nationalobserver--2020-09-09--Trump desperately trying to greenwash his record ahead of November election

This article was originally published by Huffington Post and appears here as part of Canada 's National Observer 's collaboration with Climate Desk .
During a May 2018 roundtable with more than two dozen outdoor sporting and conservation organizations , after more than a year of leading the Trump administration ’ s fossil fuel-centric “ energy dominance ” push , then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke promised to make a “ grand pivot ” away from energy development and toward conservation .
The following month , after skipping a Group of Seven summit meeting on climate and biodiversity , Trump boasted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ I think I know more about the environment than most people.
” On Fox & Friends , President Trump denies that he has plans to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling -- he only says he 's thinking about it .
He also says `` I should go down as a great environmental president . ''
pic.twitter.com/n6pRJyYG9g — Bobby Lewis ( @ revrrlewis ) August 17 , 2020 That effort to rebrand Trump as a champion on environment and conservation has only ramped up as the 2020 election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record is clear .
Much like Zinke ’ s roundtable comments , the administration ’ s last-ditch effort to improve the president ’ s image indicates it ’ s well aware his legacy is not one of stewardship .
“ There ’ s so many bad decisions ― anti-environment , anti-science decisions ― that so overwhelms any analysis of Trump ’ s policies with regard to energy and environment that it ’ s really not even a close call , ” # USElection2020 “ It ’ s like he drowned someone , put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifeguard , ” said Kate Kelly , public lands director at the Center for American Progress and a former Interior Department official during the Obama administration .
“ It ’ s too late .
It ’ s too late for Trump to be anything other than the most anti-conservation president in history.
” The White House did not respond to a number of HuffPost ’ s specific questions .
In an email statement , spokesperson Judd Deere argued that the Paris climate accord , which Trump last November began the process of pulling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economies and has done nothing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
” Judd also claimed ― falsely ― that the Green New Deal , a progressive set of guiding principles to rein in greenhouse gas emissions and build climate-resilient infrastructure , “ would outlaw cows , cars and planes.
” As 2020 ramped up , the administration badly needed a conservation win , something to point to in the run-up to the election .
So in March , Trump did an about-face on the Land and Water Conservation Fund , a federal conservation program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years to gut funding for .
“ I am calling on Congress to send me a Bill that fully and permanently funds the LWCF and restores our National Parks , ” Trump tweeted that month .
“ When I sign it into law , it will be HISTORIC for our beautiful public lands.
” The president ’ s newfound support for LWCF , which uses offshore oil and gas revenues to establish and protect parks , wildlife refuges , forests and wildlife habitat , came shortly after he sat down at the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R-Mont . )
and Cory Gardner ( R-Colo. ) , two loyal Trump allies facing tough roads to reelection .
During the meeting , according to The New York Times , Gardner told Trump that passing a public lands bill would be the biggest conservation victory since President Theodore Roosevelt established America ’ s system of national parks , refuges and forests in the early 1900s .
Congress went on to pass the Great American Outdoors Act , which fully funded the LWCF and allocated $ 9.5 billion to address the mounting maintenance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At last month ’ s signing ceremony , Trump repeatedly compared himself to Roosevelt ( who protected over 230 million acres of federal land ) , praised Daines and Gardner , and characterized the law ’ s passage as a Republican victory .
At some point people “ will have to start thinking about the Republican Party and all the incredible things we ’ ve done on conservation , ” he said .
Trump earned rare points with green groups for signing the bill into law , effectively hijacking a yearslong fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Tom Udall ( D-N.M. ) , Jon Tester ( D-Mont . )
and Richard Burr ( R-N.C. ) .
He made no mention of the fact that all but three of the 132 votes against the public lands package in the Senate and House were cast by Republicans .
It ’ s like he drowned someone , put on a whistle and called himself a lifeguard .
...
It ’ s too late .
It ’ s too late for Trump to be anything other than the most anti-conservation president in history.Kate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greenwashing event also featured some astonishing , if not downright comical , self-deception .
In hopes of rewriting history , Trump has apparently convinced himself that gutting two protected national monuments in Utah , Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante , was good for his conservation legacy .
“ When you add all of this to what we did in Utah , if you remember that ... We did Bears Ears , ” he said , proudly referring to cutting the monument boundary by 85 % and opening the door for energy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things we ’ ve done are really record-setting.
” It was indeed record-setting : the largest rollback of federal land protections in U.S. history .
Trump added to his record of dismantling monuments this summer when he opened Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument , a nearly 5,000-square mile sanctuary off the East Coast , to commercial fishing .
Meanwhile , William Perry Pendley , a conservative lawyer with extreme anti-environmental views and a history of advocating for selling off federal lands , continues to lead the federal Bureau of Land Management @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pebble Mine ?
In another recent about-face , the Trump administration delayed a key permit for Alaska ’ s Pebble Mine ― a controversial project that the Obama administration blocked and that Trump revived early in his term .
In a letter to the Canadian company behind the project , the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said the proposed open-pit copper and gold mine in southwest Alaska would cause “ unavoidable adverse impacts ” to the area ’ s aquatic resources , and gave the company 90 days to come up with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s a hurdle that some say could kill the project .
Notably , the surprise decision came a month after the Army Corps concluded the project at the headwaters of Bristol Bay , the most productive sockeye salmon fishery in the world , would have no “ measurable ” effect on salmon stocks or the watershed .
So what changed ?
Several conservative sportsmen , including Trump ’ s son Donald Trump Jr. and Vice President Mike Pence ’ s former chief of staff Nick Ayers , suddenly spoke out against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Bristol Bay and the surrounding fishery are too unique and fragile to take any chances with , ” Trump Jr. wrote in an Aug. 4 tweet .
The delay and 90-day deadline came 71 days before the election , likely pushing a final decision until after Nov. 3 .
Asked about Pebble Mine during a recent interview with The Daily Caller , Trump Jr. said he ’ s “ as pro-business as it comes ” but that some places are “ just sacred.
” He dismissed the idea that Republicans are environmental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on where his son likes to chase salmon .
“ Donald Trump will never get credit for some of the environmental things he ’ s done , ” his son said , noting among other things that his father supported increased funding for restoring the Florida Everglades .
“ You can do good things for the environment without destroying the middle class.
” As HuffPost previously reported , public lands are getting big play in the 2020 elections in the West , much as they did during the 2018 midterms .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration is worried about how its industry-first agenda has landed with Western voters who value federal lands and environmental protection .
This week , the EPA announced the creation of a new Office of Mountains , Deserts and Plains , located in Colorado , that will focus on cleaning up legacy mine pollution .
“ The West is a special place , with special environmental challenges deserving of its own office within EPA , ” EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in a statement .
During a speech Thursday to commemorate the 50th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that under Trump , the EPA has done “ well if not better than [ under ] any recent administration ” at upholding its mission of protecting human health and the environment ― an assertion that drew immediate fire from environmental advocates .
Meanwhile , the steady drumbeat of anti-environmental rules and rollbacks continues as the administration works to cement changes ahead of November .
This week , the EPA weakened an Obama-era rule that sought to limit toxic wastewater released from coal-fired power plants .
The U.S. Forest Service unveiled a proposal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and grasslands .
And the Interior Department is rushing to open Alaska ’ s fragile Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling , with a lease sale possible by the end of the year .
Asked during an interview last month on “ Fox & Friends ” about his effort to green light refuge drilling , Trump offered this : “ I hate to say it .
In theory , I should go down as a great environmental president.
” Rep. Mike Levin ( D-Calif. ) , a former environmental attorney and member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told HuffPost that Trump and his team can attempt to rewrite their record all they want , but it speaks for itself .
“ There ’ s so many bad decisions ― anti-environment , anti-science decisions ― that so overwhelms any analysis of Trump ’ s policies with regard to energy and environment that it ’ s really not even a close call , ” he said .
“ It ’ s a direct reflection of what happens when you literally allow fossil fuel lobbyists to run the agencies that are supposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ ve never seen , from a Democratic or Republican administration , this wanton disregard for the bedrock foundation of environmental law , ” he added

