nationalobserver--2020-10-07--How America’s ‘night and day’ crossroads on climate can shape Canada’s future

Every summer , wildfire smoke on the West Coast turns skies in cities on both sides of the United States-Canada border an eerie , apocalyptic orange .
This is the second of a series of stories Emma McIntosh is writing as part of National Observer 's special coverage of the U.S. election .
Read the first story here .
“ It 'll start getting cooler .
You just watch , ” Trump said in September , a statement that clashes with the scientific consensus .
President Donald Trump , who is seeking a second term , has questioned the science @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revived pipelines that were halted under former president Barack Obama , supported the use of emissions-heavy coal , dismantled 70 environmental rules ( and counting ) , opened up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil drilling and pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement .
“ It would be night and day , ” Harrison said of the choice facing American voters .
In the crucial years ahead in the fight against the climate crisis , each country ’ s environmental policy choices will impact the other .
And with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different views on what to do about the environment , this election feels like a crossroads , said Kathryn Harrison , a University of British Columbia political scientist who specializes in climate policy .
That ’ s not the only thing wafting across the border .
Emissions from coal-fired electricity plants in the United States contribute to a changing climate globally and in Canada , which is warming twice as fast as the global average .
“ I think the social movement that is going on right now is going to demand a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ I think Biden will bring it in faster.
” A Biden victory could accelerate broader shifts to clean energy and have a huge impact on Canada ’ s oil and gas sector , said Warren Mabee , director of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Policy at Queen 's University .
Even beyond the climate impacts , the fact that the U.S. is Canada ’ s top trading partner means America ’ s path forward will shape our economy as much as theirs .
In general , his plan would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in terms of ambition ” than Trump , Harrison said .
“ When I think about climate change , the word I think of is ‘ jobs , ’ ” Biden said in August .
It includes a US $ 2-trillion plan to get the country to net-zero emissions by 2050 — Canada ’ s Liberal government has made a similar promise — and proposals to crack down on top polluters who disproportionately harm low-income communities and communities of colour .
The platform also includes pledges to increase the country ’ s use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers transition and build green infrastructure to drive economic recovery from COVID-19 .
“ If Trump wins ...
I think it would be disastrous for the planet , for people ’ s health , ” she said .
“ That would be a very distressing outcome.
” A Trump victory would mean another four years in which the U.S. makes no progress on climate , Harrison said .
President Trump points to forest management as the cause of the wildfires in the West , but avoids specifics on his climate change beliefs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ now , Biden is ahead in the polls .
But Trump ’ s COVID-19 diagnosis has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the entire campaign , and no outcome is guaranteed .
‘ The longer we are out of line with the U.S. , the harder it is ’ Historically , Canada has followed the U.S. on climate action .
That ’ s because our markets are very integrated , and it can be challenging for Canadian businesses to compete with American ones if they ’ re subject to different rules , Harrison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of step before .
The U.S. and Canada originally committed to similar climate targets under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol , but the U.S. dropped out in 2001 .
When Canada tried to forge ahead anyway , industries lobbied against it , frustrated that they ’ d have harsher rules than businesses south of the border , Harrison said .
“ There was significant risk that Canadian manufacturers would be at an economic disadvantage , ” Harrison said .
“ We didn ’ t ( implement ) the kind of policies that were needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Harper government withdrew.
” Our two countries are currently out of step again : “ We 're ahead of the U.S. on carbon pricing , ” said John Dillon , a senior vice-president at the Business Council of Canada .
Canada has a carbon tax that ’ s scheduled to increase until 2022 , while the U.S. has no such national policy .
Though Canada ’ s federal and provincial carbon tax systems include adjustments to help Canadian businesses compete against American ones , that flexibility doesn ’ t fully even the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four years with a president who doesn ’ t make climate a priority “ doesn ’ t really change much ” in that department , Dillon added .
Difficulty could arise further down the road , Harrison said .
Canada ’ s federal government will have to increase the carbon tax significantly beyond what ’ s planned for 2022 if we ’ re to meet our current emissions-reduction targets under the Paris Agreement , a 2019 report by the Ecofiscal Commission found .
The Liberal government has refused to speculate about whether that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be politically challenging for any government to raise the tax if U.S. industries aren ’ t subject to similar rules , Harrison said .
“ The longer we are out of line with the U.S. , the harder it is to raise that carbon price … after 2022 because Canadian industries will complain , ” Harrison said .
Neither Trump nor Biden has outlined plans for a carbon price , and previous attempts to pass such legislation in the U.S. have failed .
But Biden has said he would , if elected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carbon-intensive imports from countries that don ’ t meet their climate obligations .
“ They could only justify that legally if they had their own carbon pricing regime in the United States , ” Dillon said .
It ’ s unclear , however , what such a scheme could look like and how it would affect trade between the U.S. and Canada .
A Biden victory doesn ’ t guarantee a walk in the park for environmentalists — passing legislation is up to Congress , and it ’ s unclear which party will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Representatives .
Biden was witness to such pushback when he was vice-president to Obama , who ran into significant roadblocks when he tried to pass climate legislation .
Biden would likely also face a steep lobbying effort from industry in the U.S. At the very least , a Biden victory would likely mean an American climate agenda that ’ s more closely aligned with Canada ’ s , Harrison added .
“ I think we would be in the nice position of being able to follow a leader again , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Canada to lead because we ’ re the small player in this relationship .
When the U.S. starts leading , it reverberates around the world , but especially in Canada.
” The U.S. under a Biden administration could be a good influence on us , Harrison said .
If the U.S. starts using stricter emissions standards for cars , for example , Canadian automakers would likely need to do the same since auto production in North America is quite integrated .
Canada might also be in a good position to do business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pursue Biden ’ s net-zero plan , Dillon said .
Many Canadian provinces have excess hydroelectricity that could be sold to the U.S. if new power lines could be built , and many of the precious metals needed for clean technologies such as solar panels and electric vehicles are made in Canada .
“ That 's certainly an opportunity for Canadian manufacturers , ” he said .
In other ways , it might be more complicated , Mabee said .
The U.S. is a major importer of Canadian fossil fuels , and if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troubling for Canada ’ s oil and gas industry .
Biden has already said he would cancel the Keystone XL pipeline , which would carry Alberta oil to American refineries on the Gulf Coast .
Mabee said he believes global markets are shifting more towards clean power anyway , and although a Trump victory wouldn ’ t change that , a Biden win has the potential to accelerate it .
Canada ’ s fossil fuel industry must figure out how to harness its technology and knowledge to adjust to a world that increasingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I think what the oil industry needs to be doing is really looking at this as a global change in markets , ” Mabee said , pointing to energy giant BP ’ s prediction last month that oil demand could peak this decade and never recover .
“ The writing is on the wall.
” To enact his climate agenda , Biden would have to win the election .
And although he ’ s favoured right now , a lot can happen between now and Nov. 3 .
To take the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to win over both progressives and centrists , some of whom may have voted for Trump in 2016 .
And when it comes to the climate file , that can result in an interesting balancing act .
Take , for example , Biden ’ s outlook on oil and gas .
While he has spoken out against Keystone XL , he has also said he won ’ t ban fracking , which is an economic driver in certain swing states , like Pennsylvania , that Biden needs to win .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calculus , ” Harrison said .
Environmental organizations criticized Biden ’ s climate goals when he was seeking the Democratic nomination .
He ’ s since won a few over — he struck a committee that included popular progressives like U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and released a more expansive environmental plan .
And although Biden has distanced himself from the idea of a Green New Deal , calling it “ not my plan , ” it does have some similarities to the Democratic nominee ’ s climate strategy .
We won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until the election results are tallied .
No matter which way the vote goes and which path the U.S. chooses on climate , it will have ripple effects for Canada , Harrison said .
Because the U.S. has a large economy and a significant share of global emissions , it has a huge impact on international discussions around climate , even beyond repercussions for trade .
Harrison pointed to some famous words spoken by the late prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau in 1969 .
“ Living next to you is in some ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said in a speech in Washington , D.C. “ No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast , if I can call it that , one is affected by every twitch and grunt.
” When it comes to environmental rules , that remains the case for Canada , Harrison said .
“ Canada is still in this tricky situation .
”

