nationalobserver--2020-12-23--Tories pursue corporate tax credits for carbon capture, well cleanup

With the House of Commons expected to return Jan. 25 , Canada ’ s National Observer is profiling environment-focused bills making their way through Parliament .
Yesterday , we looked at five bills , and today , we look at four more .
Two Conservative MPs are sponsoring bills that would put in place new tax credits for corporations closing oil or gas wells or capturing carbon pollution .
Meanwhile , an NDP MP wants to see a national strategy on fresh water , while a Liberal MP wants another national strategy to redress environmental racism .
Both Tory bills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ add new language to the rules for corporations , setting out how a company can qualify to receive the new credits and how those credits are calculated .
Calgary Centre MP Greg McLean ’ s Bill C-262 , introduced and read in the House of Commons for the first time on Dec. 11 , would offer a tax credit to firms capturing , using or storing greenhouse gases .
• How one young scientist is protecting fragile ecosystems in Canada 's North The credit , based on the quantity of gas , can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government ’ s approval , if one firm captures the gas while the other is in the business of utilization or storage .
Lakeland MP Shannon Stubbs ’ Bill C-221 would also give a tax credit to corporations that close oil or gas wells they own .
C-221 was debated at second reading on Nov. 16 after first being introduced in February and then reinstated this fall .
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has said that all scenarios that limit global heating to 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels , with limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the capturing of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere .
McLean ’ s tax credit is not limited to the oil and gas sector , the economic sector with the greatest proportion of carbon pollution in Canada , according to federal figures .
However , it does allow for the definition of a carbon storage project to include a depleted oil reservoir , where greenhouse gases can be injected in order to extract more oil .
The federal government ’ s new climate plan discusses how Canadian oil and gas companies are “ investing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in order to make heavy oil operations more environmentally sustainable.
” Tax credits for corporations capturing carbon pollution , a national strategy on fresh water and more : Here are 4 environment-focused bills making their way through Parliament right now .
# cdnpoli Stubbs said her bill would create “ a path for the private sector to address the surge in inactive and suspended wells , to prevent adding to the number of orphaned wells , ” so that Canadian taxpayers are not left footing the bill .
McLean said his bill would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses in the fight against global warming.
” There is debate over how much friendly tax treatment Canadian taxpayers should be offering companies if the outcome helps fossil fuel firms .
The International Institute for Sustainable Development says tax expenditures can lower the cost of producing fossil fuels , “ giving them an unfair advantage when we need to be rapidly transitioning to renewables.
” Tzeporah Berman , international program director for Stand.earth , has also argued that “ taxpayers ’ dollars ” should not “ pay for the mess the industry left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wells .
Federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson , however , has said he doesn ’ t consider investments that “ reduce emissions that exist within the oil and gas sector ” to be fossil fuel subsidies .
The federal government has also put forward over a billion dollars to help clean up orphaned or inactive oil and gas wells in British Columbia , Alberta and Saskatchewan .
Parliament also heard this fall from Liberal MP Lenore Zann , whose Bill C-230 was debated at second reading in the House on Dec. 8 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ discrimination in environmental policy — like establishing hazardous sites near “ certain communities ” and then neglecting to pursue cleanup at those sites .

With the House of Commons expected to return Jan. 25, Canada’s National Observer is profiling environment-focused bills making their way through Parliament. Yesterday, we looked at five bills, and today, we look at four more. Two Conservative MPs are sponsoring bills that would put in place new tax credits for corporations closing oil or gas wells or capturing carbon pollution. Meanwhile, an NDP MP wants to see a national strategy on fresh water, while a Liberal MP wants another national strategy to redress environmental racism. Both Tory bills would amend the Income Tax Act to add new language to the rules for corporations, setting out how a company can qualify to receive the new credits and how those credits are calculated. Calgary Centre MP Greg McLean’s Bill C-262, introduced and read in the House of Commons for the first time on Dec. 11, would offer a tax credit to firms capturing, using or storing greenhouse gases.
The credit, based on the quantity of gas, can be split with another corporation, with the government’s approval, if one firm captures the gas while the other is in the business of utilization or storage. Lakeland MP Shannon Stubbs’ Bill C-221 would also give a tax credit to corporations that close oil or gas wells they own. C-221 was debated at second reading on Nov. 16 after first being introduced in February and then reinstated this fall. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has said that all scenarios that limit global heating to 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels, with limited overshoot, will have to rely on the capturing of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
McLean’s tax credit is not limited to the oil and gas sector, the economic sector with the greatest proportion of carbon pollution in Canada, according to federal figures. Tax credits for corporations capturing carbon pollution, a national strategy on fresh water and more: Here are 4 environment-focused bills making their way through Parliament right now. #cdnpoli However, it does allow for the definition of a carbon storage project to include a depleted oil reservoir, where greenhouse gases can be injected in order to extract more oil. The federal government’s new climate plan discusses how Canadian oil and gas companies are “investing in technology to capture and store carbon in order to make heavy oil operations more environmentally sustainable.” Stubbs said her bill would create “a path for the private sector to address the surge in inactive and suspended wells, to prevent adding to the number of orphaned wells,” so that Canadian taxpayers are not left footing the bill. McLean said his bill would “set a new path for Canadian businesses in the fight against global warming.”
There is debate over how much friendly tax treatment Canadian taxpayers should be offering companies if the outcome helps fossil fuel firms. The International Institute for Sustainable Development says tax expenditures can lower the cost of producing fossil fuels, “giving them an unfair advantage when we need to be rapidly transitioning to renewables.” Tzeporah Berman, international program director for Stand.earth, has also argued that “taxpayers’ dollars” should not “pay for the mess the industry left behind” when it comes to abandoned wells.


nationalobserver--2020-12-23--Health Canada warns against unlicensed PPE company

Health Canada is urging Canadians to immediately get rid of products from an Ontario-based company selling unauthorized personal protective equipment ( PPE ) and medical devices online .
The company Maskopia , formerly known as Medkem Canada Inc. , has been selling masks , gloves , gowns and other PPE without a medical devices establishment licence ( MDEL ) from Health Canada .
The agency requires anyone who sells or imports medical devices to obtain this licence .
PPE sold by Maskopia “ may pose serious health risks , ” wrote Health Canada in a release Tuesday .
“ They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advertised due to unknown quality and safety.
” Health Canada said Maskopia has falsely advertised and sold non-medical masks as medical masks .
While the company didn ’ t respond to Canada ’ s National Observer ’ s request for comment , on its Facebook page , it describes itself as a “ manufacturer of disposable medical grade ASTM ( American Society for Testing and Materials ) surgical masks Level 1-3 Health Canada approved ” — which is completely false , according to Health Canada .
Health Canada said it is illegal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make false or misleading claims.
” It has seized many medical products from the company , including N95 masks , gowns and face shields .
• How one young scientist is protecting fragile ecosystems in Canada 's North The company is selling masks for as much as $ 175 for a 50-pack , according to its website .
Health Canada said it also refused to authorize an application from the company to sell its isolation gowns because they weren ’ t up to the agency ’ s requirements for COVID-19 medical devices .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the company has continued to market them to health-care practitioners and consumers , according to Health Canada .
The company ’ s Facebook page says it manufactures 40,000 disposable isolation gowns per day in Newfoundland .
Health Canada recommends that people stop using and dispose of any items purchased from Maskopia and learn more about the risk of buying products with false or misleading advertising .
This isn ’ t the first time companies have sold fraudulent or unauthorized PPE .
Health Canada warned people against fake N95 masks in the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is urging Canadians to immediately get rid of products from an Ontario-based company selling unauthorized personal protective equipment and medical devices online .
# COVID19 The agency said it has also received reports about plant-based elixirs , Chaga mushroom blends and ultraviolet lamps that have falsely claimed to prevent , treat or cure COVID-19 .
It has ordered many companies to immediately remove these claims from their websites and advertising materials .

Health Canada is urging Canadians to immediately get rid of products from an Ontario-based company selling unauthorized personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical devices online.
The company Maskopia, formerly known as Medkem Canada Inc., has been selling masks, gloves, gowns and other PPE without a medical devices establishment licence (MDEL) from Health Canada. The agency requires anyone who sells or imports medical devices to obtain this licence.
PPE sold by Maskopia “may pose serious health risks,” wrote Health Canada in a release Tuesday. “They may not provide the level of protection advertised due to unknown quality and safety.”
Health Canada said Maskopia has falsely advertised and sold non-medical masks as medical masks. While the company didn’t respond to Canada’s National Observer’s request for comment, on its Facebook page, it describes itself as a “manufacturer of disposable medical grade ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) surgical masks Level 1-3 Health Canada approved” — which is completely false, according to Health Canada.
Health Canada said it is illegal to sell or advertise health products “that make false or misleading claims.” It has seized many medical products from the company, including N95 masks, gowns and face shields.


nationalobserver--2020-12-23--Ontario to extend $200 payment to families of high schoolers

Ontario ’ s education minister says the Progressive Conservatives will pay $ 200 to the parents of high school students early next year , extending a financial boost it initially offered only to the parents of elementary and middle schoolers .
Stephen Lecce offered the payment at a news conference on Tuesday , a day after Premier Doug Ford ordered a provincewide shutdown that includes keeping classrooms shuttered for longer than usual in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 .
Applications for the assistance will be accepted between Jan. 11 and Feb. 8 , he said .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategy for handling the holidays would be released within one or two weeks .
Parents and teachers took to Twitter to express their frustrations with Lecce , with some suggesting the small direct payment was designed to placate parents and comes at the expense of adequate investment to ensure classrooms are safe .
“ This year , I bought a medical-grade air cleaner for my classroom out of my OWN pocket , ” wrote Becky Solole , an elementary school teacher in Brantford , noting that her class already exceeds the cap on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further in January .
Stephen Lecce offered the payment on Tuesday , a day after Premier Doug Ford ordered a provincewide shutdown that includes keeping classrooms shuttered for longer than usual in an effort to slow the spread of # COVID19 .
# onpoli # onted Marit Stiles , the NDP ’ s education critic , said delaying news about the return to school until after classes had closed left administrators , staff and students reeling as they try to prepare for a short-term virtual learning stint .
The province has reported more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than a week now , and has more people in intensive care due to the coronavirus than at any prior point in the pandemic .
The government had previously set aside $ 380 million to make a second one-time payment of $ 200 per child under 12 and $ 250 per child under the age of 21 with special needs .
It spent $ 378 million on a payment offered in the weeks after the pandemic first hit .