And yet, Zinke’s grand pivot never came . Instead, the administration plowed ahead with its unprecedented assault on environmental protections ― at least 100 regulatory rollbacks , according to a New York Times tracker ― and treated the federal estate as little more than a place for industry allies to extract resources.
Zinke’s decree was an admission that the agency had fallen short on its stewardship mandate, and an acknowledgment that Americans wanted better protection of public lands and waters.
During a May 2018 roundtable with more than two dozen outdoor sporting and conservation organizations, after more than a year of leading the Trump administration’s fossil fuel-centric “energy dominance” push, then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke promised to make a “ grand pivot ” away from energy development and toward conservation.
This article was originally published by Huffington Post and appears here as part of Canada's National Observer's collaboration with Climate Desk.
“We’re doing a very tough job, and not everybody knows it,” Trump said in a July 2019 environment speech at the White House, a 45-minute event full of the lies and spin that have defined the current presidency. “We have only America. We have only one planet … That’s why, every day of my presidency, we will fight for a cleaner environment and a better quality of life for every one of our great citizens.”
But in the last year, President Donald Trump’s campaign seems to have realized that this could cost him a second term. And instead of changing course, the president has undertaken a noticeable greenwashing campaign.
The Trump administration has worked to weaken safeguards for some 35 million acres of public land — nearly 1,000 times more than it has protected — and has stacked environmental agencies with former industry lobbyists and lawyers, many with histories of contempt for the very agencies they now lead. And it has continued to cheer on the fossil fuel industry amid a rapidly worsening climate crisis.
The White House did not respond to a number of HuffPost’s specific questions. In an email statement, spokesperson Judd Deere argued that the Paris climate accord, which Trump last November began the process of pulling the U.S. out of, “shackles economies and has done nothing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
“It’s like he drowned someone, put on a whistle and called himself a lifeguard,” said Kate Kelly, public lands director at the Center for American Progress and a former Interior Department official during the Obama administration. “It’s too late. It’s too late for Trump to be anything other than the most anti-conservation president in history.”
That effort to rebrand Trump as a champion on environment and conservation has only ramped up as the 2020 election draws closer. But Trump’s record is clear . Much like Zinke’s roundtable comments, the administration’s last-ditch effort to improve the president’s image indicates it’s well aware his legacy is not one of stewardship.
On Fox & Friends, President Trump denies that he has plans to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling -- he only says he's thinking about it. He also says "I should go down as a great environmental president." pic.twitter.com/n6pRJyYG9g
The following month, after skipping a Group of Seven summit meeting on climate and biodiversity, Trump boasted, “ I’m an environmentalist ” and “I think I know more about the environment than most people.”
As 2020 ramped up, the administration badly needed a conservation win, something to point to in the run-up to the election. So in March, Trump did an about-face on the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a federal conservation program established in 1964 that Trump tried for years to gut funding for.
Judd also claimed ― falsely ― that the Green New Deal, a progressive set of guiding principles to rein in greenhouse gas emissions and build climate-resilient infrastructure, “would outlaw cows, cars and planes.”
“I am calling on Congress to send me a Bill that fully and permanently funds the LWCF and restores our National Parks,” Trump tweeted that month. “When I sign it into law, it will be HISTORIC for our beautiful public lands.”
The president’s newfound support for LWCF, which uses offshore oil and gas revenues to establish and protect parks, wildlife refuges, forests and wildlife habitat, came shortly after he sat down at the White House with Sens. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), two loyal Trump allies facing tough roads to reelection.
During the meeting, according to The New York Times, Gardner told Trump that passing a public lands bill would be the biggest conservation victory since President Theodore Roosevelt established America’s system of national parks, refuges and forests in the early 1900s.
Congress went on to pass the Great American Outdoors Act, which fully funded the LWCF and allocated $9.5 billion to address the mounting maintenance backlog at America’s national parks. At last month’s signing ceremony, Trump repeatedly compared himself to Roosevelt (who protected over 230 million acres of federal land), praised Daines and Gardner, and characterized the law’s passage as a Republican victory.
At some point people “will have to start thinking about the Republican Party and all the incredible things we’ve done on conservation,” he said.
Trump earned rare points with green groups for signing the bill into law, effectively hijacking a yearslong fight to secure permanent LWCF funding by senators like Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.). He made no mention of the fact that all but three of the 132 votes against the public lands package in the Senate and House were cast by Republicans.
It’s like he drowned someone, put on a whistle and called himself a lifeguard. ... It’s too late. It’s too late for Trump to be anything other than the most anti-conservation president in history.Kate Kelly, former Interior Department official
The greenwashing event also featured some astonishing, if not downright comical, self-deception. In hopes of rewriting history, Trump has apparently convinced himself that gutting two protected national monuments in Utah, Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante, was good for his conservation legacy.
“When you add all of this to what we did in Utah, if you remember that ... We did Bears Ears,” he said, proudly referring to cutting the monument boundary by 85% and opening the door for energy and mineral development. “The kind of things we’ve done are really record-setting.”
It was indeed record-setting: the largest rollback of federal land protections in U.S. history.
Trump added to his record of dismantling monuments this summer when he opened Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, a nearly 5,000-square mile sanctuary off the East Coast, to commercial fishing. Meanwhile, William Perry Pendley, a conservative lawyer with extreme anti-environmental views and a history of advocating for selling off federal lands, continues to lead the federal Bureau of Land Management.
Punking Or Pulling The Plug On Pebble Mine?
In another recent about-face, the Trump administration delayed a key permit for Alaska’s Pebble Mine ― a controversial project that the Obama administration blocked and that Trump revived early in his term.
In a letter to the Canadian company behind the project, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said the proposed open-pit copper and gold mine in southwest Alaska would cause “unavoidable adverse impacts” to the area’s aquatic resources, and gave the company 90 days to come up with a plan to mitigate the environmental damage. It’s a hurdle that some say could kill the project.
Notably, the surprise decision came a month after the Army Corps concluded the project at the headwaters of Bristol Bay, the most productive sockeye salmon fishery in the world, would have no “measurable” effect on salmon stocks or the watershed.
So what changed? Several conservative sportsmen, including Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. and Vice President Mike Pence’s former chief of staff Nick Ayers, suddenly spoke out against the mine development.
“The headwaters of Bristol Bay and the surrounding fishery are too unique and fragile to take any chances with,” Trump Jr. wrote in an Aug. 4 tweet.
The delay and 90-day deadline came 71 days before the election, likely pushing a final decision until after Nov. 3.
Asked about Pebble Mine during a recent interview with The Daily Caller, Trump Jr. said he’s “as pro-business as it comes” but that some places are “just sacred.” He dismissed the idea that Republicans are environmental foes and that his father is governing based on where his son likes to chase salmon.
“Donald Trump will never get credit for some of the environmental things he’s done,” his son said, noting among other things that his father supported increased funding for restoring the Florida Everglades. “You can do good things for the environment without destroying the middle class.”
Cementing An Anti-Environmental Legacy
As HuffPost previously reported, public lands are getting big play in the 2020 elections in the West, much as they did during the 2018 midterms. And there are plenty of signs that the Trump administration is worried about how its industry-first agenda has landed with Western voters who value federal lands and environmental protection.
This week, the EPA announced the creation of a new Office of Mountains, Deserts and Plains, located in Colorado, that will focus on cleaning up legacy mine pollution. “The West is a special place, with special environmental challenges deserving of its own office within EPA,” EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in a statement.
During a speech Thursday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the agency, Wheeler claimed that under Trump, the EPA has done “well if not better than [under] any recent administration” at upholding its mission of protecting human health and the environment ― an assertion that drew immediate fire from environmental advocates.
Meanwhile, the steady drumbeat of anti-environmental rules and rollbacks continues as the administration works to cement changes ahead of November. This week, the EPA weakened an Obama-era rule that sought to limit toxic wastewater released from coal-fired power plants. The U.S. Forest Service unveiled a proposal to expedite oil drilling on national forests and grasslands. And the Interior Department is rushing to open Alaska’s fragile Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling, with a lease sale possible by the end of the year.
Asked during an interview last month on “Fox & Friends” about his effort to green light refuge drilling, Trump offered this: “I hate to say it. In theory, I should go down as a great environmental president.”
Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.), a former environmental attorney and member of the House Natural Resources Committee, told HuffPost that Trump and his team can attempt to rewrite their record all they want, but it speaks for itself.
“There’s so many bad decisions ― anti-environment, anti-science decisions ― that so overwhelms any analysis of Trump’s policies with regard to energy and environment that it’s really not even a close call,” he said. “It’s a direct reflection of what happens when you literally allow fossil fuel lobbyists to run the agencies that are supposed to regulate the fossil fuel industry.”
“We’ve never seen, from a Democratic or Republican administration, this wanton disregard for the bedrock foundation of environmental law,” he added