“It would be night and day,” Harrison said of the choice facing American voters.
In the crucial years ahead in the fight against the climate crisis, each country’s environmental policy choices will impact the other. And with the U.S. choosing between presidential candidates with radically different views on what to do about the environment, this election feels like a crossroads, said Kathryn Harrison , a University of British Columbia political scientist who specializes in climate policy.
That’s not the only thing wafting across the border. Emissions from coal-fired electricity plants in the United States contribute to a changing climate globally and in Canada, which is warming twice as fast as the global average.
Every summer, wildfire smoke on the West Coast turns skies in cities on both sides of the United States-Canada border an eerie, apocalyptic orange.
This is the second of a series of stories Emma McIntosh is writing as part of National Observer's special coverage of the U.S. election . Read the first , third , fourth , fifth and sixth stories here.
A Trump victory would mean another four years in which the U.S. makes no progress on climate, Harrison said.
“It'll start getting cooler. You just watch,” Trump said in September, a statement that clashes with the scientific consensus.
President Donald Trump, who is seeking a second term, has questioned the science of climate change. His administration has revived pipelines that were halted under former president Barack Obama, supported the use of emissions-heavy coal, dismantled 70 environmental rules ( and counting ), opened up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil drilling and pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement .
In general, his plan would bring a “higher level of motivation in terms of ambition” than Trump, Harrison said.
“When I think about climate change, the word I think of is ‘jobs,’” Biden said in August.
It includes a US$2-trillion plan to get the country to net-zero emissions by 2050 — Canada’s Liberal government has made a similar promise — and proposals to crack down on top polluters who disproportionately harm low-income communities and communities of colour. The platform also includes pledges to increase the country’s use of clean energy, help fossil fuel workers transition and build green infrastructure to drive economic recovery from COVID-19.
“If Trump wins ... I think it would be disastrous for the planet, for people’s health,” she said. “That would be a very distressing outcome.”
“I think the social movement that is going on right now is going to demand a shift to cleaner energy,” Mabee said. “I think Biden will bring it in faster.”
A Biden victory could accelerate broader shifts to clean energy and have a huge impact on Canada’s oil and gas sector, said Warren Mabee , director of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Policy at Queen's University.
Even beyond the climate impacts, the fact that the U.S. is Canada’s top trading partner means America’s path forward will shape our economy as much as theirs.
Right now, Biden is ahead in the polls. But Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the entire campaign, and no outcome is guaranteed.
President Trump points to forest management as the cause of the wildfires in the West, but avoids specifics on his climate change beliefs. #Debates2020 https://t.co/McrHYPnMbj pic.twitter.com/EIBsZYXZ1W — CNBC (@CNBC) September 30, 2020
‘The longer we are out of line with the U.S., the harder it is’
Historically, Canada has followed the U.S. on climate action. That’s because our markets are very integrated, and it can be challenging for Canadian businesses to compete with American ones if they’re subject to different rules, Harrison said.
We’ve been out of step before. The U.S. and Canada originally committed to similar climate targets under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, but the U.S. dropped out in 2001. When Canada tried to forge ahead anyway, industries lobbied against it, frustrated that they’d have harsher rules than businesses south of the border, Harrison said.
“There was significant risk that Canadian manufacturers would be at an economic disadvantage,” Harrison said. “We didn’t (implement) the kind of policies that were needed to meet our targets, and eventually the Harper government withdrew.”
Our two countries are currently out of step again: “We're ahead of the U.S. on carbon pricing,” said John Dillon, a senior vice-president at the Business Council of Canada.
Canada has a carbon tax that’s scheduled to increase until 2022, while the U.S. has no such national policy.
Though Canada’s federal and provincial carbon tax systems include adjustments to help Canadian businesses compete against American ones, that flexibility doesn’t fully even the playing field, Dillon said. Another four years with a president who doesn’t make climate a priority “doesn’t really change much” in that department, Dillon added.
Difficulty could arise further down the road, Harrison said. Canada’s federal government will have to increase the carbon tax significantly beyond what’s planned for 2022 if we’re to meet our current emissions-reduction targets under the Paris Agreement, a 2019 report by the Ecofiscal Commission found.
The Liberal government has refused to speculate about whether that price will increase beyond 2022. It will be politically challenging for any government to raise the tax if U.S. industries aren’t subject to similar rules, Harrison said.
“The longer we are out of line with the U.S., the harder it is to raise that carbon price … after 2022 because Canadian industries will complain,” Harrison said.
Neither Trump nor Biden has outlined plans for a carbon price, and previous attempts to pass such legislation in the U.S. have failed. But Biden has said he would, if elected, impose adjustment fees or quotas on carbon-intensive imports from countries that don’t meet their climate obligations.
“They could only justify that legally if they had their own carbon pricing regime in the United States,” Dillon said.
It’s unclear, however, what such a scheme could look like and how it would affect trade between the U.S. and Canada.
A Biden victory doesn’t guarantee a walk in the park for environmentalists — passing legislation is up to Congress, and it’s unclear which party will control the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. Biden was witness to such pushback when he was vice-president to Obama, who ran into significant roadblocks when he tried to pass climate legislation. Biden would likely also face a steep lobbying effort from industry in the U.S.
At the very least, a Biden victory would likely mean an American climate agenda that’s more closely aligned with Canada’s, Harrison added.
“I think we would be in the nice position of being able to follow a leader again,” she said. “It’s hard for Canada to lead because we’re the small player in this relationship. When the U.S. starts leading, it reverberates around the world, but especially in Canada.”
The U.S. under a Biden administration could be a good influence on us, Harrison said. If the U.S. starts using stricter emissions standards for cars, for example, Canadian automakers would likely need to do the same since auto production in North America is quite integrated.
Canada might also be in a good position to do business with the U.S. if it were to pursue Biden’s net-zero plan, Dillon said. Many Canadian provinces have excess hydroelectricity that could be sold to the U.S. if new power lines could be built, and many of the precious metals needed for clean technologies such as solar panels and electric vehicles are made in Canada.
“That's certainly an opportunity for Canadian manufacturers,” he said.
In other ways, it might be more complicated, Mabee said. The U.S. is a major importer of Canadian fossil fuels, and if demand there drops, that would be troubling for Canada’s oil and gas industry. Biden has already said he would cancel the Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry Alberta oil to American refineries on the Gulf Coast.
Mabee said he believes global markets are shifting more towards clean power anyway, and although a Trump victory wouldn’t change that, a Biden win has the potential to accelerate it. Canada’s fossil fuel industry must figure out how to harness its technology and knowledge to adjust to a world that increasingly relies on clean energy, he added.
“I think what the oil industry needs to be doing is really looking at this as a global change in markets,” Mabee said, pointing to energy giant BP’s prediction last month that oil demand could peak this decade and never recover.
“The writing is on the wall.”
NEW: Today @JoeBiden became the FIRST presidential nominee to release an ad focused solely on climate change. Climate isn't just an urgent issue, it's a winning issue.
The new spot running in the Traverse City-Cadillac market features Michigan cherry farmers. Check it out: pic.twitter.com/xdGO9mZOik — DJ Koessler (@DJKoessler) October 6, 2020
Biden’s road ahead
To enact his climate agenda, Biden would have to win the election. And although he’s favoured right now, a lot can happen between now and Nov. 3.
To take the White House, the former vice-president will have to win over both progressives and centrists, some of whom may have voted for Trump in 2016. And when it comes to the climate file, that can result in an interesting balancing act.
Take, for example, Biden’s outlook on oil and gas. While he has spoken out against Keystone XL, he has also said he won’t ban fracking, which is an economic driver in certain swing states, like Pennsylvania, that Biden needs to win.
“I think that’s part of the calculus,” Harrison said.
Environmental organizations criticized Biden’s climate goals when he was seeking the Democratic nomination. He’s since won a few over — he struck a committee that included popular progressives like U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and released a more expansive environmental plan.
And although Biden has distanced himself from the idea of a Green New Deal, calling it “not my plan,” it does have some similarities to the Democratic nominee’s climate strategy.
“He moved left,” Harrison said.
We won’t know how well that plays with voters until the election results are tallied.
No matter which way the vote goes and which path the U.S. chooses on climate, it will have ripple effects for Canada, Harrison said. Because the U.S. has a large economy and a significant share of global emissions, it has a huge impact on international discussions around climate, even beyond repercussions for trade.
Harrison pointed to some famous words spoken by the late prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau in 1969.
“Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant,” he said in a speech in Washington, D.C.
“No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt.”
When it comes to environmental rules, that remains the case for Canada, Harrison said.
“Canada is still in this tricky situation.”


nationalobserver--2020-10-07--Facey banks on forestry expertise as B.C. Liberal candidate for North Island

Norm Facey , the B.C .
Liberal party candidate for North Island , says he was born and raised in the province ’ s forestry industry .
Following his grandfather and father into the sector , Facey worked weekends and summers in mills and ran boom boats and tugs before heading to university for an engineering degree that saw him work his way into management positions for large mills and forestry companies .
“ And I 'm pretty good at pulling people together to resolve them , which sort of describes the progression of my career as I worked my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels of leadership.
” The Campbell River resident ’ s most recent stint in the sector saw him in executive positions at Western Forest Products from 2007 to 2012 , his last three years as senior vice-president of timberlands .
• Canada Pension Plan fuels the climate crisis with our own retirement savings • Alberta ’ s pipeline dreams could be riding on the U.S. election Before that , he was Catalyst Paper ’ s vice-president of operations for the former Elk Falls Mill in Campbell River .
North Island has been hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NDP government has aggravated , said Facey .
“ The NDP ( and ) our previous MLA in particular were just absent when it comes to forestry issues , particularly over the last 12 to 18 months , ” said Facey .
More than 3,000 Vancouver Island forestry workers spent eight months on strike before ratifying a new agreement with Western Forest Products in February .
The strike hit North Island families and communities hard , particularly in Port Hardy and Port McNeill .
Though challenged , the forestry sector is critical for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Norm Facey , @ bcliberals candidate for North Island , says government needs to help `` get forestry back on its feet ” as part of its COVID-19 recovery plan .
# bcpoli @ ForestryBC “ There has to be a willingness to listen and go in and actually get forestry back on its feet , ” said Facey , adding that revitalizing the industry sustainably will be a priority .
Beyond forestry , COVID-19 recovery is a key election issue , said Facey , as is the issue of homelessness , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
“ How are we going to manage the economic recovery in an inclusive manner so that we do n't leave anyone behind ?
I mean , that 's just a huge challenge , ” he said .
Facey recognizes the riding , held by the NDP 's Claire Trevena since 2005 , will be tricky to capture .
“ But part of my passion for running is that I do n't appreciate the fact that we 're being called back to vote in the midst of a pandemic.
” Given Trevena @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Oct. 24 vote , the race will be more competitive , Facey said .
Facey is running against NDP candidate Michele Babchuk , the B.C .
Green party ’ s Alexandra Morton and B.C .
Conservative candidate John Twigg .
The NDP captured 48 per cent of the vote in the 2017 election in the North Island riding , followed by the B.C .
Liberals at 35 per cent and the B.C .
Greens with 15 per cent .