Ontario’s education minister says the Progressive Conservatives will pay $200 to the parents of high school students early next year, extending a financial boost it initially offered only to the parents of elementary and middle schoolers. Stephen Lecce offered the payment at a news conference on Tuesday, a day after Premier Doug Ford ordered a provincewide shutdown that includes keeping classrooms shuttered for longer than usual in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. Applications for the assistance will be accepted between Jan. 11 and Feb. 8, he said. “We are taking a one-time, proactive, preventive intervention at the front end of the school year — following the holidays, following New Year's Eve and Christmas and all that — to protect the incredible progress we've made in our schools,” he said. Students in the province’s elementary schools will get an extra week at home, while high schoolers will learn remotely until a return to class on Jan. 25. Those in northern areas where COVID-19 is less prevalent will return earlier.
At that time, Lecce said a comprehensive strategy for handling the holidays would be released within one or two weeks. Stephen Lecce offered the payment on Tuesday, a day after Premier Doug Ford ordered a provincewide shutdown that includes keeping classrooms shuttered for longer than usual in an effort to slow the spread of #COVID19. #onpoli #onted Parents and teachers took to Twitter to express their frustrations with Lecce, with some suggesting the small direct payment was designed to placate parents and comes at the expense of adequate investment to ensure classrooms are safe. “This year, I bought a medical-grade air cleaner for my classroom out of my OWN pocket,” wrote Becky Solole, an elementary school teacher in Brantford, noting that her class already exceeds the cap on class size and is expected to grow further in January. Marit Stiles, the NDP’s education critic, said delaying news about the return to school until after classes had closed left administrators, staff and students reeling as they try to prepare for a short-term virtual learning stint. The province has reported more than 2,000 COVID-19 cases per day for more than a week now, and has more people in intensive care due to the coronavirus than at any prior point in the pandemic.


nationalobserver--2020-12-23--Smaller gatherings mean smaller turkeys. How will the industry adapt?

Demand for small turkeys has kept Raul Granucci ’ s phone ringing off the hook .
But the butcher and manager of Windsor Quality Meats in Vancouver , B.C.
, has to tell them they ’ re out of luck — large birds are all that ’ s left in the cooler now .
“ It ’ s a bit ironic .
Most years , people want to have a bunch of leftovers , they ’ re thinking people are going to show up for dinner unexpected , ” he said .
“ They say , ‘ Hey , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the house .
We want a 15- to 18-pound turkey , ’ and we let them know , that ’ ll do it but that ’ s a bit excessive ... this year , it ’ s still just four people at dinner , but they ’ re being mindful that they only need the smaller bird .
The 10- to 12-pounders.
” The demand for smaller turkeys is something that has been there throughout the pandemic , but people in the meat industry are feeling the heat as Christmas approaches .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the birds are raised for years to come , with the industry expecting it will need to adapt by slaughtering turkeys earlier .
That ’ s according to Michel Benoit , general manager of the BC Turkey Marketing Board .
He has seen a shift in demand to smaller birds over the years — first , slow and steady , then quickly once COVID-19 hit .
• How one young scientist is protecting fragile ecosystems in Canada 's North “ Smaller family sizes , smaller gatherings , maybe children living a little bit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going home all the time , ” he said , pointing towards what the board has seen over the past five years .
The industry is able to prepare six months ahead of production , but Benoit said they weren ’ t able to predict what December 2020 would look like in the summer .
“ Six months ago was the middle of summer , we didn ’ t really know that we would be looking at bubbles of one household ...
The other thing that ’ s impacting us a lot is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ All of those events would have been usually having carving stations ... so we ’ re finding ourselves with more large turkeys than we ever expected.
” Darren Ference , an Alberta turkey farmer and chair of Turkey Farmers of Canada , said he ’ s seeing the same trend .
He points out that 65 per cent of the turkey market is processed ( things like deli meat and individually sold legs ) , with the remaining 35 per cent left for whole birds .
Ference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be a problem , the industry did cut back on production in anticipation of smaller gatherings .
“ At the beginning of the pandemic , we had a huge decrease with the shutdowns .
We cut production by seven per cent at that time , and that all went to the larger birds , so now we ’ re just waiting to see where we go , ” he said .
165 million kilograms of turkey is processed each year in Canada — Canadians consumed around 144 million kilos in 2019 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ both said the industry has been able to pivot to a certain extent by breaking down the larger birds into roasts , another popular choice for small dinners .
Demand for larger turkeys is way down , and not just since COVID-19 : people have been moving towards smaller birds for the past five years or so , forcing the industry to adapt .
However , Benoit said people really want the whole birds .
“ What we found is that at Thanksgiving , there was a higher demand for whole birds ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking for nostalgia , they ’ re looking for things that remind them of when the better days were.
” In terms of what that means for big turkeys , Benoit said we could be seeing less of them .
If the industry predicts the demand will stay for smaller birds , farmers would start slaughtering turkeys earlier , when they ’ re smaller .
“ I think this pandemic may become a paradigm shift for the future .
We ’ re really , really going to need to do a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months .
”

Demand for small turkeys has kept Raul Granucci’s phone ringing off the hook. But the butcher and manager of Windsor Quality Meats in Vancouver, B.C., has to tell them they’re out of luck — large birds are all that’s left in the cooler now. “It’s a bit ironic. Most years, people want to have a bunch of leftovers, they’re thinking people are going to show up for dinner unexpected,” he said. “They say, ‘Hey, it’s just four of us in the house. We want a 15- to 18-pound turkey,’ and we let them know, that’ll do it but that’s a bit excessive ... this year, it’s still just four people at dinner, but they’re being mindful that they only need the smaller bird. The 10- to 12-pounders.” The demand for smaller turkeys is something that has been there throughout the pandemic, but people in the meat industry are feeling the heat as Christmas approaches. The shift in demand could change the way the birds are raised for years to come, with the industry expecting it will need to adapt by slaughtering turkeys earlier. That’s according to Michel Benoit, general manager of the BC Turkey Marketing Board. He has seen a shift in demand to smaller birds over the years — first, slow and steady, then quickly once COVID-19 hit.
“Smaller family sizes, smaller gatherings, maybe children living a little bit further away from home, not necessarily going home all the time,” he said, pointing towards what the board has seen over the past five years. The industry is able to prepare six months ahead of production, but Benoit said they weren’t able to predict what December 2020 would look like in the summer. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “Six months ago was the middle of summer, we didn’t really know that we would be looking at bubbles of one household ... The other thing that’s impacting us a lot is the closures of food service, hospitality,” he said. “ All of those events would have been usually having carving stations ... so we’re finding ourselves with more large turkeys than we ever expected.”
Darren Ference, an Alberta turkey farmer and chair of Turkey Farmers of Canada, said he’s seeing the same trend. He points out that 65 per cent of the turkey market is processed (things like deli meat and individually sold legs), with the remaining 35 per cent left for whole birds. Ference said although a glut of large birds may be a problem, the industry did cut back on production in anticipation of smaller gatherings. Demand for larger turkeys is way down, and not just since COVID-19: people have been moving towards smaller birds for the past five years or so, forcing the industry to adapt. “At the beginning of the pandemic, we had a huge decrease with the shutdowns. We cut production by seven per cent at that time, and that all went to the larger birds, so now we’re just waiting to see where we go,” he said. 165 million kilograms of turkey is processed each year in Canada — Canadians consumed around 144 million kilos in 2019. Photo by Brett Sayles/Pexels Ference and Benoit both said the industry has been able to pivot to a certain extent by breaking down the larger birds into roasts, another popular choice for small dinners. However, Benoit said people really want the whole birds.
“What we found is that at Thanksgiving, there was a higher demand for whole birds ... So we’re finding people are looking for nostalgia, they’re looking for things that remind them of when the better days were.” In terms of what that means for big turkeys, Benoit said we could be seeing less of them. If the industry predicts the demand will stay for smaller birds, farmers would start slaughtering turkeys earlier, when they’re smaller. “I think this pandemic may become a paradigm shift for the future. We’re really, really going to need to do a lot of real serious planning in the next few months.”


nationalobserver--2020-12-23--B.C. places temporary 15% cap on fees for food delivery services