nationalobserver--2020-09-09--Saskatchewan announces funding as schools reopen

Children around Saskatchewan returned to school Tuesday with a mix of anticipation and concern over how to go back to class safely during the pandemic .
“ It ’ s a worrisome time because of the nature of school and the fact that the children are either returning home or to their caregivers , ” La Ronge Mayor Ron Woytowich told Canada ’ s National Observer on Tuesday .
He said for the most part , people in La Ronge feel safe because there haven ’ t been any confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far , but the community is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he 's glad that school divisions are working closely with the health ministry to ensure a safe return to school this year .
Photo by Michael Bramadat-Willcock .
“ I hope everybody is safe and that everybody is careful .
I feel sorry for the teachers in a way because they have to be really careful , just like the nurses .
It ’ s extra work that nobody expected.
” • B.C .
only gets 0.5 per cent of federal funding for housing , MP finds Deputy premier and Education Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” back to school to students and educators during a press conference Tuesday .
“ I know it ’ s been a long six months without the familiarities of classrooms or their classmates .
I wish them all success in the great school year that ’ s going to be coming up , ” Wyant said .
“ To all the administrators , teachers , staff who have worked so hard to prepare for this day , my heartfelt thank you.
” When apprenticeship and technical training in Saskatchewan was cancelled trades students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their home communities .
Photo by Michael Bramadat-Willcock .
Wyant announced the approval of cash for classrooms from the $ 150-million COVID-19 contingency fund for education , which is coming from the provincial and federal governments , and school division savings .
“ In order to help school divisions deal with emergent , one-time expenses associated with a safe return to school classrooms in the province , the government announced $ 51 million in approved funding for sanitization , equipment and furniture , and upgrades to technology in order to support distance learning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told Canada ’ s National Observer on Tuesday .
We have to be very careful of what our children are doing and how they ’ re interacting with others .
We have to keep them safe and all work together to make sure that they are , ” La Ronge Mayor Ron Woytowich .
# schoolreopening “ The ( ministry ) has allocated $ 10 million for PPE expenses , of which $ 2.3 million has been spent to date to procure six million masks for school divisions .
The ministry will continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs for the remainder of the school year , ” Hodges said .
Of the $ 51 million announced Tuesday , $ 41 million comes from provincial funding , and $ 10 million represents the expenditure of the remaining school division savings .
Opposition NDP education critic Carla Beck criticized the government for announcing the allocation of funds on the day school started and pointed out there 's a shortage of substitute teachers in the province .
“ One of the things that I think really would be important is to talk to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out the door in a timely manner instead of piecemeal as we have seen over the past several weeks , which has really caused a lot of sleepless nights for parents , for teachers , for everyone in school divisions .
I still think there ’ s a long ways to go.
” Wyant said the government 's plan addresses concerns to ensure teachers and students return to school safely .
Kids in the La Ronge area receiving toys to keep them active during the pandemic .
Photo courtesy of Christopher Merasty .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that with our plan .
It ’ s certainly a flexible plan , one that will continue to evolve , ” Wyant said .
“ What we ’ re encouraging people to do is to continue to follow the very good advice of the chief medical health officer and local public health.
” On Friday , a teacher tested positive for COVID-19 at Indian Head Elementary School , east of Regina .
The school year there will begin online this month .
Wyant stressed there are procedures in place to ensure the safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases pop up .
Mayor Woytowich said it ’ s a good reminder for caregivers not to let their guards down .
“ We ’ re lucky in La Ronge not to have any cases at all and I think we have to continue with that diligence .
We have to be very careful of what our children are doing and how they ’ re interacting with others .
We have to keep them safe and all work together to make sure that they are , ” Woytowich said .
He said issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of particular concern .
“ I ’ m thankful that the schools have really considered this and I know that the schools have been working with health as well , and that is really nice to see .
”

Children around Saskatchewan returned to school Tuesday with a mix of anticipation and concern over how to go back to class safely during the pandemic. “It’s a worrisome time because of the nature of school and the fact that the children are either returning home or to their caregivers,” La Ronge Mayor Ron Woytowich told Canada’s National Observer on Tuesday. He said for the most part, people in La Ronge feel safe because there haven’t been any confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far, but the community is concerned. La Ronge Mayor Ron Woytowich said he's glad that school divisions are working closely with the health ministry to ensure a safe return to school this year. Photo by Michael Bramadat-Willcock. “I hope everybody is safe and that everybody is careful. I feel sorry for the teachers in a way because they have to be really careful, just like the nurses. It’s extra work that nobody expected.”
Deputy premier and Education Minister Gordon Wyant extended a “warm welcome” back to school to students and educators during a press conference Tuesday. “I know it’s been a long six months without the familiarities of classrooms or their classmates. I wish them all success in the great school year that’s going to be coming up,” Wyant said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “To all the administrators, teachers, staff who have worked so hard to prepare for this day, my heartfelt thank you.”
When apprenticeship and technical training in Saskatchewan was cancelled trades students like Cole Zieg had to return to their home communities. Photo by Michael Bramadat-Willcock. Wyant announced the approval of cash for classrooms from the $150-million COVID-19 contingency fund for education, which is coming from the provincial and federal governments, and school division savings. We have to be very careful of what our children are doing and how they’re interacting with others. We have to keep them safe and all work together to make sure that they are,” La Ronge Mayor Ron Woytowich. #schoolreopening “In order to help school divisions deal with emergent, one-time expenses associated with a safe return to school classrooms in the province, the government announced $51 million in approved funding for sanitization, equipment and furniture, and upgrades to technology in order to support distance learning,” education ministry spokesperson Chris Hodges told Canada’s National Observer on Tuesday. “The (ministry) has allocated $10 million for PPE expenses, of which $2.3 million has been spent to date to procure six million masks for school divisions. The ministry will continue working with school divisions to determine PPE needs for the remainder of the school year,” Hodges said. Of the $51 million announced Tuesday, $41 million comes from provincial funding, and $10 million represents the expenditure of the remaining school division savings.
Opposition NDP education critic Carla Beck criticized the government for announcing the allocation of funds on the day school started and pointed out there's a shortage of substitute teachers in the province. “One of the things that I think really would be important is to talk to school divisions and to get that money out the door in a timely manner instead of piecemeal as we have seen over the past several weeks, which has really caused a lot of sleepless nights for parents, for teachers, for everyone in school divisions. I still think there’s a long ways to go.” Wyant said the government's plan addresses concerns to ensure teachers and students return to school safely.


nationalobserver--2020-09-09--Cree bilingual school underway in Saskatoon

Cree language learners have something to look forward to in Saskatchewan — a permanent site for St. Frances Cree Bilingual School in Saskatoon .
There are roughly 20,000 Cree speakers in Saskatchewan , where it is second to English as the most spoken language at home .
More than half the First Nations in Saskatchewan are Cree and the Lac La Ronge Indian Band , boasting around 11,000 members , is the largest First Nation in the province .
Deputy premier and Education Minister Gordon Wyant was joined by representatives from the Greater Saskatoon Catholic School Division , Saskatoon Tribal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to announce $ 34.5 million in funding for the school on Sept. 2 .
“ The new facility will provide space for approximately 700 students to support the growth and development of the families and students in Saskatoon ’ s St. Frances community for years to come , ” Wyant said .
• B.C .
only gets 0.5 per cent of federal funding for housing , MP finds “ The new St. Frances Cree Bilingual school will continue to ensure an equitable and inclusive system that benefits all learners.
” Right now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of two separate locations as a temporary solution to its enrolment growth since it was established in 2007 .
The new facility will be at 2010 7th St. East in Saskatoon , the site of the former Sion Middle School .
It is expected to provide space for 700 pre-kindergarten to Grade 8 students , which the government said will reduce enrolment pressures on the growing St. Frances Cree Bilingual School .
It will also provide 70 new child-care spaces for young Saskatoon families .
“ There are a lot of smiling faces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School is that much closer to becoming a reality , ” Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Board of Education chair Diane Boyko said .
“ Although colonization has negatively impacted our ability to access our language and culture , we continue to move forward with great perseverance and resolve , ” Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand .
“ It has been a long journey for students , families , staff , and for our board to get a school facility that is representative of the learning that happens inside and out .
Longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Indigenous community , and this is a very tangible indication of our commitment along that journey.
” While planning and design for the new facility is still underway , the education ministry said it is working with the school division , Saskatoon Tribal Council , parents and community members to ensure that a shared vision is incorporated into an inclusive design for all learners .
St. Frances Cree Bilingual School was developed in partnership with Saskatoon Tribal Council .
“ Our elders have taught us that to fully understand our traditional culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inherent languages , ” Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand said .
“ For the past 14 years , the seven member communities of Saskatoon Tribal Council have collaborated with Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools to provide leadership and direction at St. Frances Cree Bilingual School , ” he said .
“ Although colonization has negatively impacted our ability to access our language and culture , we continue to move forward with great perseverance and resolve , ” Arcand said .
“ Our young people are the fastest-growing population in Saskatchewan , and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer a long-overdue solution to the space issues that have been created as a result of our success.
” Since 2007 , the province has committed more than $ 1.9 billion toward school infrastructure projects , which include 85 major school capital projects and numerous smaller projects , such as portable classrooms and preventative maintenance and renewal .

Cree language learners have something to look forward to in Saskatchewan — a permanent site for St. Frances Cree Bilingual School in Saskatoon. There are roughly 20,000 Cree speakers in Saskatchewan, where it is second to English as the most spoken language at home. More than half the First Nations in Saskatchewan are Cree and the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, boasting around 11,000 members, is the largest First Nation in the province. Deputy premier and Education Minister Gordon Wyant was joined by representatives from the Greater Saskatoon Catholic School Division, Saskatoon Tribal Council and parents of St. Frances students to announce $34.5 million in funding for the school on Sept. 2. “The new facility will provide space for approximately 700 students to support the growth and development of the families and students in Saskatoon’s St. Frances community for years to come,” Wyant said.
“The new St. Frances Cree Bilingual school will continue to ensure an equitable and inclusive system that benefits all learners.” Right now, St. Frances Cree Bilingual School operates out of two separate locations as a temporary solution to its enrolment growth since it was established in 2007. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The new facility will be at 2010 7th St. East in Saskatoon, the site of the former Sion Middle School.
It is expected to provide space for 700 pre-kindergarten to Grade 8 students, which the government said will reduce enrolment pressures on the growing St. Frances Cree Bilingual School. “Although colonization has negatively impacted our ability to access our language and culture, we continue to move forward with great perseverance and resolve,” Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand. It will also provide 70 new child-care spaces for young Saskatoon families. “There are a lot of smiling faces knowing a new St. Frances Cree Bilingual School is that much closer to becoming a reality,” Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Board of Education chair Diane Boyko said. “It has been a long journey for students, families, staff, and for our board to get a school facility that is representative of the learning that happens inside and out. Longer still is the journey of reconciliation with the Indigenous community, and this is a very tangible indication of our commitment along that journey.” While planning and design for the new facility is still underway, the education ministry said it is working with the school division, Saskatoon Tribal Council, parents and community members to ensure that a shared vision is incorporated into an inclusive design for all learners.
St. Frances Cree Bilingual School was developed in partnership with Saskatoon Tribal Council. “Our elders have taught us that to fully understand our traditional culture, we must begin by learning our inherent languages,” Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand said. “For the past 14 years, the seven member communities of Saskatoon Tribal Council have collaborated with Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools to provide leadership and direction at St. Frances Cree Bilingual School,” he said.