Norm Facey, the B.C. Liberal party candidate for North Island, says he was born and raised in the province’s forestry industry. Following his grandfather and father into the sector, Facey worked weekends and summers in mills and ran boom boats and tugs before heading to university for an engineering degree that saw him work his way into management positions for large mills and forestry companies. “I love complex problems,” said Facey. “And I'm pretty good at pulling people together to resolve them, which sort of describes the progression of my career as I worked my way primarily through paper mills into executive levels of leadership.” The Campbell River resident’s most recent stint in the sector saw him in executive positions at Western Forest Products from 2007 to 2012, his last three years as senior vice-president of timberlands.
Before that, he was Catalyst Paper’s vice-president of operations for the former Elk Falls Mill in Campbell River. North Island has been hard hit by a forestry crisis that the NDP government has aggravated, said Facey. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “The NDP (and) our previous MLA in particular were just absent when it comes to forestry issues, particularly over the last 12 to 18 months,” said Facey.
More than 3,000 Vancouver Island forestry workers spent eight months on strike before ratifying a new agreement with Western Forest Products in February. Norm Facey, @bcliberals candidate for North Island, says government needs to help "get forestry back on its feet” as part of its COVID-19 recovery plan. #bcpoli @ForestryBC The strike hit North Island families and communities hard, particularly in Port Hardy and Port McNeill. Though challenged, the forestry sector is critical for North Island communities, Facey said. “There has to be a willingness to listen and go in and actually get forestry back on its feet,” said Facey, adding that revitalizing the industry sustainably will be a priority. Beyond forestry, COVID-19 recovery is a key election issue, said Facey, as is the issue of homelessness, which he noted has been exacerbated by the pandemic.
“How are we going to manage the economic recovery in an inclusive manner so that we don't leave anyone behind? I mean, that's just a huge challenge,” he said. Facey recognizes the riding, held by the NDP's Claire Trevena since 2005, will be tricky to capture. “We’re the definite underdog,” Facey said.


nationalobserver--2020-10-07--Mason jars in short supply after pandemic summer

A professional jam-maker needs fruit , sugar and Mason jars to put them in .
Until this year , the jars were the least of Geneviève Blanchet ’ s concerns .
“ I never had to worry about ( finding jars ) , ” said Blanchet , who owns Le Meadow ’ s Pantry , a handcrafted jam and preserves company , and sells her goods at farmers markets and cafés across Vancouver .
This spring , when COVID-19 sent Canadians into a cooking frenzy , canning jars and the rubberized lids essential to make the preserves safe to eat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Columbia .
They ’ ve been in short supply ever since .
“ I just went to Canadian Tire and places like that that always have ( canning supplies ) , especially in the summer .
Then , suddenly , it was strange : ( they ) only had a couple cases left .
I started looking around regular grocery stores , where they were ( also ) quickly disappearing , ” she said .
Blanchet cooks all day at least four days a week , making hundreds of jars of preserves — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clients across the city .
And while many do return their empties , it ’ s never enough to keep up with her weekly demand .
• Canada Pension Plan fuels the climate crisis with our own retirement savings • Alberta ’ s pipeline dreams could be riding on the U.S. election It 's not only that , she said .
Mason jars hold the preserves , but special rubberized lids are needed to create the hermetic seal that protects preserves from bacterial contamination .
Those lids have also been in short supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been able to produce this summer .
Geneviève Blanchet could n't find one-litre Mason jars for more than a month this summer .
That meant she could only sell small jars at farmers markets , which cut into her profits .
Photo by Geneviève Blanchet “ For a few weeks , I didn ’ t have the litre- ( sized jars of jam ) at the farmers market , ” she said , adding she couldn ’ t find the jars and lids anywhere in the Lower Mainland .
Blanchet isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rush to buy canning supplies .
“ We get a lot of requests , ” said Mel Lee , who works at Welk 's General Store in Vancouver .
The store gets calls and walk-ins asking for the supplies on an almost daily basis , she said .
“ ( We tell them ) not here , not anywhere.
” This spring , as COVID-19 sent Canadians into a cooking frenzy , canning jars started vanishing from store shelves across British Columbia .
They ’ ve been in short supply ever since .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ her for advice all summer as they dive into preserve-making , both to stay busy and to enhance their own food security .
But she anticipates this will be short-lived after Vancouverites realize how much work goes into a pot of jam .
“ We ’ re just going to look at all the garage sales in the spring and the jars will be there , ” she joked .
Back at Welk ’ s General Store , Lee said the Mason jar drought reaches far beyond B.C .
As demand soared earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more from the North American distributor of Bernardin , Canada ’ s largest producer of canning supplies .
“ They couldn ’ t fulfil any of it , so they just cancelled .
We tried , but it was a fruitless endeavour , ” she quipped .
“ Everyone wants to get back ( to their ) human roots ” during the pandemic , said Mel Lee of Welk 's General Store in Vancouver .
For many , that has meant an urban back-to-the-land movement — and a rush to purchase canning supplies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mason jars and rubberized lids the only items in short supply .
“ ( Sales have ) gone in waves , ” she said .
“ Wave one was puzzles .
Wave two : Dutch ovens , everyone was making sourdough .
A lot of self-care , face masks and candles .
And also houseplants .
There ’ s a huge houseplant shortage right now.
” That makes for stressful times for everyone , said Lee .

A professional jam-maker needs fruit, sugar and Mason jars to put them in. Until this year, the jars were the least of Geneviève Blanchet’s concerns. “I never had to worry about (finding jars),” said Blanchet, who owns Le Meadow’s Pantry, a handcrafted jam and preserves company, and sells her goods at farmers markets and cafés across Vancouver. This spring, when COVID-19 sent Canadians into a cooking frenzy, canning jars and the rubberized lids essential to make the preserves safe to eat started vanishing from store shelves across British Columbia. They’ve been in short supply ever since. “I just went to Canadian Tire and places like that that always have (canning supplies), especially in the summer. Then, suddenly, it was strange: (they) only had a couple cases left. I started looking around regular grocery stores, where they were (also) quickly disappearing,” she said. Blanchet cooks all day at least four days a week, making hundreds of jars of preserves — jams, marmalades, jellies — for clients across the city. And while many do return their empties, it’s never enough to keep up with her weekly demand.
It's not only that, she said. Mason jars hold the preserves, but special rubberized lids are needed to create the hermetic seal that protects preserves from bacterial contamination. Those lids have also been in short supply, limiting the amount of jam she has been able to produce this summer. Geneviève Blanchet couldn't find one-litre Mason jars for more than a month this summer. That meant she could only sell small jars at farmers markets, which cut into her profits. Photo by Geneviève Blanchet Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “For a few weeks, I didn’t have the litre-(sized jars of jam) at the farmers market,” she said, adding she couldn’t find the jars and lids anywhere in the Lower Mainland.
Blanchet isn’t the only one astounded by the rush to buy canning supplies. This spring, as COVID-19 sent Canadians into a cooking frenzy, canning jars started vanishing from store shelves across British Columbia. They’ve been in short supply ever since. #pandemickitchen “We get a lot of requests,” said Mel Lee, who works at Welk's General Store in Vancouver. The store gets calls and walk-ins asking for the supplies on an almost daily basis, she said. “(We tell them) not here, not anywhere.” That doesn’t surprise Blanchet. She has had people asking her for advice all summer as they dive into preserve-making, both to stay busy and to enhance their own food security. But she anticipates this will be short-lived after Vancouverites realize how much work goes into a pot of jam.
“We’re just going to look at all the garage sales in the spring and the jars will be there,” she joked. Back at Welk’s General Store, Lee said the Mason jar drought reaches far beyond B.C. As demand soared earlier this year, she tried to order more from the North American distributor of Bernardin, Canada’s largest producer of canning supplies. “They couldn’t fulfil any of it, so they just cancelled. We tried, but it was a fruitless endeavour,” she quipped.


nationalobserver--2020-10-07--Countrywide single-use plastics ban aims to eliminate straws, stir sticks, bags