The B.C .
government has announced a temporary cap on delivery fees to help restaurants and hospitality businesses struggling with high costs during the pandemic .
Effective Dec. 27 , food delivery service providers must not charge a restaurant more than 15 per cent of the total cost of the customer order , before taxes , for delivery services .
To make sure that delivery companies don ’ t shift their costs or charge restaurants under different fees , an additional five per cent cap of the total meal cost , before taxes , has been introduced for other related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ processing fees .
The order also states that food delivery service providers must not reduce the compensation they provide to an employee or contractor .
Also , it mandates that tips and gratuities collected must be paid in full to the person who delivered the food or beverages .
“ This cap on food service delivery fees is tremendous news for our sector , and represents another tangible way that this government is helping restaurants weather the storm of COVID-19 , ” said Ian Tostenson , president and CEO of the BC Restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be in place until three months after the provincial state of emergency is lifted .
Effective Dec. 27 , food delivery service providers in B.C .
must not charge a restaurant more than 15 per cent of the total cost of the customer order , before taxes , for delivery services .
“ On behalf of the entire industry and our over 190,000 employees , we thank the government for their proactive and common-sense approach , ” Tostenson said .
“ This is truly an early Christmas miracle !
”

The B.C. government has announced a temporary cap on delivery fees to help restaurants and hospitality businesses struggling with high costs during the pandemic.
Effective Dec. 27, food delivery service providers must not charge a restaurant more than 15 per cent of the total cost of the customer order, before taxes, for delivery services.
To make sure that delivery companies don’t shift their costs or charge restaurants under different fees, an additional five per cent cap of the total meal cost, before taxes, has been introduced for other related services, such as online ordering and processing fees.
Restaurants previously paid as much as 30 per cent of the total meal cost in delivery fees.
The order comes from the creation of an Emergency Program Act order from the B.C. Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General to help restaurants that have been struggling for months to keep up with high fees charged by third-party food delivery companies.


nationalobserver--2020-12-23--New conservancy plan aims to create research greenbelt in heart of Quadra Island

A new research conservancy proposal aims to save an enormous section of Quadra Island ’ s emerald heart and multiple pristine lakes from logging now and into the future .
Open Bay Society ( OBS ) , a non-profit wilderness conservancy and research centre based on Quadra , is negotiating with Mosaic Forest Management to buy timber harvesting rights for 7,000 acres of forest at the centre of the island to protect biodiversity and enhance research , said the society ’ s co-founder , Aaron O ’ Connor .
The aim of the Quadra Island Research Conservancy ( QIRC ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the area while respecting the We Wai Kai Nation ’ s social , cultural and ceremonial uses of the land falling within their traditional territory , O ’ Connor said .
The initiative would also safeguard non-motorized recreational use of the land — which already boasts an established network of hiking , climbing and mountain-biking routes alongside swimming , fishing and paddle sport locations long cherished by residents and visitors to the island , he said .
“ The core of our philosophy in pursuing this conservancy is the view that this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public , ” O ’ Connor said , adding he anticipates wide community support for the project .
• How one young scientist is protecting fragile ecosystems in Canada 's North Aaron O ’ Connor and Chia-Ling Lee , founders of the Open Bay Society and Quadra Island Research Conservancy initiative , hope to protect a swath of forest and establish a research greenbelt on the island .
Photo by Chia-Ling Lee Mount Seymour , the highest peak on the island , would crown the conservancy , which would also encompass the adjacent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as the Nudgedzi , Morte , Mud and Beaver lake systems .
The protected area — delineated by tree farm licence 47 and comprising almost nine per cent of the island ’ s land base — would shelter important forest , lake and stream habitat in B.C.
’ s endangered coastal Douglas fir ecosystem .
The land features second-growth Douglas firs , coastal western hemlock , western red cedars and red alder trees , along with pockets of old-growth and mud flats , wetlands and fish and other aquatic animal habitat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has been meeting with all the stakeholders critical to the process for more than a year , said O ’ Connor .
Consultations and co-operation with the We Wai Kai Nation are paramount to the effort , he stressed .
“ The core of our philosophy in pursuing this conservancy is the view that this is public land and it should serve the public , ” says Open Bay Society co-founder Aaron O ’ Connor .
The society hopes to secure confirmation from Mosaic early in the new year that it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiations for the tenure , he said .
“ There will be no active logging on the land , which is the end goal for this phase , ” O ’ Connor said , adding the soft deadline for that initial agreement is mid-January .
“ Once we achieve that de facto protection for the property , then it ’ s a matter of coming up with the solution or solutions to create the conservancy , ” he added .
“ Permanent protections will take longer , allowing for bureaucracy , and will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely employ more than one land use designation.
” The proposed QIRS , pictured in the map above , would protect 7,000 acres at the heart of Quadra Island .
Map courtesy of the Open Bay Society OBS is funding the initiative independently and won ’ t fundraise to put the land in conservancy , O ’ Connor said , noting the initiative falls within the society ’ s mandate .
“ It ’ s a project and a worthy investment in our community , ” he said .
However , once the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committee made up of community stakeholders may opt to fundraise for particular projects or programming , he added .
O ’ Connor wants the conservancy to exceed the traditional model of wilderness protection .
He hopes to establish a research greenbelt on the island to complement already existing organizations , such as the Hakai Institute , a local scientific research base , and the Quadra Salmon Eco-Centre .
A flourishing research and academic sector on Quadra Island would offer year-round economic spinoffs that would outweigh industrial logging ’ s contribution to the local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Typically , rural communities have few economic drivers beyond seasonal tourism or resource extraction , he added .
“ This is not solely a discussion about sustainability , ” O ’ Connor said .
“ There ’ s an economy in research .
What we are demonstrating is that this particular parcel of land as intact habitat is worth demonstrably more than a set of clearcuts.
” O ’ Connor envisions the conservancy acting as living forest laboratory for potential partners , including First Nations and post-secondary institutions , that might explore culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restoration ecology , recreational management or artistic endeavours .
“ We are , perhaps , just tuning in to what is a truly a burgeoning research hub on Quadra , ” O ’ Connor said .
“ That ’ s a rarity .
It only happens in a few spots , and we should recognize that and capitalize on it .
”

A new research conservancy proposal aims to save an enormous section of Quadra Island’s emerald heart and multiple pristine lakes from logging now and into the future. Open Bay Society (OBS), a non-profit wilderness conservancy and research centre based on Quadra, is negotiating with Mosaic Forest Management to buy timber harvesting rights for 7,000 acres of forest at the centre of the island to protect biodiversity and enhance research, said the society’s co-founder, Aaron O’Connor. The aim of the Quadra Island Research Conservancy (QIRC) is to develop research and restoration in the area while respecting the We Wai Kai Nation’s social, cultural and ceremonial uses of the land falling within their traditional territory, O’Connor said. The initiative would also safeguard non-motorized recreational use of the land — which already boasts an established network of hiking, climbing and mountain-biking routes alongside swimming, fishing and paddle sport locations long cherished by residents and visitors to the island, he said. “The core of our philosophy in pursuing this conservancy is the view that this is public land and it should serve the public,” O’Connor said, adding he anticipates wide community support for the project.
The proposed Quadra Island Research Conservancy hopes to protect a large tract of forest that includes mountain peaks and lakes. Photo by Chia-Ling Lee, courtesy of Open Bay Society Mount Seymour, the highest peak on the island, would crown the conservancy, which would also encompass the adjacent Beech’s and Chinese mountains, as well as the Nudgedzi, Morte, Mud and Beaver lake systems. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The protected area — delineated by tree farm licence 47 and comprising almost nine per cent of the island’s land base — would shelter important forest, lake and stream habitat in B.C.’s endangered coastal Douglas fir ecosystem.
The land features second-growth Douglas firs, coastal western hemlock, western red cedars and red alder trees, along with pockets of old-growth and mud flats, wetlands and fish and other aquatic animal habitat. “The core of our philosophy in pursuing this conservancy is the view that this is public land and it should serve the public,” says Open Bay Society co-founder Aaron O’Connor. OBS has worked on the project and has been meeting with all the stakeholders critical to the process for more than a year, said O’Connor. Consultations and co-operation with the We Wai Kai Nation are paramount to the effort, he stressed. The society hopes to secure confirmation from Mosaic early in the new year that it will officially suspend any forestry operations during upcoming negotiations for the tenure, he said. “There will be no active logging on the land, which is the end goal for this phase,” O’Connor said, adding the soft deadline for that initial agreement is mid-January.
“Once we achieve that de facto protection for the property, then it’s a matter of coming up with the solution or solutions to create the conservancy,” he added. “Permanent protections will take longer, allowing for bureaucracy, and will involve consultation with all stakeholders and will likely employ more than one land use designation.” The proposed QIRC, pictured in the map above, would protect 7,000 acres at the heart of Quadra Island. Map courtesy of the Open Bay Society


nationalobserver--2020-12-22--Health Canada has what it needs to decide on Moderna vaccine