nationalobserver--2020-09-09--A first look at Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole's shadow cabinet

Newly minted Conservative leader Erin O ’ Toole has announced his 43-member shadow cabinet , which features some prominent Tory MPs , including former party leader Andrew Scheer , in new roles .
O ’ Toole unveiled the group on Tuesday morning , insisting in a news release that his new government will “ defeat Justin Trudeau ’ s corrupt Liberal government in the next election.
” While a few MPs have stayed put or just been shuffled into new positions , O ’ Toole ’ s cabinet features a new slate of MPs , many of them younger .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ look at the Conservative Party .
Meet our Shadow Cabinet .
We are here to fight for you and your family .
pic.twitter.com/dHTD3aC6YZ — Erin O'Toole ( @ ErinOTooleMP ) September 8 , 2020 The Tory cabinet is comprised of 11 women , while O ’ Toole previously appointed former opposition house leader MP Candice Bergen as his deputy leader .
• B.C .
only gets 0.5 per cent of federal funding for housing , MP finds Other notable picks include MP Michelle Rempel-Garner as the party ’ s critic for health .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Liberals , as the federal government battles its way through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic .
Rempel-Garner ’ s Liberal counterpart Patty Hajdu has been at the forefront of the federal government ’ s response to the pandemic , being present at daily COVID-19 briefings along with the country ’ s Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam .
The 40-year-old MP , who represents the riding of Calgary Nose Hill , had her first brush with cabinet politics when she served as the Minister of Western Economic Diversification -- considered a junior portfolio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Rempel-Garner responded to critics on Twitter , who questioned her experience with health care .
She contested that she had spent a “ decade helping to commercialize and manage early-stage medical research at two major Canadian universities , and aided the formation of two primary health care networks in Alberta , ” in a press release .
Starting at age 18 , I worked my way through university in the Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics at the UofM , then the Deans Office of the Faculty of Medicine , and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ronald was one of my first bosses .
https : //t.co/G3sbLhDKXk — Michelle Rempel Garner ( @ MichelleRempel ) September 8 , 2020 She said in her statement that she perceived the Liberal response to the pandemic as being “ slow and costly ” and said the government has failed to plan for a second wave .
Erin O'Toole 's new cabinet has some familiar faces like @ AndrewScheer , @ MichelleRempel and @ PierrePoilievre .
# cdnpoli Besides the pandemic , Rempel-Garner said she has already had discussions with O ’ Toole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban , which doesn ’ t allow gay men to donate their blood .
MP Pierre Poilievre , known for being an intensely critical voice in the House of Commons , kept his position as the opposition ’ s finance critic .
Poilievre has engaged in contentious back-and-forths with his Liberal counterparts about Trudeau ’ s WE Charity scandal .
While Poilievre ’ s position hasn ’ t changed , his opposition has .
He ’ ll be facing off against the Liberal ’ s new finance minister Chrystia Freeland , who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Freeland stepped into the role after former finance minister Bill Morneau resigned in August , after his involvement in the WE Charity scandal came to light , though some of his defenders insist there was no connection .
MP Michael Chong , who represents the Ontario riding of Wellington-Halton Hills , was assigned as the foreign affairs critic .
Chong previously served in the government of former prime minister Stephen Harper as the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister for Sport .
He ’ ll be the Tory ’ s point-person on international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues a tedious , contentious battle with China , over the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou .
The federal government has endured criticism for the handling of its increasingly cold relations with China , which continues to imprison two former Canadian diplomats , Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig .
Perhaps the most familiar face on O ’ Toole ’ s cabinet is that of former Conservative leader Andrew Scheer .
Scheer was appointed minister of infrastructure and communities , a role that will increasingly come into play as the federal government looks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic recovery amidst the pandemic .

Newly minted Conservative leader Erin O’Toole has announced his 43-member shadow cabinet, which features some prominent Tory MPs, including former party leader Andrew Scheer, in new roles. O’Toole unveiled the group on Tuesday morning, insisting in a news release that his new government will “defeat Justin Trudeau’s corrupt Liberal government in the next election.” While a few MPs have stayed put or just been shuffled into new positions, O’Toole’s cabinet features a new slate of MPs, many of them younger. It’s time to take another look at the Conservative Party. Meet our Shadow Cabinet. We are here to fight for you and your family. pic.twitter.com/dHTD3aC6YZ — Erin O'Toole (@erinotoole) September 8, 2020 The Tory cabinet is comprised of 11 women, while O’Toole previously appointed former opposition house leader MP Candice Bergen as his deputy leader.
Other notable picks include MP Michelle Rempel-Garner as the party’s critic for health. Rempel-Garner will play an important foil to the Liberals, as the federal government battles its way through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Rempel-Garner’s Liberal counterpart Patty Hajdu has been at the forefront of the federal government’s response to the pandemic, being present at daily COVID-19 briefings along with the country’s Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The 40-year-old MP, who represents the riding of Calgary Nose Hill, had her first brush with cabinet politics when she served as the Minister of Western Economic Diversification -- considered a junior portfolio -- under former prime minister Stephen Harper.
Rempel-Garner responded to critics on Twitter, who questioned her experience with health care. She contested that she had spent a “decade helping to commercialize and manage early-stage medical research at two major Canadian universities, and aided the formation of two primary health care networks in Alberta,” in a press release. Erin O'Toole's new cabinet has some familiar faces like @AndrewScheer, @MichelleRempel and @PierrePoilievre. #cdnpoli Starting at age 18, I worked my way through university in the Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics at the UofM, then the Deans Office of the Faculty of Medicine, and then the Industry Liaison Office. Dr. Allan Ronald was one of my first bosses. https://t.co/G3sbLhDKXk — Michelle Rempel Garner (@MichelleRempel) September 8, 2020 She said in her statement that she perceived the Liberal response to the pandemic as being “slow and costly” and said the government has failed to plan for a second wave. Besides the pandemic, Rempel-Garner said she has already had discussions with O’Toole to end Canada’s discriminatory blood ban, which doesn’t allow gay men to donate their blood. MP Pierre Poilievre, known for being an intensely critical voice in the House of Commons, kept his position as the opposition’s finance critic. Poilievre has engaged in contentious back-and-forths with his Liberal counterparts about Trudeau’s WE Charity scandal.
While Poilievre’s position hasn’t changed, his opposition has. He’ll be facing off against the Liberal’s new finance minister Chrystia Freeland, who had previously served as deputy prime minister. Freeland stepped into the role after former finance minister Bill Morneau resigned in August, after his involvement in the WE Charity scandal came to light, though some of his defenders insist there was no connection. MP Michael Chong, who represents the Ontario riding of Wellington-Halton Hills, was assigned as the foreign affairs critic. Chong previously served in the government of former prime minister Stephen Harper as the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister for Sport.