OTTAWA — Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says six single-use plastic items that aren ’ t easily recycled and already have more environmentally friendly alternatives will be the first to go under Canada ’ s new restrictions on plastics .
That means it ’ s the end of the road for plastic straws , stir sticks , carry-out bags , cutlery , Styrofoam dishes and takeout containers and six-pack rings for cans and bottles .
The proposed ban still has to go through the government ’ s regulatory process , but Wilkinson said the goal is to have it in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also said a ban is just one part of a zero-plastic waste strategy that includes making plastics that aren ’ t being banned easier to recycle by standardizing their production and creating a market for recycled plastic by requiring most plastic packaging to include recycled material .
A discussion paper released today suggests that at least half the content of some plastic items should be recycled material by 2030 , the same year more than half of all plastic packaging needs to be reused or recycled .
• Canada Pension Plan fuels the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • The most sadistic figure in the Trump administration has the coronavirus .
Is it wrong to cheer ?
Canadians throw away more than three million tonnes of plastic every year , and less than one-tenth of it is recycled .
Even when we think it ’ s being recycled because we put it into the blue bin on the curb , there are so few options for recycling here or abroad that much of that is still eventually trucked to a garbage dump .
`` I know it is presently hard to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a single-use plastic item , particularly around packaging on food , '' Wilkinson said .
`` You use it , you throw it in the recycling bin and more often than not it ends up in a landfill .
This has to change . ''
Sarah King , head of Greenpeace Canada ’ s plastics and oceans campaign , said Wednesday this proposed plastics strategy is nowhere close to the full ban on producing single-use plastics that is needed .
She said at the very least , bottles and coffee cups and lids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banned items , and was disappointed there was no funding or specific plan to show a path toward getting more plastic recycled .
`` I think the government in general thinks this is a balanced approach but the reality is this is an urgent situation , '' said King .
Wilkinson said the new standards for plastic content will spur investments in a domestic recycling industry that is currently quite small .
A 2019 report commissioned by Environment Canada said there are fewer than a dozen recycling companies in Canada .
The proposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through a regulatory process , but the federal government 's goal is to have it in place by the end of 2021 .
The Alberta government announced Tuesday it wants to position itself as western North America ’ s epicentre for plastics diversion and recycling by 2030 .
Wilkinson said he thinks that dovetails nicely with Ottawa ’ s plastics plan , which he stressed is not zero plastics , but rather zero plastic waste .
He stressed repeatedly bans are only going to be applied to a small number of products that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Plastics are very useful and we all use them , '' he said .
`` We just need to make sure that we ’ re not throwing them in the landfill or dumping them in the ocean .
We need to ensure that they stay in the economy and that is exactly what this plan is aiming to do . ''
Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage was less certain .
She said plastic continues to be the foundation of the modern world and the province ’ s petrochemical industry needs to be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They have to approach everything as in do no harm , '' Savage said in Calgary Wednesday .
`` Don ’ t damage us any further .
Don ’ t harm us in Alberta .
Stay in your own lane .
Stay within your own constitutional bounds and let Albertans get back to work . ''
Canada intends to add plastics to a list of toxic items under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act , a designation that comes after a scientific assessment found plastics to be harmful .
Designating them as toxic is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the planned items .
A need to beef up domestic recycling arose in 2018 , when China stopped accepting foreign plastics for recycling because it was tired of that material arriving loaded down with garbage that could not be recycled .

OTTAWA — Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says six single-use plastic items that aren’t easily recycled and already have more environmentally friendly alternatives will be the first to go under Canada’s new restrictions on plastics. That means it’s the end of the road for plastic straws, stir sticks, carry-out bags, cutlery, Styrofoam dishes and takeout containers and six-pack rings for cans and bottles. The proposed ban still has to go through the government’s regulatory process, but Wilkinson said the goal is to have it in place by the end of 2021. He also said a ban is just one part of a zero-plastic waste strategy that includes making plastics that aren’t being banned easier to recycle by standardizing their production and creating a market for recycled plastic by requiring most plastic packaging to include recycled material. A discussion paper released today suggests that at least half the content of some plastic items should be recycled material by 2030, the same year more than half of all plastic packaging needs to be reused or recycled.
Canadians throw away more than three million tonnes of plastic every year, and less than one-tenth of it is recycled. Even when we think it’s being recycled because we put it into the blue bin on the curb, there are so few options for recycling here or abroad that much of that is still eventually trucked to a garbage dump. "I know it is presently hard to come back from the grocery store without a single-use plastic item, particularly around packaging on food," Wilkinson said. "You use it, you throw it in the recycling bin and more often than not it ends up in a landfill. This has to change." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Sarah King, head of Greenpeace Canada’s plastics and oceans campaign, said Wednesday this proposed plastics strategy is nowhere close to the full ban on producing single-use plastics that is needed.
She said at the very least, bottles and coffee cups and lids needed to be on the list of banned items, and was disappointed there was no funding or specific plan to show a path toward getting more plastic recycled. The proposed single-use plastics ban still has to go through a regulatory process, but the federal government's goal is to have it in place by the end of 2021. "I think the government in general thinks this is a balanced approach but the reality is this is an urgent situation," said King. Wilkinson said the new standards for plastic content will spur investments in a domestic recycling industry that is currently quite small. A 2019 report commissioned by Environment Canada said there are fewer than a dozen recycling companies in Canada. The Alberta government announced Tuesday it wants to position itself as western North America’s epicentre for plastics diversion and recycling by 2030. Wilkinson said he thinks that dovetails nicely with Ottawa’s plastics plan, which he stressed is not zero plastics, but rather zero plastic waste.
He stressed repeatedly bans are only going to be applied to a small number of products that are really hard to recycle. "Plastics are very useful and we all use them," he said. "We just need to make sure that we’re not throwing them in the landfill or dumping them in the ocean. We need to ensure that they stay in the economy and that is exactly what this plan is aiming to do." Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage was less certain.


nationalobserver--2020-10-07--Sexualized onions: Facebook reverses ban on Newfoundland seed company's ad

ST. JOHN ’ S , N.L .
— Facebook has reversed its decision to prevent a seed company in Newfoundland from using a photo of a pile of onions , which the social media giant had deemed `` overtly sexual . ''
Jackson McLean , the manager of Gaze Seed Co. in St. John ’ s , said Facebook approved the online advertisement on Wednesday after he asked for a review of the ban .
McLean said he was setting up ads for the onion seeds when he got an error response back from the site .
`` A couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I looked into it further to see what the error was , and for the onion photo it said that it was overtly sexual , '' he said .
McLean said there was nothing sexual about the ad for the Walla Walla sweet onion seeds .
A photo on the packaging shows several whole onions piled in a wicker basket and a few sliced onions in the foreground .
• Canada Pension Plan fuels the climate crisis with our own retirement savings • The most sadistic figure in the Trump administration has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheer ?
`` There was something about the round shapes being next to each other that set off some trigger , '' he said .
McLean thought it was funny and decided to post a couple of screenshots .
`` I knew that our Facebook audience would get a kick out of it as well , '' McLean said .
He said the other error that popped up was for Little Marvel peas , which were flagged as promoting alcohol consumption .
McLean said while he actually hasn ’ t heard anything back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could lie with its algorithm .
`` They might have to do some tweaking there , because there is nothing about the peas that has anything to do with alcohol , '' he said .
`` I haven ’ t heard it from anyone from Facebook at all ... we can only guess . ''
Facebook approved an online ad featuring what it had initially deemed an `` overtly sexual '' photo of onions after a Newfoundland seed company asked for a review of the ban .
Meg Sinclair , head of communications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s filtering technology .
“ We use automated technology to keep nudity off our apps , but sometimes it doesn ’ t know a Walla Walla onion from a , well , you know , '' Sinclair said .
`` We restored the ad and are sorry for the business ’ s trouble.
” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7 , 2020 .

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Facebook has reversed its decision to prevent a seed company in Newfoundland from using a photo of a pile of onions, which the social media giant had deemed "overtly sexual."
Jackson McLean, the manager of Gaze Seed Co. in St. John’s, said Facebook approved the online advertisement on Wednesday after he asked for a review of the ban.
McLean said he was setting up ads for the onion seeds when he got an error response back from the site.
"A couple of them came back with errors, and I looked into it further to see what the error was, and for the onion photo it said that it was overtly sexual," he said.
McLean said there was nothing sexual about the ad for the Walla Walla sweet onion seeds. A photo on the packaging shows several whole onions piled in a wicker basket and a few sliced onions in the foreground.


nationalobserver--2020-10-07--Annamie Paul wonders if Toronto byelection will still be held

