we've been doing for nine months. We're starting to see … the light at the end of the tunnel." "It gives me the opportunity to see my family, to see my friends," says Gloria Lallouz, the first person in Quebec to receive a #COVID-19 #vaccination. #Quebec Speaking alongside Dube, federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu said she was emotional seeing the first people get vaccinated. "I see this as the first step forward into the light," Hajdu said. The Quebec City health authority said it received 3,000 doses Monday morning and that 220 Saint-Antoine residents and 400 staff will be the first vaccinated. In Montreal, Francine Dupuis, associate CEO of the regional health authority that oversees Maimonides, said the agency expected to receive 1,950 initial doses, which will first go to Maimonides residents and staff and then to health-care workers in other long-term care homes. A few hundred residents of Maimonides had given consent to be vaccinated, Dupuis said. "The important thing is not to lose any doses and to take into consideration the fact that we can't move the vaccine," she said. "We won't lose any doses."
Health officials are hoping the vaccine will help protect the most vulnerable people in the province and bring the pandemic under control. Kitra Cahana's father, 67-year-old Rabbi Ronnie Cahana, has lived at Maimonides since 2012, following a brain-stem stroke that left him quadriplegic. She said she wasn't sure whether her father would receive the vaccine on Monday or Tuesday, but that the family was "so thrilled" to see the vaccinations begin. Kitra said a recent COVID-19 outbreak at Maimonides had been extremely stressful. "It really felt like the building was on fire and my father was in the middle of it and there was no way to rescue him," she said in an interview. "To hear that he's going to get vaccinated, it really feels like a little bit of light in the darkness."


nationalobserver--2020-12-14--Wildfires eclipse industry as major source of cancer-causing air toxins: study

Wildfires have taken over from industry as a major source of a group of cancer-causing chemical toxins in the air , Environment Canada says .
The first national assessment of polycyclic aromatic compounds in more than 25 years has found that air has improved around aluminum and steel plants .
But wildfires and vehicles have stepped in to keep average concentrations at about the same level that they were in the 1990s , says federal researcher Elisabeth Galarneau .
`` Those big industrial point sources have been reduced to a very small fraction of the total , '' she says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source by far is the natural emissions from forest fires . ''
The levels are still high enough in many places across the country to exceed health guidelines , the assessment found .
Polycyclic aromatic compounds are created during burning of everything from oil to wood to cigarettes .
Many are carcinogenic and are considered priority pollutants by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency .
• How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions No federal guidelines for the chemicals exist .
Alberta , Quebec and Ontario have set recommended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's are based on the effects on human health .
`` ( Ontario 's ) guideline is exceeded almost everywhere we looked in Canada , '' Galarneau said .
`` The exceedances in some areas are well over an order of magnitude . ''
The increasing size and severity of wildfires is a big reason why the levels have n't changed despite improved industrial emissions , she said .
`` We would normally have called those natural , but now forest fires are seen to be increasing in frequency and severity because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( human-caused ) component . ''
Research has found that climate change contributes to bigger , hotter fires by drying out forests and extending the fire season .
Other increased sources of the chemicals are increased vehicle emissions as well as residential wood-burning .
The contributions of those sources vary widely from place to place .
Fires eclipse industry as the major cause of cancer-causing toxins .
# wildfires # fires # climatechange # carcinogens # cancer Vehicles account for less than 10 per cent of emissions nationally , but in Toronto they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher .
Galarneau warned that her research is n't the whole picture .
Her team looked at only 16 different compounds , a list that dates back to the 1970s .
Analytical chemistry has come a long way since then .
Scientists are becoming increasingly concerned about other similar chemicals that are n't on the list , she said .
`` Everywhere you look , it seems people are coming to the same conclusion .
There are other compounds beyond those 16 that make toxicity , and our measurements and models should probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paper points out that concentrations of toxins in the air increase by factors of 1.4 to 6.2 when the number of compounds tested for is expanded .
The 16 compounds in this study became priorities because of their association with cancer .
Galarneau said cancer is n't the only health danger from the chemicals on the expanded list .
They are thought to have effects on the lung and liver as well .
`` We know less than we do for the 16 , but there 's a body of evidence that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , '' she said .
`` Some of these other ( chemicals ) are also implicated in non-cancer health outcomes . ''