nationalobserver--2020-09-09--MAGA's spewing propaganda and we can't look away

About six weeks ago , as the craziness mounted , I asked Rolling Stone cover artist Victor Juhasz to make a drawing depicting what it ’ s like to be up here in Canada watching the American news .
Juhasz told me he was imagining the reaction of normal Canadians to the insanity and right-wing “ Freedom ” and “ Liberty ” vitriol spewing via U.S. media and social media when he made the drawing .
“ Lots of early MAD Magazine and Looney Tunes influence here , ” he explained .
“ Why make the picture depressive ?
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watching the news as an enormous Donald Trump explodes out of the TV set brandishing a bottle of bleach .
Kellyanne Conway is literally vomiting propaganda .
Behind her , Jerry Falwell Jr. wields a cross reading , “ Jesus Will Cure.
” Behind Trump , a militia member with a Confederate flag on his helmet roars .
( I ’ m guessing he ’ d be saying , “ Live free or die !
No masks !
” ) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau , framed in a portrait , watches aghast behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cat are terrified .
Sure , as Ed Yong writes in The Atlantic this month , “ No one should be shocked that a liar who has made almost 20,000 false or misleading claims during his presidency would lie about whether the U.S. had the pandemic under control ... ” But being shocked is normal now , even here in Canada , where it ’ s not our news — and absorbing the shock waves is just what 's required to participate in the cross-border conversation .
• B.C .
only gets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ housing , MP finds Truly , in this season filled with economic distress and border closures , masks and militias , snake oil salesmen and demagoguery , the news from America can seem like an assault .
From the truth-contorting White House briefings to the fascist Republican National Convention , one can only monitor one 's intake and wonder uneasily about the effects on our democracy .
With the American flag draped like a Nazi banner and unfurled between massive columns , the pageantry suggestive of Mussolini and Hitler , the RNC howled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posted soldiers to open the door for him , and , for her keynote speech , FLOTUS chose a suit that made her look like she marched in with the SS .
But who has time to reflect on history when the world moves so fast and “ the most powerful man in it ” is a madman ?
As CNN 's national security reporter Jim Sciutto explains in his book , Trump is a madman “ sometimes intentionally and sometimes not.
” Former Toronto Star reporter and full-time fact-checker of Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the conspiracy theories coming out of the White House are almost too stupid to fact check .
It 's an “ infodemic , ” as Ed Yong puts it .
“ An infodemic of falsehoods spread alongside the actual virus .
Rumours coursed through online platforms that are designed to keep users engaged , even if that means feeding them content that is polarizing or untrue.
” And as we watch , Trump 's disinformation and outright lies are killing Americans .
`` There 's no border to keep Trump 's toxic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is n't the time to look down our noses at headlines in the U.S. and feel smug . ''
Take for example , a Florida-based taxi driver and his wife who fell ill with COVID-19 last May .
They believed conspiracy theories claiming that the virus was either a hoax , or that it was real but just a mild flu , and neglected to wear masks or even seek help in the onset of their illness .
In August , his wife — a pastor — succumbed to the illness , showing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the highest levels of government .
This is just sad .
But it 's so important to remember that disinformation can kill .
Brian Lee Hitchens and his wife , Erin , in a photo from Facebook .
The American couple believed the coronavirus was a hoax , and fell ill in May from the virus , resulting in Erin 's death last month .
Mundane and normalized , yet so extreme The more you see mainstream American Conservatives retweeting QAnon conspiracy theories and hateful , violent rhetoric toward “ liberals , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We 'd like to think what ’ s happening in America does n't affect Canada , that we 're too smart to fall for the disinformation campaigns ravaging the U.S. And yet that ’ s not true .
And it goes both ways — some of the most influential far-right media figures in the U.S. come from Canada or have Canadian connections .
In June , the Institute for Strategic Dialogue , a British-based think tank , released a report titled An Online Environmental Scan of Right-Wing Extremism in Canada , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , groups and accounts , reaching an audience of millions of people across Canada and around the world .
Canada , in fact , is the third-most active nation using 4chan 's politically incorrect board , right after the U.S. and U.K .
The horrific Quebec City mosque shooting in 2017 was carried out by a young man obsessed with Trump , whose constant immersion in right-wing news led him to believe Muslim refugees would `` kill '' his parents and family , despite no evidence .
The “ incel ” terror attacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 and the machete attack earlier this year , had roots in online disinformation .
Even when Trudeau announced on Twitter that Canada has secured millions of potential vaccines for COVID-19 , his account was flooded by reply tweets sharing disinformation and distrust around the safety of vaccines .
In another instance of Canadian-style propaganda , Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay , the Conservatives ' environment critic and MP for South Surrey-White Rock , shared a misleading video linking Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland with George Soros , sending a sinister and anti-Semitic message to her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by David Q Milley , who defended QAnon as “ patriots who actually take the time to research facts.
” The new Conservative leader Erin O'Toole did n't see the tweet as serious enough to address immediately , and issued a lukewarm statement days after the fact , causing prominent Conservative commentator Charles Adler to leave his party and publicly denounce its tolerance for racist views .
It seemed he pivoted back to the guy I used to know .
But only one week later , the evidence shows I was wrong .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have unhesitatingly condemned the old # antisemitic libel about wealthy Jewish financiers controlling governments around the world .
— Charles Adler ( @ charlesadler ) August 30 , 2020 My dual-citizen friends who live in upper New York state have prepared for a Handmaid 's Tale-style getaway to Canada .
Their Canadian passports and treasured possessions are stored in a special place , easy to grab if they need to get up and go .
Why are n't they coming now ?
I ask them .
And what would trigger a decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beloved home ?
Militias blocking the interstates , like the ones facing off with protesters in Portland .
If those come closer , they 'll travel north , they say .
To this haven with its border closed against the virus running rampant in America .
Still , our screens are with us everywhere , and MAGA 's always there .
I ’ m so tired of being scared and told it ’ s all in my head .
Look around .
Look at what ’ s happening right now .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should get your own head checked out .
— Caroline Orr Bueno ( @ RVAwonk ) September 8 , 2020 The words of the late Robin Williams come to mind .
Williams was speaking to Canadians about how he saw Canada when he joked , “ You are like a really nice apartment over a meth lab.
” It 's always felt like a nice summary of how Canadians see themselves compared to the U.S. , as a bastion of normalcy in the world .
Over here north of the border , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with our own lives , if a friend and close neighbour is in deep crisis , eventually that hits home .
There 's no border to keep Trump 's toxic infodemic from reaching our homes .
Now is n't the time to look down our noses at headlines in the U.S. and feel smug .
Whether we can learn from America 's painful struggles in 2020 will determine our own future .
I hope we 'll be ready .

About six weeks ago, as the craziness mounted, I asked Rolling Stone cover artist Victor Juhasz to make a drawing depicting what it’s like to be up here in Canada watching the American news. Juhasz told me he was imagining the reaction of normal Canadians to the insanity and right-wing “Freedom” and “Liberty” vitriol spewing via U.S. media and social media when he made the drawing. “Lots of early MAD Magazine and Looney Tunes influence here,” he explained. “Why make the picture depressive?” So we've got a Canadian family watching the news as an enormous Donald Trump explodes out of the TV set brandishing a bottle of bleach. Kellyanne Conway is literally vomiting propaganda. Behind her, Jerry Falwell Jr. wields a cross reading, “Jesus Will Cure.” Behind Trump, a militia member with a Confederate flag on his helmet roars. (I’m guessing he’d be saying, “Live free or die! No masks!”) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, framed in a portrait, watches aghast behind a Canadian flag. Even the dog and cat are terrified. Sure, as Ed Yong writes in The Atlantic this month, “No one should be shocked that a liar who has made almost 20,000 false or misleading claims during his presidency would lie about whether the U.S. had the pandemic under control...” But being shocked is normal now, even here in Canada, where it’s not our news — and absorbing the shock waves is just what's required to participate in the cross-border conversation.
Truly, in this season filled with economic distress and border closures, masks and militias, snake oil salesmen and demagoguery, the news from America can seem like an assault. From the truth-contorting White House briefings to the fascist Republican National Convention, one can only monitor one's intake and wonder uneasily about the effects on our democracy. With the American flag draped like a Nazi banner and unfurled between massive columns, the pageantry suggestive of Mussolini and Hitler, the RNC howled authoritarianism. The propagandist-in-chief aped Putin, posted soldiers to open the door for him, and, for her keynote speech, FLOTUS chose a suit that made her look like she marched in with the SS. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions But who has time to reflect on history when the world moves so fast and “the most powerful man in it” is a madman? As CNN's national security reporter Jim Sciutto explains in his book, Trump is a madman “sometimes intentionally and sometimes not.”
Former Toronto Star reporter and full-time fact-checker of Trump, Daniel Dale, has said that some of the conspiracy theories coming out of the White House are almost too stupid to fact check. "There's no border to keep Trump's toxic infodemic from reaching our homes. Now isn't the time to look down our noses at headlines in the U.S. and feel smug." It's an “infodemic,” as Ed Yong puts it. “An infodemic of falsehoods spread alongside the actual virus. Rumours coursed through online platforms that are designed to keep users engaged, even if that means feeding them content that is polarizing or untrue.” And as we watch, Trump's disinformation and outright lies are killing Americans. Take for example, a Florida-based taxi driver and his wife who fell ill with COVID-19 last May. They believed conspiracy theories claiming that the virus was either a hoax, or that it was real but just a mild flu, and neglected to wear masks or even seek help in the onset of their illness.
In August, his wife — a pastor — succumbed to the illness, showing the human cost of disinformation peddled at the highest levels of government. This is just sad. But it's so important to remember that disinformation can kill. Brian Lee Hitchens and his wife, Erin, in a photo from Facebook. The American couple believed the coronavirus was a hoax, and fell ill in May from the virus, resulting in Erin's death last month.


nationalobserver--2020-09-09--As B.C. shutters nightclubs, Trudeau defends choice to phase out CERB

As COVID-19 cases surge in British Columbia , prompting the closure of nightclubs and banquet halls , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended his government ’ s choice to phase out emergency benefits .
At the end of July , Trudeau announced the Canada Emergency Response Benefit , or CERB , will wind down as the government reworks the employment insurance system for the era of COVID-19 .
Though Trudeau said Canada is “ not out of the woods , ” he also said it ’ s important to begin placing building blocks for economic recovery .
“ As we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of economic activity picking up again , and that ’ s a good thing .
And obviously it needs to be done carefully , ” he told reporters in Toronto on Wednesday .
“ That ’ s why shifting from CERB , which was designed to keep people at home and not working , towards a more EI-like system that will have incentives to work and encouragements and supports for people while the economy gets growing again , is the right step.
” On Tuesday , B.C .
said it had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Labour Day long weekend .
In response , provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry ordered the closure of nightclubs and banquet halls , and set last call for bars at 10 p.m. • MAGA 's spewing propaganda and we ca n't look away • B.C .
only gets 0.5 per cent of federal funding for housing , MP finds “ It ’ s going to be a challenging time for those businesses , ” Henry said Tuesday .
Other provinces are also encountering similar problems , even before the effects of students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflected in COVID-19 statistics .
In Ontario , for example , Health Minister Christine Elliott announced a pause on reopenings Tuesday as the province reported nearly 200 new cases of the virus two days in a row .
CERB , which gave Canadians who were unemployed due to COVID-19 payments of $ 2,000 per month , will end in two-and-a-half weeks .
On Sept. 27 , people using the program will transition into three new temporary benefits under a revamped EI system .
Millions of Canadians have gone back to their jobs since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June .
But many more remain out of work .
As of Aug. 30 , more than 1.1 million B.C .
residents had applied for CERB since the program was rolled out , though it ’ s not clear how many are still receiving the benefit , the federal government said .
Trudeau said Canadians need to keep wearing masks and practising physical distancing , lest cases skyrocket again and force more lockdowns .
“ The last thing that anyone wants is to have to once again shut down our economies , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living with COVID-19 there ’ s a lot of economic activity picking up again , and that ’ s a good thing .
And obviously it needs to be done carefully , ” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters in Toronto Wednesday .
# cdnpoli