Green Party Leader Annamie Paul says she ’ s wondering if the upcoming Toronto byelection she ’ s running in “ is even going to continue , ” as the city is hit with a wave of COVID-19 and public health authorities call for new restrictions .
Paul is not formally calling for the Toronto Centre byelection to be called off .
But she said Wednesday morning that she will be speaking with volunteers and team members who live in the riding and asking them what the situation is like .
“ I will definitely have something to say about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she told Canada ’ s National Observer .
“ I 'm wondering if that byelection is even going to continue .
I think that that ’ s a really big question mark , ” said Paul .
“ We can only expect things to be getting worse ... you get to a point where you say , 'We do not have the conditions for a free and fair and democratic election . '
” The newly-elected leader has been raising serious questions about how the byelection will be carried out under the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Ontario government is facing mounting pressure to close gyms , indoor dining at restaurants and bars , and move to essential outings only , including from Toronto ’ s Medical Officer of Health , Dr. Eileen de Villa .
Paul said two neighbourhoods in Toronto Centre that are low-income and racialized , Moss Park and St. James Town , are being hit particularly hard .
• Canada Pension Plan fuels the climate crisis with our own retirement savings • The most sadistic figure in the Trump administration has the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is a fluid situation .
I 'm extremely concerned about what I ’ m hearing today .
What I ’ m hearing today is that a day or two from now , we may have all our restaurants and public places closed , '' she said .
`` It ’ s not just for me to answer , but my question is , are these the circumstances under which we should be holding a free and fair election ? ''
As Paul and the other candidates battle for the seat formerly held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his position as Liberal finance minister and as an MP in August , Paul said they will have fewer and fewer opportunities to meet and speak with community members before the Oct. 26 vote .
Another byelection is also scheduled for the same day in the Toronto-area riding of York Centre .
Canada 's Chief Electoral Officer Stéphane Perrault submitted a report to Parliament Oct. 5 that recommends a temporary new law , to expire six months after the next general election , that would modify some provisions of the Canada Elections Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election date from a one-day , 12-hour period on a Monday to a two-day , 16-hour period over Saturday and Sunday .
It would also authorize Perrault to `` determine how and when voting will occur in long-term care facilities '' and provide further adjustments `` in an emergency situation '' to respond to the pandemic .
Perrault 's report warned that physical distancing at polling locations `` may mean that the voting process will take longer during the pandemic '' as it will lead to limits on voters or workers allowed near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` likely impact the availability of polling places , '' he wrote , as some landlords may decline to open their doors .
The recruitment of election workers to administer polling stations would be `` a significant challenge '' as potential workers `` may feel that the risk of infection is too high to work during the election , '' in particular those 60 years old or over , who are especially vulnerable to the virus , and who made up almost half of election workers in 2019 , the report also noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the upcoming # TorontoCentre byelection she ’ s running in “ is even going to continue , '' as health authorities call for new COVID-19 restrictions .
`` I think that that ’ s a really big question mark . ''
Paul said the myriad complications should raise alarm bells .
`` I ’ m trying to understand how or why the prime minister would have called , and would continue to hold an election , under circumstances where he knows that people who want to vote , are not going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada has not been able to change the rules in time for this byelection to happen ? ''
she said .
The Green leader spoke with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday evening .
She said she spoke to him before the latest COVID-19 updates , and had primarily focused on the Green Party ’ s reaction to the Speech from the Throne , so she did not address the byelection issue .
“ I didn ’ t have the opportunity to ask that particular question to him , but I certainly would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been speaking today , '' she said .
`` The situation is not stable .
It ’ s getting worse every day . ''

Green Party Leader Annamie Paul says she’s wondering if the upcoming Toronto byelection she’s running in “is even going to continue,” as the city is hit with a wave of COVID-19 and public health authorities call for new restrictions. Paul is not formally calling for the Toronto Centre byelection to be called off. But she said Wednesday morning that she will be speaking with volunteers and team members who live in the riding and asking them what the situation is like. “I will definitely have something to say about that later today or tomorrow,” she told Canada’s National Observer. “I'm wondering if that byelection is even going to continue. I think that that’s a really big question mark,” said Paul. “We can only expect things to be getting worse...you get to a point where you say, 'We do not have the conditions for a free and fair and democratic election.'” The newly-elected leader has been raising serious questions about how the byelection will be carried out under the current circumstances. COVID-19 cases are climbing, and the Ontario government is facing mounting pressure to close gyms, indoor dining at restaurants and bars, and move to essential outings only, including from Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Eileen de Villa. Paul said two neighbourhoods in Toronto Centre that are low-income and racialized, Moss Park and St. James Town, are being hit particularly hard.
"This is a fluid situation. I'm extremely concerned about what I’m hearing today. What I’m hearing today is that a day or two from now, we may have all our restaurants and public places closed," she said. "It’s not just for me to answer, but my question is, are these the circumstances under which we should be holding a free and fair election?" As Paul and the other candidates battle for the seat formerly held by Bill Morneau, who resigned from his position as Liberal finance minister and as an MP in August, Paul said they will have fewer and fewer opportunities to meet and speak with community members before the Oct. 26 vote. Another byelection is also scheduled for the same day in the Toronto-area riding of York Centre. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Canada's Chief Electoral Officer Stéphane Perrault submitted a report to Parliament Oct. 5 that recommends a temporary new law, to expire six months after the next general election, that would modify some provisions of the Canada Elections Act.
That temporary law would move the election date from a one-day, 12-hour period on a Monday to a two-day, 16-hour period over Saturday and Sunday. It would also authorize Perrault to "determine how and when voting will occur in long-term care facilities" and provide further adjustments "in an emergency situation" to respond to the pandemic. Green Party Leader @AnnamiePaul wonders if the upcoming #TorontoCentre byelection she’s running in “is even going to continue," as health authorities call for new COVID-19 restrictions. "I think that that’s a really big question mark." Perrault's report warned that physical distancing at polling locations "may mean that the voting process will take longer during the pandemic" as it will lead to limits on voters or workers allowed near the polls. The pandemic will also "likely impact the availability of polling places," he wrote, as some landlords may decline to open their doors. The recruitment of election workers to administer polling stations would be "a significant challenge" as potential workers "may feel that the risk of infection is too high to work during the election," in particular those 60 years old or over, who are especially vulnerable to the virus, and who made up almost half of election workers in 2019, the report also noted. Paul said the myriad complications should raise alarm bells. "I’m trying to understand how or why the prime minister would have called, and would continue to hold an election, under circumstances where he knows that people who want to vote, are not going to be able to vote, because Elections Canada has not been able to change the rules in time for this byelection to happen?" she said. The Green leader spoke with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday evening. She said she spoke to him before the latest COVID-19 updates, and had primarily focused on the Green Party’s reaction to the Speech from the Throne, so she did not address the byelection issue.


nationalobserver--2020-10-07--The most sadistic figure in the Trump administration has the coronavirus. Is it wrong to cheer?

When word arrived that Stephen Miller , senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump tested positive for the coronavirus , many felt the pull of an inner moral struggle .
Is it wrong to cheer such terrible luck for the most sadistic figure in the Trump administration ?
Or for Trump himself , the others in his administration , and the GOP senators who have so debased their office in his service ?
There 's a strong sentiment abroad about not wishing ill on anyone , no matter the political differences .
And I 'm here to tell you that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit , to savour this moment .
It 's not like anyone got hit by a bus , or had a heart attack out of the blue .
Trump and his enablers all knew how to prevent this disease .
Entirely for political advantage , they refused to take the simplest precautions .
• Canada Pension Plan fuels the climate crisis with our own retirement savings • Annamie Paul wonders if Toronto byelection will still be held Having written this script , they ca n't complain when the audience laughs at the punch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraged Americans to ignore and distrust science .
They relentlessly amplified his deadly message through Fox and other media , while attacking anyone dismayed by their irresponsibility .
They recklessly endangered White House employees like housekeeping , security , catering staff , their own families , the thousands attending Trump 's endless rallies , or even the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff .
Miller has been at the forefront of America 's immigration policy , where covid was used as a pretext to end refugee asylum .
To say nothing of forced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even , as we now know , tearing nursing babies from their mothers arms .
In their calamitous mismanagement of the Covid response , the Trump administration abandoned millions , and even in some cases actively intervened to confiscate and re-direct desperately needed PPE and equipment .
Their list of negligence is far too long to catalogue here .
Throughout it all , Trump demanded that governors genuflect before him , and attacked reporters seeking accountability , or simply the truth .
As a direct result of the president 's spite , disinformation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of Americans needlessly lost their lives , while millions more fell gravely ill .
Millions have lost jobs and health care .
Children struggling to learn are falling behind .
Some are going hungry or losing their homes as financial and health worries engulf families and the elderly .
Thousands die every week during a lethal pandemic that has no end in sight .
U.S. President Donald Trump 's right hand man has coronavirus .
Is it wrong to cheer ?
# covid # superspreader # GOP And all of this tragic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inflicted in pursuit of the most cravenly corrupt and selfish reasons .
Every single one of these people knew what they were doing .
Every one of them could have refused to be part of it .
Not one can say they made an honest mistake .
In a perfect world , the powerful face justice for such heartless abuse .
But the world is not perfect .
No court will render a verdict on this cruelty , and yet these people have passed sentence on themselves .
This is a moment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will forget .
It 's ok just this once , to agree with Fate .
Just to be clear , separating children from their parents and then incarcerating them is TORTURE.
# TheHague # ICJ # VOTE # BidenHarris2020 — Mary L Trump ( @ MaryLTrump ) October 7 , 2020