Wildfires have taken over from industry as a major source of a group of cancer-causing chemical toxins in the air, Environment Canada says. The first national assessment of polycyclic aromatic compounds in more than 25 years has found that air has improved around aluminum and steel plants. But wildfires and vehicles have stepped in to keep average concentrations at about the same level that they were in the 1990s, says federal researcher Elisabeth Galarneau. "Those big industrial point sources have been reduced to a very small fraction of the total," she says. "The largest (remaining) source by far is the natural emissions from forest fires." The levels are still high enough in many places across the country to exceed health guidelines, the assessment found. Polycyclic aromatic compounds are created during burning of everything from oil to wood to cigarettes. Many are carcinogenic and are considered priority pollutants by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
No federal guidelines for the chemicals exist. Alberta, Quebec and Ontario have set recommended levels, but Galarneau said only Ontario's are based on the effects on human health. "(Ontario's) guideline is exceeded almost everywhere we looked in Canada," Galarneau said. "The exceedances in some areas are well over an order of magnitude." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The increasing size and severity of wildfires is a big reason why the levels haven't changed despite improved industrial emissions, she said.
"We would normally have called those natural, but now forest fires are seen to be increasing in frequency and severity because of climate change. There's now a (human-caused) component." Fires eclipse industry as the major cause of cancer-causing toxins. #wildfires #fires #climatechange #carcinogens #cancer Research has found that climate change contributes to bigger, hotter fires by drying out forests and extending the fire season. Other increased sources of the chemicals are increased vehicle emissions as well as residential wood-burning. The contributions of those sources vary widely from place to place. Vehicles account for less than 10 per cent of emissions nationally, but in Toronto they can reach 50 per cent or even higher. Galarneau warned that her research isn't the whole picture. Her team looked at only 16 different compounds, a list that dates back to the 1970s. Analytical chemistry has come a long way since then. Scientists are becoming increasingly concerned about other similar chemicals that aren't on the list, she said.
"Everywhere you look, it seems people are coming to the same conclusion. There are other compounds beyond those 16 that make toxicity, and our measurements and models should probably expand to incorporate those." The paper points out that concentrations of toxins in the air increase by factors of 1.4 to 6.2 when the number of compounds tested for is expanded. The 16 compounds in this study became priorities because of their association with cancer. Galarneau said cancer isn't the only health danger from the chemicals on the expanded list. They are thought to have effects on the lung and liver as well.


nationalobserver--2020-12-14--Canada kicks off massive COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Ont. and Quebec