As COVID-19 cases surge in British Columbia, prompting the closure of nightclubs and banquet halls, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended his government’s choice to phase out emergency benefits.
At the end of July, Trudeau announced the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, or CERB, will wind down as the government reworks the employment insurance system for the era of COVID-19. Though Trudeau said Canada is “not out of the woods,” he also said it’s important to begin placing building blocks for economic recovery.
“As we are living with COVID-19, there’s a lot of economic activity picking up again, and that’s a good thing. And obviously it needs to be done carefully,” he told reporters in Toronto on Wednesday.
“That’s why shifting from CERB, which was designed to keep people at home and not working, towards a more EI-like system that will have incentives to work and encouragements and supports for people while the economy gets growing again, is the right step.”
On Tuesday, B.C. said it had recorded 429 new cases of COVID-19 over the Labour Day long weekend. In response, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry ordered the closure of nightclubs and banquet halls, and set last call for bars at 10 p.m.


nationalobserver--2020-09-09--How cheddar cheese explains Canada's dairy politics

Canada had extra cheddar in July .
About 38 million kilograms of extra cheddar .
That ’ s not unusual .
The sharp , hard cheese — a statistical benchmark for the federal government — has a long history in Canada ’ s almost $ 7-billion dairy industry .
A history that ’ s key to understanding modern-day dairy politics .
“ You need to go back to the farm level and the pricing of raw milk used to make cheese , ” Al Mussell , an economist and research lead for Agri-Food Economic Systems , said .
Canada made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 , costing on average $ 15.14 per kilogram .
About 31 per cent this was cheddar , while the remainder was what Statistics Canada calls “ variety cheeses ” — a group that includes everything from mozzarella to camembert .
• MAGA 's spewing propaganda and we ca n't look away • B.C .
only gets 0.5 per cent of federal funding for housing , MP finds These cheeses are by far preferred by Canadians : Their production and consumption has more than tripled since 1980 .
Cheddar consumption remained relatively stable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for “ variety cheese ” — every kind of cheese except cheddar or processed cheese — has increased exponentially since the 1980s .
Still , cheddar remains a statistical benchmark in large part due to its historical role in shaping Canada 's dairy industry .
Graph by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada/Data by Statistics Canada .
It wasn ’ t always like this : Cheddar was once Canada ’ s most coveted dairy product at home and abroad .
“ Cheddar cheese was a huge item that was exported to Great Britain during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , along with other Commonwealth countries such as Australia and New Zealand , was a key supplier of food to Britain during the Second World War .
By 1945 , more than 325 million kilograms of cheddar had been sent across the Atlantic to support the war effort .
That demand transformed the Canadian dairy industry , boosting the volume of milk farmers could produce and the amount of cheese and other dairy products made in the country .
It was a boom for Canadian farmers , one that many expected would continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ # Canada had extra # cheddar in July .
About 42,000 tonnes extra cheddar .
That ’ s not unusual .
The sharp , hard cheese — and a statistical benchmark for the federal government — has a long history in Canada ’ s almost $ 7 billion # dairy industry .
It didn ’ t .
Demand for Canadian cheese and dairy tumbled , leaving farmers with too much milk on their hands and unsustainably low prices .
“ We languished for decades under these chronically low milk prices , ” Mussell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few different tacks to help dairy farmers through the 1950s , including import controls and subsidies to keep the industry afloat .
These subsidies ended up costing hundreds of millions of dollars , Mussell explained , essentially to offset surpluses .
It wasn ’ t a sustainable solution , so the federal government developed a policy to cap the number of subsidies a farmer could receive with the goal to reduce the overall supply of dairy .
From there , it was a relatively easy shift in 1965 to capping the volume of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ milk production quotas , in other words .
It was the start of a supply management system that endures today .
The U.K relied on Canadian farmers for a significant portion of its food supply during the Second World War — including butter , bacon , and cheddar cheese .
Photo by U.S. Library of Congress/Wikimedia Commons .
Canadian dairy farmers each own a milk quota , which only allows them to produce a set quantity to prevent milk flooding the market , while milk prices are controlled to reflect farmers ’ costs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Canadian Dairy Commission .
Milk and dairy imports are also strictly controlled , with high tariffs applying to all dairy imports above a set threshold — a major sticking point between the Canadian government and the Trump administration in the recent NAFTA renegotiation .
It ’ s an approach that ’ s not without critics .
“ A straightforward approach to improve the quality of life for all Canadians is to eliminate the quota system and restore a competitive approach to pricing our basic food inputs , ” states a 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vancouver-based right-wing think tank .
The supply management system , it argues , results in Canadians paying unnecessarily high prices for dairy products .
Prices that could be lowered in an unregulated dairy industry similar to the one in the U.S.
It ’ s a model with no guarantee of success : Dairy products are not significantly cheaper in the U.S. For example , in December 2018 the average price of American cheese was $ 15.60 per kilo — 46 cents more expensive than in Canada .
Meanwhile , American dairy farmers deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 , that put intense pressure on farms ’ financial viability .
For Mussell , those arguments hold minimal appeal — especially when the supply management system is put into context .
“ What I see is decades of misery ( in the 1950s and 1960s ) and a search for a policy approach that could work to deal with this issue and the government stumbled on it , ” he said .
Cheddar might not be on many Canadians ' dinner plates — but its legacy lives on .

Canada had extra cheddar in July. About 38 million kilograms of extra cheddar. That’s not unusual. The sharp, hard cheese — a statistical benchmark for the federal government — has a long history in Canada’s almost $7-billion dairy industry. A history that’s key to understanding modern-day dairy politics. “You need to go back to the farm level and the pricing of raw milk used to make cheese,” Al Mussell, an economist and research lead for Agri-Food Economic Systems, said. Canada made roughly 515 million kilograms of cheese in 2019, costing on average $15.14 per kilogram. About 31 per cent this was cheddar, while the remainder was what Statistics Canada calls “variety cheeses” — a group that includes everything from mozzarella to camembert.
These cheeses are by far preferred by Canadians: Their production and consumption has more than tripled since 1980. Cheddar consumption remained relatively stable during the same period. Canadians taste for “variety cheese” — every kind of cheese except cheddar or processed cheese — has increased exponentially since the 1980s. Still, cheddar remains a statistical benchmark in large part due to its historical role in shaping Canada's dairy industry. Graph by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada/Data by Statistics Canada. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions It wasn’t always like this: Cheddar was once Canada’s most coveted dairy product at home and abroad.
“Cheddar cheese was a huge item that was exported to Great Britain during the war,” Mussell explained. #Canada had extra #cheddar in July. About 42,000 tonnes extra cheddar. That’s not unusual. The sharp, hard cheese — and a statistical benchmark for the federal government — has a long history in Canada’s almost $7 billion #dairy industry. Canada, along with other Commonwealth countries such as Australia and New Zealand, was a key supplier of food to Britain during the Second World War. By 1945, more than 325 million kilograms of cheddar had been sent across the Atlantic to support the war effort. That demand transformed the Canadian dairy industry, boosting the volume of milk farmers could produce and the amount of cheese and other dairy products made in the country. It was a boom for Canadian farmers, one that many expected would continue after the war, Mussell explained. It didn’t. Demand for Canadian cheese and dairy tumbled, leaving farmers with too much milk on their hands and unsustainably low prices. “We languished for decades under these chronically low milk prices,” Mussell said.
The federal government took a few different tacks to help dairy farmers through the 1950s, including import controls and subsidies to keep the industry afloat. These subsidies ended up costing hundreds of millions of dollars, Mussell explained, essentially to offset surpluses. It wasn’t a sustainable solution, so the federal government developed a policy to cap the number of subsidies a farmer could receive with the goal to reduce the overall supply of dairy. From there, it was a relatively easy shift in 1965 to capping the volume of milk farmers could produce — giving them milk production quotas, in other words. It was the start of a supply management system that endures today.


nationalobserver--2020-09-10--B.C. fish farming may be in hot water due to climate change