Health Canada says it will `` soon '' be ready to announce if it can authorize a second COVID-19 vaccine after receiving final documents from U.S. biotech firm Moderna over the weekend .
Moderna 's new Canadian general manager — hired just three weeks ago to establish a Canadian office for the company — said Moderna 's team and Health Canada are in constant communication .
`` Everybody worked really diligently all weekend , '' Patricia Gauthier told The Canadian Press in an interview Monday .
She said the process is following the required course and `` we 're hoping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ready . ''
Eric Morrissette , a spokesman for Health Canada , said the documents are being reviewed as fast as possible .
• How one young scientist is protecting fragile ecosystems in Canada 's North The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency authorization for the Moderna vaccine late last week , becoming the first country to approve it .
The COVID-19 vaccine is also the first Moderna product ever authorized for use .
The company was established about a decade ago specifically to work on messenger RNA technology , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed included data on manufacturing .
The Canadian doses of Moderna 's vaccine are being made in Switzerland and sent to Spain for the `` fill and finish '' process , where six doses will be filled into each vial and the vials packed into freezers for shipping .
As many as 110,000 doses can be transported on a single pallet .
Moderna intends to start shipping its vaccine to Canada within 48 hours of approval , with as many as 168,000 doses anticipated before the end of December and two million by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initially contracted to buy 20 million doses from Moderna , but exercised an option to buy 20 million more earlier this month , for a total of 40 million .
Gauthier said that is enough to vaccinate two-thirds of the Canadian adult population , and that there are still 16 million doses remaining for Canada to potentially buy as part of the contract .
Sources not authorized to speak on the matter tell The Canadian Press a decision on whether to buy those extra doses will likely be announced this week .
# @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be ready to announce if it can authorize a second # COVID19 # vaccine after receiving final documents from U.S. biotech firm # Moderna over the weekend .
The Moderna vaccine is only recommended for use on adults over the age of 18 .
Gauthier said clinical trials on adolescents began earlier this month and the vaccine will be tested on younger children in 2021 .
Health Canada approved a vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech on Dec. 9 and vaccinations with that product began last week .
It was about five days from the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got a green light , but Health Canada 's chief medical adviser Dr. Supriya Sharma has said Moderna 's production facilities are new to Health Canada and may take longer to review .
The vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna both use messenger RNA technology , which sends a genetic code to human cells to train them to create an immune response to COVID-19 .
Both drugmakers say the vaccines were more than 94 per cent effective at preventing infection .
But Pfizer 's technology requires the vaccine to be kept frozen between -60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use , requiring complex shipping processes , dry ice and ultra-low-temperature freezers .
Moderna 's product can be kept stable at only -20 C and can be at room temperature for almost a month .
The company said last week that where it is necessary , the vaccine can be shipped at temperatures between 2 C and 8 C. It means Moderna 's vaccine can be more easily deployed wherever it is needed , including to the North , remote Indigenous communities and long-term care homes .
Moderna will be picked up by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Toronto , where logistics company Innomar Strategies will take possession of it .
Innomar president Guy Payette said the company will be the importer of record , run a quality assurance check on the vaccines , and then repackage the shipments into smaller amounts to be forwarded to provincial and territorial governments .
`` We 're working on the assumption that it is imminent , and that we need to be ready when the vaccines get approved , '' Payette told The Canadian Press .

Health Canada says it will "soon" be ready to announce if it can authorize a second COVID-19 vaccine after receiving final documents from U.S. biotech firm Moderna over the weekend. Moderna's new Canadian general manager — hired just three weeks ago to establish a Canadian office for the company — said Moderna's team and Health Canada are in constant communication. "Everybody worked really diligently all weekend," Patricia Gauthier told The Canadian Press in an interview Monday. She said the process is following the required course and "we're hoping for a decision when Health Canada is ready." Eric Morrissette, a spokesman for Health Canada, said the documents are being reviewed as fast as possible.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency authorization for the Moderna vaccine late last week, becoming the first country to approve it. The COVID-19 vaccine is also the first Moderna product ever authorized for use. The company was established about a decade ago specifically to work on messenger RNA technology, or mRNA. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The final documents Health Canada needed included data on manufacturing. The Canadian doses of Moderna's vaccine are being made in Switzerland and sent to Spain for the "fill and finish" process, where six doses will be filled into each vial and the vials packed into freezers for shipping.
As many as 110,000 doses can be transported on a single pallet. Moderna intends to start shipping its vaccine to Canada within 48 hours of approval, with as many as 168,000 doses anticipated before the end of December and two million by the end of March. #HealthCanada says it will "soon" be ready to announce if it can authorize a second #COVID19 #vaccine after receiving final documents from U.S. biotech firm #Moderna over the weekend. Health Canada initially contracted to buy 20 million doses from Moderna, but exercised an option to buy 20 million more earlier this month, for a total of 40 million. Gauthier said that is enough to vaccinate two-thirds of the Canadian adult population, and that there are still 16 million doses remaining for Canada to potentially buy as part of the contract. Sources not authorized to speak on the matter tell The Canadian Press a decision on whether to buy those extra doses will likely be announced this week. The Moderna vaccine is only recommended for use on adults over the age of 18. Gauthier said clinical trials on adolescents began earlier this month and the vaccine will be tested on younger children in 2021. Health Canada approved a vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech on Dec. 9 and vaccinations with that product began last week. It was about five days from the time the final documents were received until Pfizer got a green light, but Health Canada's chief medical adviser Dr. Supriya Sharma has said Moderna's production facilities are new to Health Canada and may take longer to review.
The vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna both use messenger RNA technology, which sends a genetic code to human cells to train them to create an immune response to COVID-19. Both drugmakers say the vaccines were more than 94 per cent effective at preventing infection. But Pfizer's technology requires the vaccine to be kept frozen between -60 C and -80 C until just before use, requiring complex shipping processes, dry ice and ultra-low-temperature freezers. Moderna's product can be kept stable at only -20 C and can be at room temperature for almost a month. The company said last week that where it is necessary, the vaccine can be shipped at temperatures between 2 C and 8 C.


nationalobserver--2020-12-22--Airline watchdog to develop stronger rules for flight cancellation refunds

The federal government is directing the Canadian Transportation Agency to strengthen rules that require airlines to refund passengers for cancelled flights .
In a statement Monday , Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau said the pandemic has highlighted a gap in Canada 's protections for airline passengers , which were n't designed to cover such lengthy delays .
“ In the event of a future situation that causes similar large-scale flight cancellations , this gap needs to be closed so that travellers are treated fairly , ” Garneau said .
Existing CTA rules do n't require airlines to offer refunds if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within a reasonable time period — for example , offering a next-day flight if a snowstorm grounds planes .
But passenger advocates say that does n't work for the indefinite delays ticket-holders currently face and are lobbying the government to mandate that airlines issue cash refunds , rather than travel vouchers , for flights that were cancelled due to COVID-19 .
At least 3.9 million passengers have been affected by cancelled flights due to COVID-19 , according to Gabor Lukacs , the founder of Air Passenger Rights , one of the groups advocating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How one young scientist is protecting fragile ecosystems in Canada 's North Scott Streiner , chair and chief executive officer of the CTA , said the agency ’ s goal is to have the new regulations in place by next summer .
One of the biggest details to be worked out between now and then include how long customers have to wait after a cancelled flight before they are entitled to a refund , Streiner said .
The agency is launching a public consultation between now and Jan. 28 to help determine the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This is a major priority for us , ” Streiner said .
The new rules would apply to future cancellations only and will not be retroactive .
Garneau said the updated regulations should be `` fair and reasonable '' to passengers and should not impose an undue burden on airlines `` that could lead to their insolvency . ''
The federal government is directing the Canadian Transportation Agency to strengthen rules that require airlines to # refund # passengers for cancelled flights .
# Airline # COVID19 # cdnpoli # CTA Airline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of contention between airlines and the government , which are currently negotiating the terms of an aid package for the struggling travel sector .
The federal government has said that any aid to the sector would be contingent on giving passengers full refunds for cancelled flights .
Airlines maintain that they are not legally required to issue refunds and have criticized Ottawa for its delay in issuing more assistance to the sector .
Lukacs says he warned the government in an in-person meeting and written communications in 2019 that Canada 's protections for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misinterpreted by airlines to avoid issuing refunds .
Air Passenger Rights ' communications with both Transport Canada and CTA cast doubt on the government 's claim that it discovered this issue as a result of the pandemic , Lukacs said .
In response to a question about whether the government was aware of regulation gaps prior to the pandemic , Transport Canada spokeswoman Allison St-Jean did n't answer directly .
“ We are encouraged by recent efforts by air carriers to provide options for cancelled flights and refunds in some cases , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has only now received legal authority to develop regulations requiring airlines to issue refunds if a flight is cancelled for reasons beyond the airline 's control and passengers ca n't complete their itinerary within a reasonable timeframe .
Stephanie Kusie , a Conservative MP and the shadow minister for transport , said in a tweet Monday afternoon that the government 's proposal fails to address the problem of outstanding passenger refunds .
Similarly , Lukacs said the new regulations would n't be of any help to those passengers who have already had their @ @ @

The federal government is directing the Canadian Transportation Agency to strengthen rules that require airlines to refund passengers for cancelled flights. In a statement Monday, Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau said the pandemic has highlighted a gap in Canada's protections for airline passengers, which weren't designed to cover such lengthy delays. “In the event of a future situation that causes similar large-scale flight cancellations, this gap needs to be closed so that travellers are treated fairly,” Garneau said. Existing CTA rules don't require airlines to offer refunds if they can get passengers to the destination within a reasonable time period — for example, offering a next-day flight if a snowstorm grounds planes. But passenger advocates say that doesn't work for the indefinite delays ticket-holders currently face and are lobbying the government to mandate that airlines issue cash refunds, rather than travel vouchers, for flights that were cancelled due to COVID-19. At least 3.9 million passengers have been affected by cancelled flights due to COVID-19, according to Gabor Lukacs, the founder of Air Passenger Rights, one of the groups advocating for airlines to issue refunds.
Scott Streiner, chair and chief executive officer of the CTA, said the agency’s goal is to have the new regulations in place by next summer. One of the biggest details to be worked out between now and then include how long customers have to wait after a cancelled flight before they are entitled to a refund, Streiner said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The agency is launching a public consultation between now and Jan. 28 to help determine the answer to that and other questions.
“This is a major priority for us,” Streiner said. The federal government is directing the Canadian Transportation Agency to strengthen rules that require airlines to #refund #passengers for cancelled flights. #Airline #COVID19 #cdnpoli #CTA The new rules would apply to future cancellations only and will not be retroactive. Garneau said the updated regulations should be "fair and reasonable" to passengers and should not impose an undue burden on airlines "that could lead to their insolvency." Airline passenger refunds have emerged as a point of contention between airlines and the government, which are currently negotiating the terms of an aid package for the struggling travel sector. The federal government has said that any aid to the sector would be contingent on giving passengers full refunds for cancelled flights.
Airlines maintain that they are not legally required to issue refunds and have criticized Ottawa for its delay in issuing more assistance to the sector. Lukacs says he warned the government in an in-person meeting and written communications in 2019 that Canada's protections for airline passengers were weak and could be misinterpreted by airlines to avoid issuing refunds. Air Passenger Rights' communications with both Transport Canada and CTA cast doubt on the government's claim that it discovered this issue as a result of the pandemic, Lukacs said.