When word arrived that Stephen Miller, senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump tested positive for the coronavirus, many felt the pull of an inner moral struggle. Is it wrong to cheer such terrible luck for the most sadistic figure in the Trump administration? Or for Trump himself, the others in his administration, and the GOP senators who have so debased their office in his service? There's a strong sentiment abroad about not wishing ill on anyone, no matter the political differences. And I'm here to tell you that it's ok, just a little bit, to savour this moment. It's not like anyone got hit by a bus, or had a heart attack out of the blue. Trump and his enablers all knew how to prevent this disease. Entirely for political advantage, they refused to take the simplest precautions.
Having written this script, they can't complain when the audience laughs at the punch line. Trump and this entire administration encouraged Americans to ignore and distrust science. They relentlessly amplified his deadly message through Fox and other media, while attacking anyone dismayed by their irresponsibility. They recklessly endangered White House employees like housekeeping, security, catering staff, their own families, the thousands attending Trump's endless rallies, or even the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Miller has been at the forefront of America's immigration policy, where covid was used as a pretext to end refugee asylum. To say nothing of forced sterilization, kids in cages, and even, as we now know, tearing nursing babies from their mothers arms.
In their calamitous mismanagement of the Covid response, the Trump administration abandoned millions, and even in some cases actively intervened to confiscate and re-direct desperately needed PPE and equipment. Their list of negligence is far too long to catalogue here. U.S. President Donald Trump's right hand man has coronavirus. Is it wrong to cheer? #covid #superspreader #GOP Throughout it all, Trump demanded that governors genuflect before him, and attacked reporters seeking accountability, or simply the truth. As a direct result of the president's spite, disinformation and neglect, at least tens of thousands of Americans needlessly lost their lives, while millions more fell gravely ill. Millions have lost jobs and health care. Children struggling to learn are falling behind. Some are going hungry or losing their homes as financial and health worries engulf families and the elderly. Thousands die every week during a lethal pandemic that has no end in sight. And all of this tragic loss—the death, suffering, and despair—was inflicted in pursuit of the most cravenly corrupt and selfish reasons. Every single one of these people knew what they were doing. Every one of them could have refused to be part of it. Not one can say they made an honest mistake.
In a perfect world, the powerful face justice for such heartless abuse. But the world is not perfect. No court will render a verdict on this cruelty, and yet these people have passed sentence on themselves. This is a moment of enormous historic importance that none of us will forget. It's ok just this once, to agree with Fate.


nationalobserver--2020-10-08--Greens still feel ‘hurt and confusion’ over NDP attacks last election, says Paul

There is still a lot of “ hurt and confusion ” amongst Green party supporters over the NDP ’ s decision last year to pay for leaflets and radio ads attacking the party , says federal leader Annamie Paul .
This sore spot could hinder efforts by some British Columbians who are urging the B.C .
Greens and the B.C .
NDP to play nice with each other during the provincial election .
The activist group One Time Alliance BC says it wants to boost both Green and NDP seats by cracking down on instances where vote-splitting ends up hurting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alliance is proposing that Greens and New Democrats do not “ vigorously contest the election of their counterpart ” in provincial ridings where either party ’ s candidate is more likely to win if the other does not .
Asked about her thoughts on this Wednesday , Paul , who is running in the Toronto Centre federal byelection scheduled for Oct. 26 , said she had previously met with the One Time Alliance and told them that she suspected Green party members were split on the idea of such a partnership .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration has the coronavirus .
Is it wrong to cheer ?
• Canada Pension Plan fuels the climate crisis with our own retirement savings • Annamie Paul wonders if Toronto byelection will still be held “ In the case of British Columbia , there is still a lot of hurt and confusion about the NDP ’ s decision to use American-style attack ads and literature during the 2019 ( federal ) race , ” said Paul .
“ The Green party is a relatively young party ; we have lots and lots of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are very sympathetic to the NDP , and who have lots of friends in the NDP .
So there ’ s still a lot of hurt and confusion about the decisions they made.
” One leaflet last election said the Green party has “ good ideas on the environment ” but “ shares many Conservative values , ” according to a report in HuffPost .
The leaflet had a chart comparing Green , Conservative and NDP positions and said the Greens do not oppose cutting services and would not always defend abortion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blistering press release quoting members accusing the NDP of promoting “ lies and misrepresentations ” and engaging in “ mudslinging ” that was “ cynical and desperate.
” “ Let 's be clear : The Green party has always supported family social services , will always support a woman 's right to choose , and has proposed an increase in funding for abortion services , ” it said .
Paul said she felt the issue was still a “ challenge that we would need to overcome ” if the Greens were to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel “ hurt and confusion ” over NDP attacks last election , says leader @ AnnamiePaul , a sore spot that could hinder efforts in B.C .
to get the parties to play nice during the provincial election campaign .
# cdnpoli She also pointed to the Green party constitution , which requires the party to field and endorse candidates in every riding .
“ It ’ s always great when Green party members come together , to talk about these things , to think about what direction we want to head in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be one of those topics .
It ’ s very clear , ” she said .
“ So I ’ m looking forward to being part of that conversation.
” The One Time Alliance ’ s main proposal is for the next federal election and would involve an NDP-Green collaboration in at least 100 ridings across the country , where both parties would refrain from running candidates against each other .
The objective is to achieve a critical mass of MPs from both parties , who would then advocate for electoral reform .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ NDP are cannibalizing each other 's support ; the two parties had a combined share of 22.4 per cent of the vote in 2019 , it said , but were rewarded with only 27 seats , or eight per cent , of the 338 in the House of Commons .
“ No one is calling for a merger of the two parties .
What we would like to see is maximum voter choice for voters under a proportional representation voting system .
However , we ca n't get there with business as usual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ website .
Paul said that as someone who is newer to the party than some longtime members , it was clear to her that the Greens and the NDP were not interchangeable .
She accused the NDP of holding weak positions in Toronto Centre , a riding she also ran in during the 2019 election .
Paul came fourth in that race , with the NDP 's Brian Chang coming in second .
“ When I was in debate talking about things like a guaranteed livable income , when I was in debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illicit drugs , I was there on my own talking about those things — the NDP was not talking about those things , ” she said .
“ I believe that the pandemic , I believe the climate emergency , these things are major differences between us and the NDP ( and ) are becoming clearer and clearer to people in Canada , and we ’ re not where we were even a year ago , ” said Paul .
“ When it comes to the next election , I think it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choice and differentiation between our two parties .
”

There is still a lot of “hurt and confusion” amongst Green party supporters over the NDP’s decision last year to pay for leaflets and radio ads attacking the party, says federal leader Annamie Paul. This sore spot could hinder efforts by some British Columbians who are urging the BC Greens and the BC NDP to play nice with each other during the provincial election. The activist group One Time Alliance BC says it wants to boost both Green and NDP seats by cracking down on instances where vote-splitting ends up hurting one or the other party. The alliance is proposing that Greens and New Democrats do not “vigorously contest the election of their counterpart” in provincial ridings where either party’s candidate is more likely to win if the other does not. Asked about her thoughts on this Wednesday, Paul, who is running in the Toronto Centre federal byelection scheduled for Oct. 26, said she had previously met with the One Time Alliance and told them that she suspected Green party members were split on the idea of such a partnership.
“In the case of British Columbia, there is still a lot of hurt and confusion about the NDP’s decision to use American-style attack ads and literature during the 2019 (federal) race,” said Paul. “The Green party is a relatively young party; we have lots and lots of former NDP members, we have lots who are very sympathetic to the NDP, and who have lots of friends in the NDP. So there’s still a lot of hurt and confusion about the decisions they made.” Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions One leaflet last election said the Green party has “good ideas on the environment” but “shares many Conservative values,” according to a report in HuffPost. The leaflet had a chart comparing Green, Conservative and NDP positions and said the Greens do not oppose cutting services and would not always defend abortion rights.
The Greens put out a blistering press release quoting members accusing the NDP of promoting “lies and misrepresentations” and engaging in “mudslinging” that was “cynical and desperate.” Greens still feel “hurt and confusion” over NDP attacks last election, says leader @AnnamiePaul, a sore spot that could hinder efforts in B.C. to get the parties to play nice during the provincial election campaign. #cdnpoli “Let's be clear: The Green party has always supported family social services, will always support a woman's right to choose, and has proposed an increase in funding for abortion services,” it said. Paul said she felt the issue was still a “challenge that we would need to overcome” if the Greens were to work hand-in-hand with the NDP. She also pointed to the Green party constitution, which requires the party to field and endorse candidates in every riding. “It’s always great when Green party members come together, to talk about these things, to think about what direction we want to head in, and this is definitely going to be one of those topics. It’s very clear,” she said. “So I’m looking forward to being part of that conversation.”
The One Time Alliance’s main proposal is for the next federal election and would involve an NDP-Green collaboration in at least 100 ridings across the country, where both parties would refrain from running candidates against each other. The objective is to achieve a critical mass of MPs from both parties, who would then advocate for electoral reform. The alliance says the Greens and the NDP are cannibalizing each other's support; the two parties had a combined share of 22.4 per cent of the vote in 2019, it said, but were rewarded with only 27 seats, or eight per cent, of the 338 in the House of Commons. “No one is calling for a merger of the two parties. What we would like to see is maximum voter choice for voters under a proportional representation voting system. However, we can't get there with business as usual,” states the alliance’s website.


nationalobserver--2020-10-08--‘My work has made a difference’: Veteran North Island MLA ready for new challenges