B.C .
farmed salmon may be pushed off people ’ s plates by climate change in the coming decades .
Global warming is likely to significantly reduce the areas suitable for the farming of Atlantic salmon along the West Coast , according to a recent UBC study .
Tropical or subtropical regions are likely to see the biggest declines in the number of species they can farm in oceans due to climate change , said Muhammed Oyinlola , the study ’ s lead author .
But B.C .
aquaculture will also face significant challenges associated with warming oceans , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Oceans and Fisheries at the University of British Columbia .
Canada ’ s Pacific coast is expected to lose between 60 per cent and 84 percent of marine areas favourable to Atlantic salmon by 2050 , said Oyinlola .
The predicted range of the negative impacts for farming salmon on the B.C .
coast depends on whether strong measures to lower global greenhouse gas emissions are enacted , or conversely , if little is done to limit emissions , he said .
• MAGA 's spewing propaganda and we ca n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nightclubs , Trudeau defends choice to phase out CERB Muhammed Oyinlola , a postdoctoral fellow at UBC ’ s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries , did a study around climate change impacting the diversity of aquaculture globally and which projects a 60 to 84 per cent reduction of areas suitable to farming Atlantic salmon on B.C .
's coast by 2050 .
Photo supplied by Muhammed Oyinlola .
The study projected climate change impacts on the diversity of 85 of the most common species of fish and shellfish farmed in ocean waters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the total number of species that could be farmed in certain areas , given specific environmental conditions , Oyinlola said .
There is a short window for the salmon farming sector to plan and adapt to climate change , he stressed .
“ Thinking about climate change and the aquaculture industry , we have some time to act now , ” Oyinlola said .
“ Whether we move ( operations ) further offshore or we move them onto land , we have to start it now.
” “ Thinking about climate change and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to act now , ” UBC researcher Muhammed Oyinlola , on projected loss of 60 - 84 per cent of marine areas suitable to Atlantic salmon farming on B.C .
's coast .
# BC # salmon Aquaculture plays a big role in global seafood production and its footprint is only growing , said Oyinlola .
Food from aquaculture accounts for nearly half of the 171 million tonnes of seafood consumed globally .
But factors such as rising seas , increasing water temperatures , ocean acidity , changes in salinity , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will affect farming Atlantic salmon , Oyinlola said .
Warming water temperatures can drop oxygen levels for fish and curb their growth , or boost aquaculture-related diseases and parasitic infections , he added .
Farm-raised salmon is B.C.
’ s highest-valued seafood product and the province ’ s top agricultural export , according BC Salmon Farmers Association data .
Farmed salmon generates more than $ 1.5 billion towards the B.C .
economy , and supports approximately 7,000 jobs , the association states .
A total of 84.5 tonnes of farmed Atlantic salmon were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest share ( 57 per cent ) of any B.C .
seafood species in terms of its landed value of $ 737.5 million , according to the B.C .
Agriculture Ministry .
The aquaculture industry is aware of potential impacts of climate change on salmon farm operations and , in some cases , is already working to mitigate those changes through innovations and investment in new technologies , said Shawn Hall of the BC Salmon Farmers Association in an email to the National Observer .
Warming waters are already leading to more algae @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farmed salmon , Hall added .
“ With climate change impacting some wild fish species , and the demand for seafood continuing to increase , responsible aquaculture has an important role to play in ensuring global food security , as well as the health of wild salmon populations into the future , ” Hall wrote .
However , the association did not clarify what responses or technologies the sector is considering or undertaking to mitigate climate change on Atlantic salmon operations .
Mowi Canada West , which describes itself as the leading salmon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment about what measures the company might be taking to adapt its farming operations to the effects of global warming .
Grieg Seafood and Cermaq Canada Ltd. , also big players in B.C .
salmon farming , did not return requests for comment before the National Observer ’ s publishing deadline .
Since aquaculture plays such a large role in seafood production , it ’ s important to determine where farming operations might do better in the future , and what other species of seafood might thrive , Oyinlola said .
Adaption planning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ideally minimize the local environmental and socio-economic impacts of changes from global warming , he said .
Along the B.C .
coast , adaption by the industry might mean salmon farming operations will look for different , more suitable , lease sites , or expand favourable existing ones , he added .
Or they might move further out to colder waters with offshore technology or shift operations to land-based systems , Oyinlola said .
Selective breeding or raising a different species or product is also an option for farming operations , the UBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pose substantial risks to farmed Atlantic salmon on the B.C .
coast , other aquaculture species may benefit , Oyinlola said .
If climate change continues apace , the B.C .
coast is project to see a 46 per cent increase in area favourable to farming Pacific oysters , he said .
As marine environments shift , stakeholders — such as aquaculture companies , coastal communities , government and regulatory agencies — can use climate change projections to collaborate and determine what future impacts might be and how to proceed , said Oyinlola @ @ @ @ @ @ @ species are important , particularly to our food security or economic development in terms of aquaculture ” he said .
“ And how we can retain the incredible biodiversity that we have in this coast and maintain it in a way that also benefits us .
”

B.C. farmed salmon may be pushed off people’s plates by climate change in the coming decades. Global warming is likely to significantly reduce the areas suitable for the farming of Atlantic salmon along the West Coast, according to a recent UBC study. Tropical or subtropical regions are likely to see the biggest declines in the number of species they can farm in oceans due to climate change, said Muhammed Oyinlola, the study’s lead author. But B.C. aquaculture will also face significant challenges associated with warming oceans, said Oyinlola, a researcher with the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries at the University of British Columbia. Canada’s Pacific coast is expected to lose between 60 per cent and 84 percent of marine areas favourable to farming Atlantic salmon by 2050, said Oyinlola.
The predicted range of the negative impacts for farming salmon on the B.C. coast depends on whether strong measures to lower global greenhouse gas emissions are enacted, or conversely, if little is done to limit emissions, he said. Muhammed Oyinlola, a postdoctoral fellow at UBC’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, did a study around climate change impacting the diversity of aquaculture globally and which projects a 60 to 84 per cent reduction of areas suitable to farming Atlantic salmon on B.C.'s coast by 2050. Photo supplied by Muhammed Oyinlola. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The study projected climate change impacts on the diversity of 85 of the most common species of fish and shellfish farmed in ocean waters globally.
In particular, researchers examined the total number of species that could be farmed in certain areas, given specific environmental conditions, Oyinlola said. “Thinking about climate change and the aquaculture industry, we have some time to act now,” UBC researcher Muhammed Oyinlola, on projected loss of 60 - 84 per cent of marine areas suitable to Atlantic salmon farming on B.C.'s coast. #BC #salmon There is a short window for the salmon farming sector to plan and adapt to climate change, he stressed. “Thinking about climate change and the aquaculture industry, we have some time to act now,” Oyinlola said. “Whether we move (operations) further offshore or we move them onto land, we have to start it now.” Aquaculture plays a big role in global seafood production and its footprint is only growing, said Oyinlola. Food from aquaculture accounts for nearly half of the 171 million tonnes of seafood consumed globally.
But factors such as rising seas, increasing water temperatures, ocean acidity, changes in salinity, and an increase in disease spurred by climate will affect farming Atlantic salmon, Oyinlola said. Warming water temperatures can drop oxygen levels for fish and curb their growth, or boost aquaculture-related diseases and parasitic infections, he added. Farm-raised salmon is B.C.’s highest-valued seafood product and the province’s top agricultural export, according BC Salmon Farmers Association data.


nationalobserver--2020-09-10--Saskatchewan won’t release cost of school repairs

The Saskatchewan government says it disagrees with a Sept. 4 report by the privacy commissioner recommending the education ministry release a breakdown of repair costs for schools in the province .
On Oct. 1 , 2019 , the Opposition NDP filed an access to information request to the ministry asking for the cost of needed repairs and the average Facility Condition Index ( or FCI ) for each school division in Saskatchewan .
The government released the FCI , but withheld the ministry ’ s numbers on how much it would cost to repair schools in each division citing exemptions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Privacy Act ( FOIP ) .
But information and privacy commissioner Ronald J. Kruzeniski found that none of the exemptions cited by the ministry apply and recommended the government reconsider its position and release the numbers , which it has not done .
“ Since certain information is publicly available , and because I have not found any of the exemptions it has raised applies , I recommend that the ministry reconsider its position and release the record at issue in its entirety to the applicant , ” Kruzeniski wrote .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't look away • As B.C .
shutters nightclubs , Trudeau defends choice to phase out CERB “ In regards to a recent report released by the commissioner , we respectfully disagree with the recommendation to release records pertaining to school division maintenance and funding , due to potential economic and budget implications for both the province and divisions , ” education ministry spokesperson Chris Hodges told Canada ’ s National Observer on Wednesday .
The ministry had indicated that the withheld information was “ calculated internally to advise how much money it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The ministry also noted that funding to school divisions is provided through a grant and is unconditional .
It argued that the release of the information may show that funding provided by the ministry for deferred maintenance is “ not being allocated accordingly.
” As such , the release of the information “ can negatively impact ” the government of Saskatchewan and school divisions , the ministry said .
Kruzeniski found that “ based on the ministry ’ s submission , it is unclear what economic interest of the government of Saskatchewan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is released.
” “ In regards to a recent report released by the commissioner , we respectfully disagree with the recommendation to release records pertaining to school division maintenance and funding , '' education ministry spokesperson Chris Hodges .
The province suffers from an infrastructure deficit , with an estimated $ 1.3 billion needed to fix Saskatchewan ’ s schools .
“ With the added costs to school divisions of accommodating COVID-19 requirements , the Sask Party must be transparent in the real costs our province is facing , ” NDP education critic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this shell game .
School divisions , parents and teachers deserve to know what we ’ re up against .
Kids deserve schools that aren ’ t falling apart.
” The NDP said the government 's refusal to provide a breakdown means that there is no clear picture of which school divisions , communities or constituencies are getting repairs and which ones are being left behind .
“ I have to ask why the government has tried so hard to hide this information ?
Why they repeatedly denied requests for this data ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they don ’ t want people to know which schools in this province need the most repairs ?
”