nationalobserver--2020-12-23--Family of Pakistani activist Karima Mehrab urge thorough investigation into her death

TORONTO — The family of an internationally prominent Pakistani dissident urged a thorough investigation into her death , saying Wednesday they were having difficulty accepting a police conclusion she killed herself .
In an interview with The Canadian Press , Sameer Mehrab was careful to say the family had no evidence his sister , Karima Mehrab , was in fact the victim of foul play , but said they found it unlikely the Toronto resident would have drowned herself in the frigid waters of Lake Ontario .
`` Police are saying it 's like a textbook suicide , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything but we want to be open to other possibilities due to the threats she was receiving . ''
Online posts showed hundreds of people rallying in the Pakistani region of Balochistan on Wednesday to protest what they saw as Karima Mehrab 's killing .
They urged a fair investigation into the death .
Toronto police have offered few details publicly about what happened to Mehrab , 37 , widely known as Karima Baloch , who fled Pakistan for Canada in 2015 .
• Anger and suspicion after Pakistani dissident Karima Mehrab found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientist is protecting fragile ecosystems in Canada 's North She had been an activist on behalf of the often violent quest for Baloch separatism and continued her activism from Canada .
Pakistan 's military and government have steadfastly denied any rights abuses in the Baloch region .
While police said they were aware of the concerns around Mehrab 's death , they had found no evidence of foul play after her body was pulled from the lake on Monday .
`` The Toronto Police Service is aware of heightened community and media interest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the force said in a statement on Wednesday .
`` The circumstances have been investigated and officers have determined this to be a non-criminal death and no foul play is suspected . ''
Mehrab 's brother , however , said the family has had little success in getting investigators to delve into the threats he said his sister and her husband had received .
In one such threat , a person warned her husband that she would get a `` Christmas gift '' she would never forget , her family said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every time they call us that this is the history , but they refuse to be convinced because , according to them , they do n't have any evidence ( of foul play ) , '' Sameer Mehrab said .
The family of an internationally prominent Pakistani dissident urged a thorough investigation into her death , saying Wednesday they were having difficulty accepting a police conclusion she killed herself .
From what the family has learned , Karima Mehrab was anxious about an economic exam she was to write as a first-year student @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctor had prescribed mild medication to help her sleep , her brother said .
The doctor saw no sign of severe depression , her family said he told them .
Mehrab left home alone on Sunday , her family said .
Transit records and surveillance video show she made her way to the Toronto Islands , a favourite place for her to clear her head , her brother said .
Police found no indication anyone was with her , he said they told the family .
`` Her being alone is not evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her brother said .
Lateef Johar , a close friend , said Mehrab 's belongings were found on the island .
Those close to Mehrab said she was a strong person for whom life was improving , and she would never have killed herself .
She left no note or gave any indication she was planning self-harm , her brother said .

TORONTO — The family of an internationally prominent Pakistani dissident urged a thorough investigation into her death, saying Wednesday they were having difficulty accepting a police conclusion she killed herself. In an interview with The Canadian Press, Sameer Mehrab was careful to say the family had no evidence his sister, Karima Mehrab, was in fact the victim of foul play, but said they found it unlikely the Toronto resident would have drowned herself in the frigid waters of Lake Ontario. "Police are saying it's like a textbook suicide," he said. "We are not suggesting anything but we want to be open to other possibilities due to the threats she was receiving." Online posts showed hundreds of people rallying in the Pakistani region of Balochistan on Wednesday to protest what they saw as Karima Mehrab's killing. They urged a fair investigation into the death. Toronto police have offered few details publicly about what happened to Mehrab, 37, widely known as Karima Baloch, who fled Pakistan for Canada in 2015.
She had been an activist on behalf of the often violent quest for Baloch separatism and continued her activism from Canada. Pakistan's military and government have steadfastly denied any rights abuses in the Baloch region. While police said they were aware of the concerns around Mehrab's death, they had found no evidence of foul play after her body was pulled from the lake on Monday. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "The Toronto Police Service is aware of heightened community and media interest surrounding a missing person investigation," the force said in a statement on Wednesday.
"The circumstances have been investigated and officers have determined this to be a non-criminal death and no foul play is suspected." The family of an internationally prominent Pakistani dissident urged a thorough investigation into her death, saying Wednesday they were having difficulty accepting a police conclusion she killed herself. Mehrab's brother, however, said the family has had little success in getting investigators to delve into the threats he said his sister and her husband had received. In one such threat, a person warned her husband that she would get a "Christmas gift" she would never forget, her family said. "We actually tried to tell the police every time they call us that this is the history, but they refuse to be convinced because, according to them, they don't have any evidence (of foul play)," Sameer Mehrab said. From what the family has learned, Karima Mehrab was anxious about an economic exam she was to write as a first-year student at the University of Toronto. Her doctor had prescribed mild medication to help her sleep, her brother said. The doctor saw no sign of severe depression, her family said he told them. Mehrab left home alone on Sunday, her family said.
Transit records and surveillance video show she made her way to the Toronto Islands, a favourite place for her to clear her head, her brother said. Police found no indication anyone was with her, he said they told the family. "Her being alone is not evidence that she was not harmed," her brother said. Lateef Johar, a close friend, said Mehrab's belongings were found on the island.


nationalobserver--2020-12-23--Residential school survivor calls on Trudeau to release St. Anne's abuse documents

OTTAWA — Residential school survivor Evelyn Korkmaz is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to release thousands of documents that detail the sexual and physical abuse of thousands of Indigenous children at St. Anne ’ s residential school in the last century .
Korkmaz said the federal government has not turned over 12,300 reports from Ontario Provincial Police investigations of violations at St. Anne ’ s in Fort Albany , Ont .
despite an Ontario Superior Court order .
Following the court order in 2014 , Ottawa released heavily redacted copies of materials generated by the OPP between 1992 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they ’ re redacted , '' Korkmaz said in an interview with The Canadian Press .
`` This is part of Canada ’ s Indigenous history .
We can learn from this . ''
St. Anne ’ s Indian Residential School was run by the Catholic orders of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and the Grey Sisters of the Cross from 1902 until 1976 and was funded by the federal government starting in 1906 .
• Anger and suspicion after Pakistani dissident Karima Mehrab found dead in Toronto • How one young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's North It was one of Canada ’ s most notorious residential schools .
Indigenous children from Fort Albany First Nation in northern Ontario were sexually abused , punished by shocks delivered in electric chairs and forced to eat their own vomit , according to Edmund Metatawabin , a survivor and former chief of the First Nation .
Metatawabin was forced to attend the school between 1956 and 1963 .
He became a chief of his nation in 1988 and used his position to sponsor a panel for survivors to share their stories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the police investigation in autumn 1992 .
`` The residential school issue is a very sensitive case for us .
It was an embarrassing thing for us to face , '' he said in an interview .
`` It ’ s hard to say you were abused as a child .
You want to keep that private . ''
Metatawabin said more than 900 survivors of St. Anne ’ s decided to talk about their painful memories and testified to the police in the 1990s , resulting in a trove of information and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the school .
In 2006 , lawyers for former students and for the churches that ran residential schools , the Assembly of First Nations , other Indigenous organizations and the government approved the Indian Residential School Settlement , which included independent assessment processes to set compensation for claims of sexual or serious physical abuse .
`` It ’ s an insult to the memory of those elders that told their story , that the government took their words from them , and now they want to erase history , '' says residential school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survivors of St. Anne ’ s have taken the federal government to court , seeking to reopen compensation cases that were settled before the partial release of the police documents in 2014 .
A group of 60 survivors launched a case in 2013 , claiming that the federal government failed to turn over those documents and breached the settlement agreement .
Ontario Superior Court Justice Paul Perell , who has spent years supervising implementation of the settlement agreement , ruled earlier this year the case should be heard by a judge in British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his previous criticism of one of the plaintiffs ’ lawyers .
In November , the Ontario Court of Appeal found Perell wrong to order the legal fight to be heard in B.C.
, saying the case pressed by survivors of St. Anne ’ s should remain in Ontario .
The next hearing is to take place virtually on Dec. 31 .
But Justice Brenda Brown of British Columbia Supreme Court issued a court order in May that permits the federal government to destroy the police documents in the new year .
The federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement Tuesday the government will retain the police reports until the courts determine the matters before them .
Metatawabin said the documents reveal wrongdoing by the government and the churches .
`` Instead of making amends , ( the government ) tried to hide these documents from survivors and from the public . ''
The documents have significant value for the Fort Albany First Nation people because they contain elders ’ testimonies on their history , Metatawabin said .
`` These are sacred words from the elders , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the memory of those elders that told their story , that the government took their words from them , and now they want to erase history . ''
Korkmaz said these documents are important evidence of the violations committed at St. Anne ’ s .
`` The government for some strange reason is protecting the pedophiles that were at our school , '' she said .
`` A normal citizen of any country , who is caught sexually abusing a child goes to jail .
… Why are the priests , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why are they allowed to do it ? ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23 , 2020 This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship .

OTTAWA — Residential school survivor Evelyn Korkmaz is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to release thousands of documents that detail the sexual and physical abuse of thousands of Indigenous children at St. Anne’s residential school in the last century. Korkmaz said the federal government has not turned over 12,300 reports from Ontario Provincial Police investigations of violations at St. Anne’s in Fort Albany, Ont. despite an Ontario Superior Court order. Following the court order in 2014, Ottawa released heavily redacted copies of materials generated by the OPP between 1992 and 1996. "They’re useless if they’re redacted," Korkmaz said in an interview with The Canadian Press. "This is part of Canada’s Indigenous history. We can learn from this." St. Anne’s Indian Residential School was run by the Catholic orders of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and the Grey Sisters of the Cross from 1902 until 1976 and was funded by the federal government starting in 1906.
It was one of Canada’s most notorious residential schools. Indigenous children from Fort Albany First Nation in northern Ontario were sexually abused, punished by shocks delivered in electric chairs and forced to eat their own vomit, according to Edmund Metatawabin, a survivor and former chief of the First Nation. Metatawabin was forced to attend the school between 1956 and 1963. He became a chief of his nation in 1988 and used his position to sponsor a panel for survivors to share their stories, putting together a report that triggered the police investigation in autumn 1992. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "The residential school issue is a very sensitive case for us. It was an embarrassing thing for us to face," he said in an interview.
"It’s hard to say you were abused as a child. You want to keep that private." "It’s an insult to the memory of those elders that told their story, that the government took their words from them, and now they want to erase history," says residential school survivor Edmund Metatawabin. Metatawabin said more than 900 survivors of St. Anne’s decided to talk about their painful memories and testified to the police in the 1990s, resulting in a trove of information and criminal convictions of six former employees at the school. In 2006, lawyers for former students and for the churches that ran residential schools, the Assembly of First Nations, other Indigenous organizations and the government approved the Indian Residential School Settlement, which included independent assessment processes to set compensation for claims of sexual or serious physical abuse. However, many survivors of St. Anne’s have taken the federal government to court, seeking to reopen compensation cases that were settled before the partial release of the police documents in 2014. A group of 60 survivors launched a case in 2013, claiming that the federal government failed to turn over those documents and breached the settlement agreement.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Paul Perell, who has spent years supervising implementation of the settlement agreement, ruled earlier this year the case should be heard by a judge in British Columbia. Perell had recused himself over his previous criticism of one of the plaintiffs’ lawyers. In November, the Ontario Court of Appeal found Perell wrong to order the legal fight to be heard in B.C., saying the case pressed by survivors of St. Anne’s should remain in Ontario. The next hearing is to take place virtually on Dec. 31.


nationalobserver--2020-12-23--Health Canada approves Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine

OTTAWA — Canadians received an early Christmas present on Wednesday as Health Canada declared a new COVID-19 vaccine from U.S. biotech firm Moderna safe for use , paving the way for a second inoculation to start arriving in the country in the coming days .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau welcomed the move during a news conference in which he also announced that Canada will receive more doses next month of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine than previously expected , after it was approved by Health Canada on Dec. 9 .
Between the early doses already in the country , and the shipments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 1.2 million doses from Pfizer and Moderna delivered by Jan. 31 , Trudeau said outside his Ottawa home .
Yet it wasn ’ t all good news as the surge in new COVID-19 cases continued across much of the country , with Quebec reporting another new daily record .
Quebec reported 2,247 new infections — one day after it posted 2,183 new cases , which was a record at the time .
Meanwhile , Ontario was preparing for a provincewide lockdown on Boxing Day .
• Anger and suspicion after Pakistani dissident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How one young scientist is protecting fragile ecosystems in Canada 's North Trudeau also announced Canada was extending a ban on flights from Britain for another two weeks to Jan. 6 as the United Kingdom struggles with a new strain of COVID-19 that experts suggest is more contagious than other variants .
The prime minister also committed another $ 70 million to help the Canadian Red Cross as it faces growing demand for help from long-term care facilities in Ontario and Quebec that have been overwhelmed by the pandemic .
“ The Red @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year to keep people safe , ” Trudeau said .
“ As we deal with this second wave , we need their expertise more than ever.
” Hours before the prime minister addressed Canadians , Health Canada announced that it had approved the Moderna vaccine following rigorous testing , with up to 168,000 doses set to be delivered by the end of December .
`` After assessing all the data , we concluded that there was strong evidence that showed the benefits of this vaccine outweigh the potential risks , '' Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supriya Sharma told a news conference in Ottawa .
`` Today ’ s authorization is one more tool in our toolbox to bring COVID-19 under control.
” Canada received an early Christmas present with Health Canada 's approval of the Moderna vaccine , but COVID-19 cases are still surging across much of the country , with Quebec reporting another new daily record .
While the Pfizer vaccine has already started to be distributed in different cities across Canada , Sharma indicated the Moderna inoculation will likely be distributed to more remote communities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same level of extreme-cold storage as the Pfizer version .
`` Since many Canadians live outside major urban areas , this vaccine can be used in communities that haven ’ t had access to COVID-19 vaccines to date , '' Sharma said .
The first doses are prioritized for front-line health staff , residents and workers in long-term care , adults in remote Indigenous communities and seniors over the age of 80 living in the community .
Yukon ’ s minister of health said Wednesday that immunization clinics will begin in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pauline Frost described the Moderna approval as the `` exciting news Yukoners have been waiting for . ''
She said delivery of 7,200 doses , expected by the end of this month , will be enough to allow 3,600 residents of the territory to receive the two doses needed to provide immunity against the virus .
Canada is to get 40 million doses of Moderna ’ s vaccine in 2021 , enough to vaccinate 20 million people , or about two-thirds of the Canadian adult population .
The vaccine is not yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on adolescents only began in December and tests on children younger than 12 won ’ t begin until next year .
Moderna will have to continue to provide information to the regulator on the safety of the vaccine , Sharma said .
People with severe allergies have been advised against getting the Pfizer vaccine after several people in the United Kingdom had reactions to the inoculation .
Sharma said the same advice is being given for the Moderna inoculation .
Canada ’ s doses of the Moderna vaccine are being made in Europe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Health Canada , one from AstraZeneca and the other from Johnson and Johnson , Sharma said , but more information is needed before they can be approved .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23 , 2020 .

OTTAWA — Canadians received an early Christmas present on Wednesday as Health Canada declared a new COVID-19 vaccine from U.S. biotech firm Moderna safe for use, paving the way for a second inoculation to start arriving in the country in the coming days. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau welcomed the move during a news conference in which he also announced that Canada will receive more doses next month of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine than previously expected, after it was approved by Health Canada on Dec. 9. Between the early doses already in the country, and the shipments now scheduled, Canada should have at least 1.2 million doses from Pfizer and Moderna delivered by Jan. 31, Trudeau said outside his Ottawa home. Yet it wasn’t all good news as the surge in new COVID-19 cases continued across much of the country, with Quebec reporting another new daily record. Quebec reported 2,247 new infections — one day after it posted 2,183 new cases, which was a record at the time. Meanwhile, Ontario was preparing for a provincewide lockdown on Boxing Day.
Trudeau also announced Canada was extending a ban on flights from Britain for another two weeks to Jan. 6 as the United Kingdom struggles with a new strain of COVID-19 that experts suggest is more contagious than other variants. The prime minister also committed another $70 million to help the Canadian Red Cross as it faces growing demand for help from long-term care facilities in Ontario and Quebec that have been overwhelmed by the pandemic. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “The Red Cross has done outstanding work over the last year to keep people safe,” Trudeau said. “As we deal with this second wave, we need their expertise more than ever.”
Hours before the prime minister addressed Canadians, Health Canada announced that it had approved the Moderna vaccine following rigorous testing, with up to 168,000 doses set to be delivered by the end of December. Canada received an early Christmas present with Health Canada's approval of the Moderna vaccine, but COVID-19 cases are still surging across much of the country, with Quebec reporting another new daily record. "After assessing all the data, we concluded that there was strong evidence that showed the benefits of this vaccine outweigh the potential risks," Health Canada’s chief medical officer Dr. Supriya Sharma told a news conference in Ottawa. "Today’s authorization is one more tool in our toolbox to bring COVID-19 under control.” While the Pfizer vaccine has already started to be distributed in different cities across Canada, Sharma indicated the Moderna inoculation will likely be distributed to more remote communities. That is because it does not require the same level of extreme-cold storage as the Pfizer version.
"Since many Canadians live outside major urban areas, this vaccine can be used in communities that haven’t had access to COVID-19 vaccines to date," Sharma said. The first doses are prioritized for front-line health staff, residents and workers in long-term care, adults in remote Indigenous communities and seniors over the age of 80 living in the community. Yukon’s minister of health said Wednesday that immunization clinics will begin in the territory in the first week of January.