Longtime NDP MLA Claire Trevena is anticipating the opportunity for leisurely strolls in the forest and along the beaches of Quadra Island with her husband and dog later this year .
The former transportation minister announced recently that she won ’ t be seeking re-election in the Oct. 24 provincial vote after four terms as the North Island representative .
“ It ’ s very strange , ” Trevena said about not playing a front-line role in the upcoming election after 15 years of provincial politics .
Regardless , she added , it ’ s a good moment for change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 've been doing this a long time .
It 's an intense job and I feel that I ’ ve made contributions , but it ’ s time for new challenges.
” • The most sadistic figure in the Trump administration has the coronavirus .
Is it wrong to cheer ?
• Canada Pension Plan fuels the climate crisis with our own retirement savings • Annamie Paul wonders if Toronto byelection will still be held First elected MLA for North Island in 2005 , Trevena was re-elected in 2009 , 2013 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NDP government ’ s minister of transportation and infrastructure .
Trevena said it was a privilege to have worked alongside and on behalf of constituents in her riding , whether they hailed from Campbell River or Kingcome Inlet .
Winning the battle to get a new hospital built in Campbell River and the expansion of Cape Scott Provincial Park on the northern reaches of Vancouver Island are some highlights of her political career , she added .
She 's also proud of a variety of housing initiatives within the riding , including a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permanent supportive housing in Campbell River slated for completion at the end of the year .
As transportation minister , Trevena worked to shift the mandate of BC Ferries .
“ We put public interest back into the heart of the Coastal Ferry Act , ” Trevena said , adding fares dropped 15 per cent and seniors ' discounts were revived .
`` I really have appreciated that ability to work with others to make a difference for our communities , and I hope that will not end , ” says @ clairetrevena @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Oct. 24 B.C .
election .
# bcpoli “ We also brought in the safest form of ride-hailing anywhere in the continent , ” Trevena said of the NDP ’ s approval early this year of companies such as Uber and Lyft .
Trevena also headed the province ’ s launch of BC Bus North , which offers service between some of B.C.
’ s northern centres , such as Prince George and Prince Rupert , after Greyhound pulled critical inter-city services , a situation that particularly threatened the safety of Indigenous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the region .
“ So there are a number of areas where I feel that my work has made a difference provincewide , as well as for people who live and work in the North Island , ” said Trevena .
However , any achievements were based on collaboration with constituents and stakeholders across the board , Trevena said .
Although she ’ s retiring from politics , Trevena said she still hopes to foster positive change .
“ I really have appreciated that ability to work with others to make a difference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will not end , ” she said .

Longtime NDP MLA Claire Trevena is anticipating the opportunity for leisurely strolls in the forest and along the beaches of Quadra Island with her husband and dog later this year. The former transportation minister announced recently that she won’t be seeking re-election in the Oct. 24 provincial vote after four terms as the North Island representative. “It’s very strange,” Trevena said about not playing a front-line role in the upcoming election after 15 years of provincial politics. Regardless, she added, it’s a good moment for change and time to move on. “I've been doing this a long time. It's an intense job and I feel that I’ve made contributions, but it’s time for new challenges.”
First elected MLA for North Island in 2005, Trevena was re-elected in 2009, 2013 and 2017, when she was appointed the NDP government’s minister of transportation and infrastructure. Trevena said it was a privilege to have worked alongside and on behalf of constituents in her riding, whether they hailed from Campbell River or Kingcome Inlet. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Winning the battle to get a new hospital built in Campbell River and the expansion of Cape Scott Provincial Park on the northern reaches of Vancouver Island are some highlights of her political career, she added.
She's also proud of a variety of housing initiatives within the riding, including a recent project involving 50 new units of permanent supportive housing in Campbell River slated for completion at the end of the year. "I really have appreciated that ability to work with others to make a difference for our communities, and I hope that will not end,” says @clairetrevena, who won't be running in the Oct. 24 B.C. election. #bcpoli As transportation minister, Trevena worked to shift the mandate of BC Ferries. “We put public interest back into the heart of the Coastal Ferry Act,” Trevena said, adding fares dropped 15 per cent and seniors' discounts were revived. “We also brought in the safest form of ride-hailing anywhere in the continent,” Trevena said of the NDP’s approval early this year of companies such as Uber and Lyft. Trevena also headed the province’s launch of BC Bus North, which offers service between some of B.C.’s northern centres, such as Prince George and Prince Rupert, after Greyhound pulled critical inter-city services, a situation that particularly threatened the safety of Indigenous women without other means of transport in the region.
“So there are a number of areas where I feel that my work has made a difference provincewide, as well as for people who live and work in the North Island,” said Trevena. However, any achievements were based on collaboration with constituents and stakeholders across the board, Trevena said. Although she’s retiring from politics, Trevena said she still hopes to foster positive change.


nationalobserver--2020-10-08--Feds urged to walk away from Brazil trade deal because of fires, climate concerns

Canada is negotiating a free trade agreement with Mercosur countries , including Brazil , that would open Canadian markets to Brazilian beef and soy .
That has environmental advocates concerned that Brazilian cows — which , along with soy , are driving deforestation in the Amazon — could end up on Canadians ’ plates .
Cattle are a leading cause of deforestation in the country , with ranchers clear-cutting and burning the jungle in a race to expand pasture lands .
“ Beef is the top driver of deforestation and fires ( in the Amazon ) , ” said Reykia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greenpeace Canada .
Reykia Fick joined several other activists protesting the proposed Canada-Mercosur trade deal due to the links between Brazil 's agricultural exports and deforestation and forest fires in the Amazon .
Photo by Nhattan Nguyen/Greenpeace Last year , Canada ’ s own $ 9.4-billion cattle industry produced 1.5 million tonnes of beef , almost half of which was exported to the United States and Asia .
“ There ’ s a lot of unnecessary to and fro-ing of food in the world , ” said Darrin Qualman , director of climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Deforestation in the Amazon increased by 30 per cent last year .
@ GreenpeaceCA says beef is the top driver of deforestation and fires in the region .
“ Until recently , we were a net exporter ( of beef ) .
We were self-sufficient and then some , yet there was still meat coming in from other places.
” That movement is not innocuous — in Brazil or in Canada .
A May 2020 report by a coalition of climate and environmental researchers found that high demand for beef and soy has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , real estate firms , and agribusinesses ( are ) … acquiring land , clearing it from vegetation , and transforming it into farmland.
” In Brazil , slash-and-burn — a technique in which clear-cut rainforest residue is left to dry for several months before being burned — is widely used to clear land for cattle and soy .
Fires from agricultural production burned 31.8 million hectares last year , amounting to almost four per cent of the country ’ s total landmass .
Fire alerts , shown in red , were reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with close to 375,000 reported in September 2019 alone .
Map by Chain Reaction Research with NASA VIIRS data .
International political and commercial pressure on both industries over the past decade has led to some reforms .
Many soy producers have pledged not to use recently deforested land , a decision Fick said has pushed them onto former cattle ranges as ranchers cut deeper into the rainforest , while the multinational beef processors cornering Brazil ’ s market have said they don ’ t source from ranches on recently deforested lands .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ monitoring at the level of the actual slaughterhouse and the primary producer , ” she said .
“ But what ’ s happening is a kind of ‘ cattle laundering , ’ where cattle are being grown on recently deforested areas , then being sold to primary suppliers to the slaughterhouses , then on to the slaughterhouses .
So , ultimately , ( it ’ s ) cattle that ’ s raised on deforested land that ends up in the supply chain.
” Those findings were echoed in the May report .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ catchment areas for major soy silos and slaughterhouses as a proxy to estimate the overlap between fires and agricultural supply chains .
For slaughterhouses alone , they found that the geographic area where three major companies source their cattle saw almost half the fires in Brazil last year .
Nor are negative environmental impacts of a potential trade deal limited to Brazil .
“ It ’ s highly likely that a trade agreement ( Canada and the Mercosur countries ) are negotiating , if it includes anything like what ’ s in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is going to have provisions that shrink the domestic policy space to address environmental problems , ” said Sharon Anglin Treat , senior attorney at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy .
Those restrictions can include provisions that allow multinational companies to sue national governments if they deem environmental regulations will impact their profit margins .
They can also put farmers with higher costs of production at a disadvantage and push them out of the market .
For instance , a carbon tax could increase the cost of beef production for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disadvantage relative to Brazilian competitors , explained Qualman from the National Farmers Union .
“ This is despite top-line messaging ( from governments ) that ( these agreements ) are all very positive and environmental , ” said Treat .
So far , all negotiations for the proposed Canada-Mercosur agreement have been behind closed doors and only minimal information on the specific terms of the pact are available , said Fick .
In an emailed statement , the office of Small Business , Export Promotion and International Trade Minister Mary Ng said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the principle that free and progressive trade , and protecting the environment , should be mutually supportive .
“ It has always been our priority to include … environment chapters within free trade agreements — and that would be the case for any potential future Mercosur agreement.
” The ministry clarified that no new rounds of negotiations have taken place since the massive human-driven fires that ravaged Brazil in 2019 .
It also said it expects to release an environmental impact assessment of the proposed trade deal “ soon.
” The Bolsonaro government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-development agenda in the Amazon .
Part of this effort has included hamstringing the ability of Brazil 's environmental enforcement agencies to prevent the fires .
Photo by Cristian Braga/Greenpeace With Brazil ’ s government aggressively pursuing a pro-development agenda in the Amazon driven by agribusiness , Fick said Canada should simply walk away from the table until strong environmental regulations and enforcement agencies are implemented in the country .
“ ( The Bolsonaro government ) has basically given the message to land grabbers and ranchers that they can go right ahead and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .

Canada is negotiating a free trade agreement with Mercosur countries, including Brazil, that would open Canadian markets to Brazilian beef and soy. That has environmental advocates concerned that Brazilian cows — which, along with soy, are driving deforestation in the Amazon — could end up on Canadians’ plates. Cattle are a leading cause of deforestation in the country, with ranchers clear-cutting and burning the jungle in a race to expand pasture lands. “Beef is the top driver of deforestation and fires (in the Amazon),” said Reykia Fick, nature and food campaigner for Greenpeace Canada. Motivated by the Bolsonaro government’s anti-environment agenda, deforestation in the Amazon increased by 30 per cent in 2019, a trend that’s expected to continue this year. The Amazon, a critical carbon sink in the global climate system, is among the most biodiverse places in the world — and the ecosystem is on the verge of a major ecological tipping point, according to a recent study in the journal Nature Communications.
The region is also home to several Indigenous nations, many of which are being violently pushed off their lands by encroaching ranchers and farmers. Greenpeace Canada is calling on the federal government to stop early negotiations with the Mercosur trading bloc — Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and, until recently, Argentina — until Brazil halts its Amazonian agenda. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Brazil’s Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock, which represents farmers and ranchers in the country, estimates the agreement could increase Brazilian agricultural imports to Canada by about $10 billion. The organization estimates beef, mostly specialty cuts processed outside of Canada, would account for about a fifth of that growth.
Reykia Fick joined several other activists protesting the proposed Canada-Mercosur trade deal due to the links between Brazil's agricultural exports and deforestation and forest fires in the Amazon. Photo by Nhattan Nguyen/Greenpeace Last year, Canada’s own $9.4-billion cattle industry produced 1.5 million tonnes of beef, almost half of which was exported to the United States and Asia. Deforestation in the Amazon increased by 30 per cent last year. @GreenpeaceCA says beef is the top driver of deforestation and fires in the region. “There’s a lot of unnecessary to and fro-ing of food in the world,” said Darrin Qualman, director of climate policy at the National Farmers Union. “Until recently, we were a net exporter (of beef). We were self-sufficient and then some, yet there was still meat coming in from other places.” That movement is not innocuous — in Brazil or in Canada.
A May 2020 report by a coalition of climate and environmental researchers found that high demand for beef and soy has led to a situation where “investors, real estate firms, and agribusinesses (are) … acquiring land, clearing it from vegetation, and transforming it into farmland.” In Brazil, slash-and-burn — a technique in which clear-cut rainforest residue is left to dry for several months before being burned — is widely used to clear land for cattle and soy. Fires from agricultural production burned 31.8 million hectares last year, amounting to almost four per cent of the country’s total landmass. Fire alerts, shown in red, were reported across much of Brazil last year, with close to 375,000 reported in September 2019 alone. Map by Chain Reaction Research with NASA VIIRS data.


nationalobserver--2020-10-08--Teachers' unions, experts pan Ontario's back-to-school plan

The health and ventilation experts Ontario ’ s education unions wanted to bring in front of a labour board to explain the dangers of the Ford government ’ s back-to-school plan never got that chance .
So the unions instead had them lay out those arguments to reporters on Wednesday , saying their recommendations would help avoid large-scale school shutdowns and limit the spread of COVID-19 between in-person classes and the wider community .
“ Having kids crowded together can be a spur to disease transmission for the community as a whole , and that ’ s why we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improved ventilation , decreased class sizes , mask-wearing for all kids and the importance of cohorts , ” said Dr. David Fisman , an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto ’ s Dalla Lana School of Public Health .
There have been more than 700 COVID-19 cases reported at Ontario schools since they reopened last month , including 111 recorded on Wednesday .
Meanwhile , the daily addition of new cases overall in Ontario has ranged between around 500 and 700-plus in recent weeks , with most cases occurring in the Greater Toronto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the available scientific evidence , and in light of increased community transmission , it ’ s critical to reduce school class sizes and school cohort sizes for students and education workers , ” said Dr. Amy Greer , a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in population disease modelling at the University of Guelph .
• The most sadistic figure in the Trump administration has the coronavirus .
Is it wrong to cheer ?
• Canada Pension Plan fuels the climate crisis with our own retirement savings • Annamie Paul wonders if Toronto byelection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teachers from classrooms to virtual school But with tens of thousands of students in the Toronto District School Board opting to learn from home , the country ’ s largest school board informed parents late on Tuesday that some 570 elementary teachers will be moved out of classrooms to bulk up its virtual school .
That will mean combining some in-person classes into larger groups as the TDSB ’ s virtual school prepares to add around 3,000 more students following a deadline last week for them to transfer between the two learning options @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government on its COVID-19 modelling , said a belief that children younger than 10 are unlikely to get infected or pass the virus to others “ is likely wrong ” and that masks should be worn in every Ontario classroom from junior kindergarten on , rather than from Grade 3 as current provincial rules state .
Jeff Siegel , a professor of civil engineering at the University of Toronto , said that in addition to wearing masks and keeping apart , students and education workers also need well-ventilated spaces to limit COVID-19 spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ correct the environments that are poorly ventilated , and then we have to add ventilation as much as we can in those spaces , and use central and portable filtration to further reduce the risk , ” he said .
Health experts @ AmyGreerKalisz and @ DFisman and ventilation academic @ IAQinGWN say Ontario 's @ fordnation and @ Sflecce must do more to make classrooms safe .
# onpoli # onted In older schools where it may not be possible to improve ventilation , he said filtration would be more important , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and flexible , able to be targeted at individual classrooms and controlled by the teacher .
Siegel said decades of research show that better indoor air-quality ventilation helps students achieved higher grades , reduces absenteeism and even leads to higher earnings for graduates .
The four unions representing 190,000 teachers and education workers in public English-language elementary and secondary schools , Catholic schools and French-language schools across the province filed a joint complaint to the Ontario Labour Relations Board regarding their health and safety concerns about the back-to-school plan in late August .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , saying it did not have the jurisdiction to consider the merits of the complaint as applied to the whole province .
The unions say that decision meant educators concerned about classroom conditions must file individual health and safety complaints .
“ This mammoth task is being downloaded onto teachers and education workers at a time when they are already stretched thin , ” said Susan Ursel , a lawyer at Ursel Phillips Fellows Hopkinson LLP who represented the unions in their submission to the labour relations board .
Just ahead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Stephen Lecce released a statement thanking “ all front-line workers in education ” while “ calling on our teacher unions to work with — not against — our efforts to deliver safe schools.
” Liz Stuart , president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers ' Association , said the unions have been trying to work with the Progressive Conservative government since March .
“ Each and every time we have attempted to do that , we 've been shut out and shut down , ” she said .
“ Their version of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree with everything they ’ re bringing forward , which is just unconscionable because we know that it ’ s not working .
”

The health and ventilation experts Ontario’s education unions wanted to bring in front of a labour board to explain the dangers of the Ford government’s back-to-school plan never got that chance. So the unions instead had them lay out those arguments to reporters on Wednesday, saying their recommendations would help avoid large-scale school shutdowns and limit the spread of COVID-19 between in-person classes and the wider community. “Having kids crowded together can be a spur to disease transmission for the community as a whole, and that’s why we are raising our voices about the importance of improved ventilation, decreased class sizes, mask-wearing for all kids and the importance of cohorts,” said Dr. David Fisman, an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health. There have been more than 700 COVID-19 cases reported at Ontario schools since they reopened last month, including 111 recorded on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the daily addition of new cases overall in Ontario has ranged between around 500 and 700-plus in recent weeks, with most cases occurring in the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa. “Based on the available scientific evidence, and in light of increased community transmission, it’s critical to reduce school class sizes and school cohort sizes for students and education workers,” said Dr. Amy Greer, a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in population disease modelling at the University of Guelph.
TDSB sends more teachers from classrooms to virtual school But with tens of thousands of students in the Toronto District School Board opting to learn from home, the country’s largest school board informed parents late on Tuesday that some 570 elementary teachers will be moved out of classrooms to bulk up its virtual school. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions That will mean combining some in-person classes into larger groups as the TDSB’s virtual school prepares to add around 3,000 more students following a deadline last week for them to transfer between the two learning options.
Fisman, who is advising the government on its COVID-19 modelling, said a belief that children younger than 10 are unlikely to get infected or pass the virus to others “is likely wrong” and that masks should be worn in every Ontario classroom from junior kindergarten on, rather than from Grade 3 as current provincial rules state. Health experts @AmyGreerKalisz and @DFisman and ventilation academic @IAQinGWN say Ontario's @fordnation and @Sflecce must do more to make classrooms safe. #onpoli #onted Jeff Siegel, a professor of civil engineering at the University of Toronto, said that in addition to wearing masks and keeping apart, students and education workers also need well-ventilated spaces to limit COVID-19 spread. “We have to identify and correct the environments that are poorly ventilated, and then we have to add ventilation as much as we can in those spaces, and use central and portable filtration to further reduce the risk,” he said. In older schools where it may not be possible to improve ventilation, he said filtration would be more important, noting that portable filters are easily deployable and flexible, able to be targeted at individual classrooms and controlled by the teacher. Siegel said decades of research show that better indoor air-quality ventilation helps students achieved higher grades, reduces absenteeism and even leads to higher earnings for graduates.
Complaint dismissed The four unions representing 190,000 teachers and education workers in public English-language elementary and secondary schools, Catholic schools and French-language schools across the province filed a joint complaint to the Ontario Labour Relations Board regarding their health and safety concerns about the back-to-school plan in late August. The labour tribunal dismissed the complaint last week, saying it did not have the jurisdiction to consider the merits of the complaint as applied to the whole province.