TORONTO — A long-term care resident in Quebec and a nursing home worker in Ontario received Canada 's first COVID-19 vaccinations on Monday , kicking off the largest immunization campaign in the country 's history .
The shots from Pfizer were administered in Quebec City and Toronto within half an hour of each other , creating some confusion about which province could lay claim to being the first in the country to hand out the doses .
“ What we witnessed today is a massive step forward in the fight against this deadly virus , '' said Ontario Premier Doug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ network that administered his province 's first vaccines .
`` Thanks to them we were the first in Canada and one of the first in North America to administer this vaccine . ''
In Quebec , the province 's health minister said 89-year-old Gisele Levesque received her vaccination at 11:30 a.m .
ET at the Saint-Antoine long-term care home in the provincial capital , making her the first in Canada to get the shot .
• How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions But that was only announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support worker , received her shot during a live broadcast around noon .
Leaders in both provinces said the roll out of the shots marked a historic day .
`` This is a watershed moment - the beginning of the end of this terrible pandemic , '' Ford said in a statement .
`` The light at the end of the tunnel grows brighter every day , but we must remain on our guard . ''
Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube said it was `` a very , very big day '' for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be vaccinating residents and staff at the Quebec City long-term care home and at the Maimonides Geriatric Centre in Montreal after receiving a shipment of the vaccine Sunday night .
Canada kicks off the beginning of a massive # COVID-19 vaccination campaign in # Ontario and # Quebec .
# COVID-19 # vaccines In Toronto , Quidangen , a long-time employee of the Rekai Centre nursing home , received the vaccine to applause from staff from the University Health Network .
Cheers erupted as she bumped elbows with hospital executives moments later .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ nursing-home workers who were given the first few shots of the vaccine in Ontario .
`` It 's an honour , thank you very much , '' she said .
`` I 'll continue to do my job as a PSW '' Ford praised Quindangen and the other workers who got the shot for their dedication to their jobs .
Ontario received 6,000 doses of Pfizer 's COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday .
The government plans to give them to approximately 2,500 health-care workers .
Half the shots will be administered this week and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to give the same workers a required second dose 21 days later .
The vaccines in Toronto were given at the Michener Institute , which is run by the University Health Network .
The president of the network , Kevin Smith , called the administration of the first vaccines a victory for science .
`` Today , really , we turned the corner , '' Smith said .
`` I like to say this is the shot that will be heard around the world . ''
Ontario has said health-care workers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be among the first to receive the vaccine .
Adults in Indigenous communities , residents of retirement homes , and recipients of chronic home health-care will also be priority groups .
The province said it will also be prioritizing the distribution of the vaccine in regions with the highest rates of COVID-19 .
The government has said , however , that the vaccine is n't expected to be more broadly available to the general public until April .
Retired Gen. Rick Hillier , who is leading the province ’ s vaccine task @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Pfizer vaccine are expected to arrive later this month .
Those doses will be provided to 14 hospitals in COVID-19 hot spots .
Hillier has said Ontario also expects to receive between 30,000 and 85,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine by the new year , pending its approval by Health Canada .
The province expects to receive 2.4 million doses – allowing it to vaccinate 1.2 million people – during the first three months of 2021 .
Ontario reported 1,940 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday , and 23 new deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,620 new COVID-19 cases on Monday and 25 more deaths linked to the novel coronavirus .

TORONTO — A long-term care resident in Quebec and a nursing home worker in Ontario received Canada's first COVID-19 vaccinations on Monday, kicking off the largest immunization campaign in the country's history. The shots from Pfizer were administered in Quebec City and Toronto within half an hour of each other, creating some confusion about which province could lay claim to being the first in the country to hand out the doses. “What we witnessed today is a massive step forward in the fight against this deadly virus," said Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who thanked the Toronto hospital network that administered his province's first vaccines. "Thanks to them we were the first in Canada and one of the first in North America to administer this vaccine." In Quebec, the province's health minister said 89-year-old Gisele Levesque received her vaccination at 11:30 a.m. ET at the Saint-Antoine long-term care home in the provincial capital, making her the first in Canada to get the shot.
But that was only announced after Anita Quidangen, a Toronto personal support worker, received her shot during a live broadcast around noon. Leaders in both provinces said the roll out of the shots marked a historic day. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "This is a watershed moment - the beginning of the end of this terrible pandemic," Ford said in a statement.
"The light at the end of the tunnel grows brighter every day, but we must remain on our guard." Canada kicks off the beginning of a massive #COVID-19 vaccination campaign in #Ontario and #Quebec. #COVID-19 #vaccines Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube said it was "a very, very big day" for the province. Officials said they would be vaccinating residents and staff at the Quebec City long-term care home and at the Maimonides Geriatric Centre in Montreal after receiving a shipment of the vaccine Sunday night. In Toronto, Quidangen, a long-time employee of the Rekai Centre nursing home, received the vaccine to applause from staff from the University Health Network. Cheers erupted as she bumped elbows with hospital executives moments later. She was among a group of five nursing-home workers who were given the first few shots of the vaccine in Ontario.
"It's an honour, thank you very much," she said. "I'll continue to do my job as a PSW" Ford praised Quindangen and the other workers who got the shot for their dedication to their jobs. Ontario received 6,000 doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday. The government plans to give them to approximately 2,500 health-care workers.