nationalobserver--2020-12-23--The Biden era is on the horizon — but that doesn't mean Canada-U.S. relations are back to normal

WASHINGTON , D.C. — If Donald Trump has anything in common with Canada , it might be this : a shared craving for the attention of the American people that at times can border on the pathological .
Both could go through withdrawal symptoms in the new year .
Whatever else history will say about the outgoing president , he had a knack for scratching that uniquely Canadian itch for acknowledgment from south of the border , even if it often left a painful welt .
`` Some people are thinking that this is all going to have been like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going to wake up and it was all a scary dream , '' said Miller , president of the Rideau Potomac Strategy Group in Washington .
`` But in reality , the world has changed very significantly over the last four years , and so a good part of what the Biden administration is going to be focused on is dealing with the immediate problem . ''
`` Some people are thinking that this is all going to have been like 'Alice in Wonderland , ' where you ’ re going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a scary dream , '' says one expert on U.S.-Canada relations .
# cdnpoli # uspoli Pulling the U.S. out of its pandemic-induced economic tailspin will be Job 1 , which means Canadian priorities may have to take a back seat , particularly if there ’ s a perception they run counter to those of the United States .
Lingering disdain for globalization , distrust of multilateral trade deals and a strong protectionist sentiment — more than 74 million Americans voted for Trump , after all — could prove quite liberating for Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wag put it years ago that Canada sometimes acts like a teenage girl moping around their room , asking , 'When is he going to call me ? '
but that attitude has changed , '' he said .
`` Canada will , I think , be more willing to forge its own course and to be less dependent on thinking about the U.S. paying attention to us as a validation of how well or not well we are doing as a nation in the world . ''
Regardless of what most observers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dignified approach to foreign relations , a host of irritants will persist .
But the relationship between the two countries is more than a dossier of sticking points , said Norton — and Trump ’ s departure offers an opportunity to revisit some of the bigger , broader themes that used to define it .
`` We do ourselves a disservice by thinking narrowly about the Canada-U.S. relationship in terms of the bilateral relationship — Keystone XL and softwood and Section 232 tariffs and so on and so forth , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to us … is international rules .
It ’ s a functioning multilateral system , it ’ s the United States , and other superpowers and would-be superpowers , acceding to the standards of behaviour set by the world , collectively . ''
That would change the backdrop , moving high-level narratives away from Twitter and cable news and back to the vaulted ceilings , boardroom tables and corridors of power in places like the United Nations and the World Trade Organization .
But the agenda will remain familiar .
Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s approval of Keystone XL , the controversial $ 7-billion cross-border pipeline expansion that critics say will make it impossible to meet emissions-reduction targets .
He ’ s laid out a detailed and comprehensive Buy American strategy for the country ’ s economic recovery , including a White House office dedicated to making sure U.S. workers and companies are first in line to reap the rewards .
The Biden administration will also inherit a feud between U.S. and Canadian dairy producers with all the hallmarks of a trade fight that could rival the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispute .
And he has nominated cabinet members whose track records suggest they won ’ t back down from fights .
John Kerry , Biden ’ s hand-picked envoy on climate change , was secretary of state in 2015 when he successfully urged president Barack Obama to reject Keystone XL .
Tom Vilsack , Biden ’ s proposed new agriculture secretary , cheered U.S. trade ambassador Robert Lighthizer ’ s decision earlier this month to formally accuse Canada of denying U.S. dairy producers rightful access to markets north of the border .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Lighthizer ’ s successor , is widely seen as a hard-nosed negotiator whose main role will be to enforce existing trade agreements and Buy American rules .
The U.S. filed the first enforcement action of the USMCA era earlier this month over access to Canadian dairy markets , followed within days by a similar Canadian complaint over American tariffs on softwood exports .
Navigating those shoals will fall to Biden ’ s team — well aware that while the Democrats won the election , notwithstanding Trump ’ s persistent efforts to subvert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be vital to bridging the country ’ s gaping political and cultural divide .
Whether Canada gets caught in the middle of that Buy American tug of war will be a burning question next year .
`` It ’ s a nice bumper sticker — everybody knows that — but it presents problems , '' Charlie Dent , a former Pennsylvania congressman , told a recent Wilson Center panel about Biden ’ s protectionist promise .
`` I think , for a variety of reasons , that the Biden administration will behave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they will not embrace what was the 'America First ' agenda . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23 , 2020 .

WASHINGTON, D.C. — If Donald Trump has anything in common with Canada, it might be this: a shared craving for the attention of the American people that at times can border on the pathological. Both could go through withdrawal symptoms in the new year. Whatever else history will say about the outgoing president, he had a knack for scratching that uniquely Canadian itch for acknowledgment from south of the border, even if it often left a painful welt. "South Park" fans might call it the "blame Canada" doctrine: Trump branded the country a national-security threat, an existential danger to U.S. farmers and manufacturers and a place unworthy of U.S.-made pandemic protection. He decried "two-faced" Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a "very dishonest and weak" leader, and admitted to disliking former foreign affairs minister Chrystia Freeland, who he reportedly said "hates America."
After Canada’s walk-on part in the U.S. reality-TV zeitgeist, the Joe Biden era will be boring by comparison — not such a bad thing, said Roy Norton, a former senior diplomat who did two stints at the Canadian Embassy in the 1990s and 2000s. "In Washington, I used to find that not being on the radar screen was usually preferable to being on the radar screen," said Norton, now a diplomat-in-residence at the Balsillie School of International Affairs in Waterloo, Ont. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "When you are, you’re the target, and people are gunning for you. Certainly, Trump exercised that."
Canada-U.S. expert Eric Miller opted for a different metaphor. "Some people are thinking that this is all going to have been like 'Alice in Wonderland,' where you’re going to wake up and it was all a scary dream," says one expert on U.S.-Canada relations. #cdnpoli #uspoli "Some people are thinking that this is all going to have been like 'Alice in Wonderland,' where you’re going to wake up and it was all a scary dream," said Miller, president of the Rideau Potomac Strategy Group in Washington. "But in reality, the world has changed very significantly over the last four years, and so a good part of what the Biden administration is going to be focused on is dealing with the immediate problem." Pulling the U.S. out of its pandemic-induced economic tailspin will be Job 1, which means Canadian priorities may have to take a back seat, particularly if there’s a perception they run counter to those of the United States. Lingering disdain for globalization, distrust of multilateral trade deals and a strong protectionist sentiment — more than 74 million Americans voted for Trump, after all — could prove quite liberating for Canada, Miller suggested.
"One political wag put it years ago that Canada sometimes acts like a teenage girl moping around their room, asking, 'When is he going to call me?' but that attitude has changed," he said. "Canada will, I think, be more willing to forge its own course and to be less dependent on thinking about the U.S. paying attention to us as a validation of how well or not well we are doing as a nation in the world." Regardless of what most observers expect to be a more diplomatic and dignified approach to foreign relations, a host of irritants will persist. But the relationship between the two countries is more than a dossier of sticking points, said Norton — and Trump’s departure offers an opportunity to revisit some of the bigger, broader themes that used to define it.


nationalobserver--2020-12-23--Feds insist border controls are sufficient despite complaints from Ontario

The federal government defended its approach to securing Canada 's border against COVID-19 on Tuesday as Ontario Premier Doug Ford once again called for more testing at points of entry .
Canada 's border controls — and the 14-day quarantine requirement for returning travellers — are among the strictest in the world , Public Safety Minister Bill Blair told reporters .
`` Over the past few days , we 've heard a number of comments which , frankly , are an unfortunate misrepresentation of what is actually happening at our borders , '' Blair said .
`` COVID-19 cases related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.8 per cent of all cases .
That means 98.2 per cent of COVID transmissions are a result of community transmissions , not international travel . ''
Canada 's deputy chief public health officer , Dr. Howard Njoo , said that while Ottawa is always evaluating its approach at the border , its main concern is transmission within Canada .
`` What we 're seeing now is that the biggest problem in Canada is community transmission inside Canada , it 's not really the importation of cases , '' Njoo told reporters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fragile ecosystems in Canada 's North • Anger and suspicion after Pakistani dissident Karima Mehrab found dead in Toronto Blair and Njoo 's comments followed criticism from Ford , who said Monday that Ottawa needs to do more to prevent travellers from bringing the novel coronavirus into the country .
Ford hit the federal government again on the issue Tuesday , telling reporters that Canada must require travellers obtain a negative COVID-19 test before they arrive on Canadian soil — `` something that countless other countries have required for months . ''
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people into our country every week without the basic screening requirements , '' Ford said , adding that screening on arrival is `` the bare minimum . ''
`` Despite our repeated calls , we hear every week about dozens of flights coming in , unchecked , and bringing in COVID with them . ''
Ford said that if the federal government does n't begin testing travellers on arrival , Ontario will — though he would n't say when he planned to start .
`` I 've directed our officials to begin preparing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I hope we wo n't have to go it alone , but we 're prepared to do that if we must . ''
On Tuesday afternoon , Ford 's Progressive Conservative Party sent an email to supporters asking them to sign an online petition calling on Ottawa to take stronger action at the border .
The federal government defended Canada 's border closure approach as # Ontario Premier Doug Ford once again called for more # COVID-19 testing at points of entry .
# CloseTheBorder # Ontpoli Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the border , some cases could still get through .
`` If you do n't test people at the right time in their illness , in fact , the test can be negative , '' she said .
`` That 's why we 've maintained the 14-day quarantine with such a degree of rigour . ''
However , 81 per cent of the 6.5 million travellers who arrived in Canada between March 31 and Nov. 12 were exempt from quarantine , said the Canada Border Services Agency .
`` The Canadian border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , therefore the majority of individuals who have crossed the border are exempt travellers , '' spokeswoman Rebecca Purdy said in an email .
The majority of those exempt travellers were truckers , Blair added .
Quebec Premier Francois Legault told reporters he wants more information from the federal government about how it plans to enforce 14-day isolation rules for Canadians who return from holiday vacations outside the country .
Legault said he too has n't ruled out the possibility of deploying provincial authorities to test travellers on arrival .
Alberta Premier Jason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project currently at Calgary 's airport and a United States border crossing in the province .
Canadians can get on-site COVID-19 tests when they arrive .
They must then self-isolate for 24 to 48 hours while they wait for results .
If they test negative , they can leave quarantine but must monitor for symptoms and get a second swab within six to seven days of their arrival date .
Kenney said it 's a voluntary program .
He does n't agree with the mandatory testing of travellers .
`` Just like we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada , we ’ re not going to have mandatory testing .
We ’ re not going to sort of grab people on the way off the airplane and stick a swab down their nose , '' he said .
Ford said he 's worried in part because of a new variant of COVID-19 discovered in the U.K. Canada suspended flights from that country for 72 hours at midnight on Dec. 21 .
Canada is currently reviewing additional measures , Blair said , adding that `` enhanced screening has been put in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points of entry '' to identify travellers who may be arriving from the U.K. indirectly .
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam said the new variant has not yet been detected in Canada .
She said , however , `` Canada remains on a trajectory for an even stronger resurgence ( of COVID-19 ) over the next two months and this is a perilous time . ''
Hajdu said that a second COVID-19 vaccine , from U.S. biotech firm Moderna , could be coming soon to Canada , if it is approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now has all the data required to make a decision ; my understanding is that decision will be very soon , '' Hajdu said .
`` I ca n't speak for the regulators because obviously they are independent but they will have information for Canadians in the very near future . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 22 , 2020 .
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship .

The federal government defended its approach to securing Canada's border against COVID-19 on Tuesday as Ontario Premier Doug Ford once again called for more testing at points of entry. Canada's border controls — and the 14-day quarantine requirement for returning travellers — are among the strictest in the world, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair told reporters. "Over the past few days, we've heard a number of comments which, frankly, are an unfortunate misrepresentation of what is actually happening at our borders," Blair said. "COVID-19 cases related to international travel currently account for only 1.8 per cent of all cases. That means 98.2 per cent of COVID transmissions are a result of community transmissions, not international travel." Canada's deputy chief public health officer, Dr. Howard Njoo, said that while Ottawa is always evaluating its approach at the border, its main concern is transmission within Canada. "What we're seeing now is that the biggest problem in Canada is community transmission inside Canada, it's not really the importation of cases," Njoo told reporters.
Blair and Njoo's comments followed criticism from Ford, who said Monday that Ottawa needs to do more to prevent travellers from bringing the novel coronavirus into the country. Ford hit the federal government again on the issue Tuesday, telling reporters that Canada must require travellers obtain a negative COVID-19 test before they arrive on Canadian soil — "something that countless other countries have required for months." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "We're letting tens of thousands of people into our country every week without the basic screening requirements," Ford said, adding that screening on arrival is "the bare minimum."
"Despite our repeated calls, we hear every week about dozens of flights coming in, unchecked, and bringing in COVID with them." The federal government defended Canada's border closure approach as #Ontario Premier Doug Ford once again called for more #COVID-19 testing at points of entry. #CloseTheBorder #Ontpoli Ford said that if the federal government doesn't begin testing travellers on arrival, Ontario will — though he wouldn't say when he planned to start. "I've directed our officials to begin preparing infrastructure necessary for testing at our airports and I hope we won't have to go it alone, but we're prepared to do that if we must." On Tuesday afternoon, Ford's Progressive Conservative Party sent an email to supporters asking them to sign an online petition calling on Ottawa to take stronger action at the border. Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu said that even if everyone was tested at the border, some cases could still get through. "If you don't test people at the right time in their illness, in fact, the test can be negative," she said. "That's why we've maintained the 14-day quarantine with such a degree of rigour."
However, 81 per cent of the 6.5 million travellers who arrived in Canada between March 31 and Nov. 12 were exempt from quarantine, said the Canada Border Services Agency. "The Canadian border remains closed to discretionary or optional travel, therefore the majority of individuals who have crossed the border are exempt travellers," spokeswoman Rebecca Purdy said in an email. The majority of those exempt travellers were truckers, Blair added.


nationalobserver--2020-12-23--Anger and suspicion after Pakistani dissident Karima Mehrab found dead in Toronto

The apparent drowning death of an internationally prominent Pakistani dissident whose body was pulled from the water near downtown Toronto sparked anger , grief and suspicion on Tuesday .
Police said they had found Karima Mehrab , 37 , dead on Monday .
Mehrab , widely known as Karima Baloch , had been reported missing a day earlier .
`` It is currently being investigated as a non-criminal death , '' Toronto police said in a statement .
`` There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances . ''
However , a close friend and fellow activist told The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death threats , and he and her family were deeply suspicious about what had happened to her .
`` Her husband got messages from unknown people saying they would give a Christmas gift to Karima she will never forget , '' Lateef Johar said in an interview .
• Feds insist border controls are sufficient despite complaints from Ontario • How one young scientist is protecting fragile ecosystems in Canada 's North While police offered no details about the death , Johar said officers had told her family she was found drowned in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the police says but we will never believe and accept that it was an accident , '' Johar said .
`` She was a brave woman . ''
Mehrab 's husband , who Johar said had arrived in Canada for a visit two weeks ago from the United Kingdom , could not immediately be reached for comment on Tuesday .
Mehrab was a leader with the Baloch Student Organization , which advocates for the independence of Pakistan ’ s ethnic Baloch areas in the country 's southwest .
The group accuses Pakistani authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where armed Baloch groups have been fighting a years-long separatist war against Pakistani security forces .
Pakistan ’ s military and government have steadfastly denied any rights abuses .
Mehrab fled Pakistan in 2015 amid terrorism charges and death threats , arriving in November that year in Canada , where she successfully applied for refugee status .
On a day of her asylum hearing , Johar said , the body of her uncle — believed abducted by the military 18 months earlier — was found in Pakistan .
`` Her husband got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give a Christmas gift to Karima she will never forget , '' Lateef Johar said in an interview .
# Pakistan # dissident # KarimaBaloch Johar , who spent time with Mehrab last week in a library at the University of Toronto , where she was taking first-year courses , said she came here to keep herself safe .
Mehrab continued her activism in Canada .
In a social media post last week , she tweeted a link to a newspaper story on the plight of Pakistan 's `` disappeared . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refused further comment .
`` An investigation is currently underway in this case , led by the Toronto Police Service , '' Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said in a statement .
`` As the investigation continues , they will be able to provide additional information as it becomes available . ''
Canada 's ambassador to the United Nations , Bob Rae , said he had talked to Mehrab about the `` human rights situation affecting many of her friends and family .
`` I am deeply saddened to learn of her death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

The apparent drowning death of an internationally prominent Pakistani dissident whose body was pulled from the water near downtown Toronto sparked anger, grief and suspicion on Tuesday. Police said they had found Karima Mehrab, 37, dead on Monday. Mehrab, widely known as Karima Baloch, had been reported missing a day earlier. "It is currently being investigated as a non-criminal death," Toronto police said in a statement. "There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances." However, a close friend and fellow activist told The Canadian Press that Mehrab had recently received death threats, and he and her family were deeply suspicious about what had happened to her. "Her husband got messages from unknown people saying they would give a Christmas gift to Karima she will never forget," Lateef Johar said in an interview.
While police offered no details about the death, Johar said officers had told her family she was found drowned in the water. "We respect whatever the police says but we will never believe and accept that it was an accident," Johar said. "She was a brave woman." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Mehrab's husband, who Johar said had arrived in Canada for a visit two weeks ago from the United Kingdom, could not immediately be reached for comment on Tuesday.
Mehrab was a leader with the Baloch Student Organization, which advocates for the independence of Pakistan’s ethnic Baloch areas in the country's southwest. The group accuses Pakistani authorities of human rights atrocities in the region, where armed Baloch groups have been fighting a years-long separatist war against Pakistani security forces. "Her husband got messages from unknown people saying they would give a Christmas gift to Karima she will never forget," Lateef Johar said in an interview. #Pakistan #dissident #KarimaBaloch Pakistan’s military and government have steadfastly denied any rights abuses. Mehrab fled Pakistan in 2015 amid terrorism charges and death threats, arriving in November that year in Canada, where she successfully applied for refugee status. On a day of her asylum hearing, Johar said, the body of her uncle — believed abducted by the military 18 months earlier — was found in Pakistan. Johar, who spent time with Mehrab last week in a library at the University of Toronto, where she was taking first-year courses, said she came here to keep herself safe. Mehrab continued her activism in Canada. In a social media post last week, she tweeted a link to a newspaper story on the plight of Pakistan's "disappeared."
The Canadian government expressed its condolences Tuesday but refused further comment. "An investigation is currently underway in this case, led by the Toronto Police Service," Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said in a statement. "As the investigation continues, they will be able to provide additional information as it becomes available." Canada's ambassador to the United Nations, Bob Rae, said he had talked to Mehrab about the "human rights situation affecting many of her friends and family.