The Saskatchewan government says it disagrees with a Sept. 4 report by the privacy commissioner recommending the education ministry release a breakdown of repair costs for schools in the province.
On Oct. 1, 2019, the Opposition NDP filed an access to information request to the ministry asking for the cost of needed repairs and the average Facility Condition Index (or FCI) for each school division in Saskatchewan.
The government released the FCI, but withheld the ministry’s numbers on how much it would cost to repair schools in each division citing exemptions under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP).
But information and privacy commissioner Ronald J. Kruzeniski found that none of the exemptions cited by the ministry apply and recommended the government reconsider its position and release the numbers, which it has not done.
“Since certain information is publicly available, and because I have not found any of the exemptions it has raised applies, I recommend that the ministry reconsider its position and release the record at issue in its entirety to the applicant,” Kruzeniski wrote.


nationalobserver--2020-09-10--'I just hope everything doesn't start shutting down again,' B.C. chef says, echoing concerns across

'I just hope everything doesn't start shutting down again,' B.C. chef says, echoing concerns across the industry

They ’ ve been the norm for the Squamish Nation chef and food truck owner who specializes in Indigenous fusion cuisine .
Since he opened the business in 2017 , Natrall — better known as “ Mr .
Bannock ” — has been a popular fixture at festivals and other gatherings across B.C.
’ s Lower Mainland .
Not this year .
“ Pre-COVID , in the summertime , we were at huge events , ” he said .
“ We ’ d make good ( money that ) would last us the whole year .
Sadly , that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British Columbia banned gatherings of more than 50 people when the pandemic started in March and most festivals and other events — the heart of Natrall ’ s business — were cancelled this year .
And he was n't alone : Lockdowns and physical-distancing measures have had a dramatic toll on Canada ’ s food service industry as a whole .
Food service sales crashed in April , dropping to $ 2.4 billion for the entire industry — the lowest sales reported in more than 20 years , according to a July survey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spewing propaganda and we ca n't look away • As B.C .
shutters nightclubs , Trudeau defends choice to phase out CERB Restaurants , bars , and caterers like Natrall ( food trucks are technically caterers ) were hit particularly hard , reporting between a 75 per cent to 90 per cent drop that month .
The pandemic hit the food service industry hard : In April , only 614,400 remained employed in the sector — the lowest number since 1982 .
Graph by Restaurants Canada Unsurprisingly , this crash was reflected in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 615,000 laid-off workers in March and April — roughly a fifth of all layoffs in the country .
And another 202,000 people remained employed , but didn ’ t work any hours .
The situation has improved slightly over the summer , with lockdowns easing and patio service making it easier for many establishments to operate , but in July , the industry remained more than 300,000 jobs short of where it was before the pandemic started .
“ It ’ s been very , very tough , ” Mark von Schellwitz , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada , said .
“ Not only where we were , but where we are ( now ) is very difficult.
” “ Pre- # COVID , in the summertime , we were at huge events , ” @ MrBannockFood said .
“ We ’ d make ( enough to ) last us the whole year .
Sadly , that ’ s not the case this year.
” # Restaurant sales crashed in April , dropping to $ 2.4 billion across # foodservice In a recent survey , more than 90 per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they expected their autumn sales to be significantly lower compared to last year — and that it will take several years for them to recover , even if no further restrictions put in place , he said .
The industry already operates on a razor-thin margin , von Schellwitz explained , and the pandemic has forced most establishments to take on significant debt — even with federal and provincial supports .
These supports have proved vital , and maintaining them will be essential to helping the industry as a whole recover within a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before there is a vaccine or pandemic restrictions are lifted , it could take up to three years for the industry to find itself on stable financial ground , he said .
Following the insisting recommendation of @ RestaurantsCA and other business associations , federal government has decided to extend # CECRA rent support program by at least one month .
Thanks .
https : //t.co/8Xyk13skIX # polcan # cdnpoli # rent # covid19 — David Lefebvre ( @ QCRestaurants ) September 8 , 2020 “ Without ongoing and new assistance , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make it , ” warns an August submission from Restaurants Canada to the federal standing committee on industry , science , and technology .
In the meantime , everyone in the industry is doing what they can to stay afloat .
Including Natrall .
“ We ’ ve taken odd jobs here and there , we ’ re offering takeout and pick-up from North Vancouver , and I ’ ve been doing lots of digital media and social media , ” he said .
These moves haven ’ t brought him anywhere close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We signed up for DoorDash and Uber Eats , but it hasn ’ t been busy , ” he said .
Von Schellwitz also pointed out that the service fees these delivery companies charge restaurants mean that , often , they barely break even .
Paul Natrall 's food truck has been a staple at many Vancouver-area events over the past few summers .
Not this year : The pandemic has forced it to stay home most of the time .
Photo by Mr. Bannock and team And as a caterer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or from his main location on one of the Squamish Nation ’ s reserves in North Vancouver .
That ’ s tough for business : Relatively few people pass through the community , he said , especially because of the pandemic .
The nation was on full lockdown until mid-May , and several recently announced cases in the community have Natrall worried — for his community , other Indigenous businesses , food and tourism businesses , and his food truck .
First Nations in B.C .
have been extremely proactive in regard to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other measures preventing a potentially devastating surge of cases in most communities .
That has had a significant impact on tourism operators — including some chefs , Natrall said .
About 91 per cent of Indigenous Tourism BC ’ s stakeholders reported they had to close or operate at a limited capacity because of the pandemic , while 74 per cent of these businesses needed to lay off employees .
“ I just really hope everything doesn ’ t start getting shut down again .
That would be bad , not just for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and beverage industry , ” Natrall said .

Paul Natrall misses balmy, busy, bustling evenings serving bannock at summer festivals. They’ve been the norm for the Squamish Nation chef and food truck owner who specializes in Indigenous fusion cuisine. Since he opened the business in 2017, Natrall — better known as “Mr. Bannock” — has been a popular fixture at festivals and other gatherings across B.C.’s Lower Mainland. Not this year. “Pre-COVID, in the summertime, we were at huge events,” he said. “We’d make good (money that) would last us the whole year. Sadly, that’s not the case this year.” British Columbia banned gatherings of more than 50 people when the pandemic started in March and most festivals and other events — the heart of Natrall’s business — were cancelled this year. And he wasn't alone: Lockdowns and physical-distancing measures have had a dramatic toll on Canada’s food service industry as a whole. Food service sales crashed in April, dropping to $2.4 billion for the entire industry — the lowest sales reported in more than 20 years, according to a July survey by Restaurants Canada.
Restaurants, bars, and caterers like Natrall (food trucks are technically caterers) were hit particularly hard, reporting between a 75 per cent to 90 per cent drop that month. The pandemic hit the food service industry hard: In April, only 614,400 remained employed in the sector — the lowest number since 1982. Graph by Restaurants Canada Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Unsurprisingly, this crash was reflected in dramatic unemployment, with the industry reporting 615,000 laid-off workers in March and April — roughly a fifth of all layoffs in the country. And another 202,000 people remained employed, but didn’t work any hours.
The situation has improved slightly over the summer, with lockdowns easing and patio service making it easier for many establishments to operate, but in July, the industry remained more than 300,000 jobs short of where it was before the pandemic started. “Pre-#COVID, in the summertime, we were at huge events,” @MrBannockFood said. “We’d make (enough to) last us the whole year. Sadly, that’s not the case this year.” #Restaurant sales crashed in April, dropping to $2.4 billion across #foodservice “It’s been very, very tough,” Mark von Schellwitz, Restaurants Canada’s vice-president for Western Canada, said. “Not only where we were, but where we are (now) is very difficult.” In a recent survey, more than 90 per cent of the organization’s members said they expected their autumn sales to be significantly lower compared to last year — and that it will take several years for them to recover, even if no further restrictions put in place, he said. The industry already operates on a razor-thin margin, von Schellwitz explained, and the pandemic has forced most establishments to take on significant debt — even with federal and provincial supports.
These supports have proved vital, and maintaining them will be essential to helping the industry as a whole recover within a year or two. If they end before there is a vaccine or pandemic restrictions are lifted, it could take up to three years for the industry to find itself on stable financial ground, he said. Following the insisting recommendation of @RestaurantsCA and other business associations, federal government has decided to extend #CECRA rent support program by at least one month. Thanks. https://t.co/8Xyk13skIX #polcan #cdnpoli #rent #covid19 — David Boudeweel-Lefebvre (@BoudeweelPA) September 8, 2020 “Without ongoing and new assistance, many in the food service industry will not make it,” warns an August submission from Restaurants Canada to the federal standing committee on industry, science, and technology.