nationalobserver--2020-04-22--Number of N.S. victims hits 22, questions why emergency alert wasn't used

A murderous rampage by a Halifax man impersonating an RCMP officer has claimed 22 lives , police announced Tuesday as some questioned why more was n't done to warn citizens along his route .
The RCMP confirmed in a news release that the killing began in Portapique , N.S.
, and when police arrived Saturday night they discovered several casualties inside and outside of a home .
The killer 's trail continued overnight and into the next morning through Wentworth , Debert and Shubenacadie before he was shot dead by police in Enfield at around noon Sunday .
When it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crime scenes .
During that time , the RCMP provided Twitter updates .
But no public agency issued a public emergency alert that automatically pops up on all smart phones and televisions — even though the provincial alert system had recently been used to advise people to maintain physical distancing because of COVID-19 .
David and Heather Matthews were out for a stroll in a wooded valley in Wentworth on Sunday morning when they were confronted with a choice : They could walk down the road on Highway 4 , or go down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murky bailout deal for oil and gas will cost us all • Ontario may be at COVID-19 peak , but testing woes could stall reopening • Bike couriers in Toronto risking illness to deliver 'junk food to rich people ' `` I just did n't have a good feeling about something , '' David Matthews recalled in a phone interview .
`` I said , ' I 'm not going down the road . '
'' About halfway along the trail , the couple heard a `` pop , '' which they said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or perhaps just a car backfiring .
Shortly after the Matthews returned home , their phone started ringing with warnings from friends that there was an active shooter on the loose in the neighbourhood .
They later learned that a fellow walker was gunned down that morning on a road nearby .
`` If I had gone down the road , he probably would have shot us , '' said David Matthews .
`` In my mind , there should have been some provincial alert ... ( that ) you 've got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an active shooter in the area . ''
From Wentworth , the precise route of Gabriel Wortman — identified by police as the killer —remains unclear , but police have said he targeted people he knew and others he did not know .
Number of N.S .
victims hits 22 , as some ask why emergency alert was n't used The RCMP has said the 51-year-old denturist continued to evade his pursuers in part because he was wearing an `` authentic '' police uniform and driving a vehicle painted to look exactly like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he made his way to Shubenacadie , N.S.
, a community about 50 kilometres northwest of Halifax off Highway 102 .
It was in Shubenacadie that onlookers took photographs and video that show what looked like two RCMP vehicles on fire and a body on the ground .
Const .
Heidi Stevenson was killed in the rampage and Const .
Chad Morrison was wounded but has been released from hospital .
From Shubenacadie the shooter headed back towards the highway .
A municipal councillor , Steve Streatch , has said that a young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed in that area while running a family errand .
Cheryl Maloney , a resident of a highway leading into Shubenacadie , said her home was along the killer 's route , between the scene where the burning cars and the body were filmed and a location where Gina Goulet , a 54-year-old denturist , was murdered at her home .
Maloney said her son messaged shortly after 11 a.m. to say : `` Do n't leave your house .
This guy is at the end of your road and he 's dressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader of a group that represents Mi'kmaq women said , `` I really could have used that provincial warning , as I walk here all the time and I 've been in the yard all week . ''
The RCMP have said they shot and killed Wortman at an Enfield gas station , by which point he had changed to a silver sport utility vehicle .
RCMP include his death in their account of 23 total victims .
When asked Monday during a news briefing why a provincewide emergency alert was n't used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` It 's a good question , and I do n't have an answer for you at this moment . ''
The RCMP did not hold a briefing and offered no further comment on the issue Tuesday .
Premier Stephen McNeil said the province 's emergency alert system was ready to go but was n't used because no request was received at the Emergency Management Office from the RCMP .
`` We had staff on hand in the morning to be able to do that , but it was not requested , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , McNeil told CTV Atlantic more could have been done .
`` I would say ( with ) the benefit of hindsight , the depth and breadth of this should have been communicated more widely with a number of our agencies , '' he said .
`` But let 's let that unfold .
My main focus right now is to support those families . ''
Josh Greenberg , a professor of journalism and communications at Carleton University , said the alerts are intended to reach people who are at imminent risk .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ received an emergency notification about the risk or coronavirus less than two weeks ago ( April 10 ) , so there 's no reason why officials would not use this platform again , '' said Greenberg , who studies crisis and risk communication .
Twitter , he said , `` can not wake you in the middle of the night or early morning to warn you that there is a mass shooter at large , your life may be at risk and to lock your doors and seek shelter . ''
The death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Wortman 's previous involvement with the police .
Nova Scotia court records confirm he was ordered to receive counselling for anger management after he pleaded guilty to assaulting another man in the Halifax area on Oct. 29 , 2001 .
The documents say the guilty plea came on Oct. 7 , 2002 , as Wortman 's trial was about to begin .
He was granted a conditional discharge , placed on probation for nine months , ordered to undergo counselling , fined $ 50 and told to stay away from the victim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or possessing a weapon , ammunition or explosive substances .
In a news conference earlier this week in Ottawa , RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki said investigators were looking into `` various firearms '' that were used in the crime .
She also told The Canadian Press , `` the subject in question was not well known to police . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21 , 2020 .
— With Files from Michael MacDonald in Halifax and Kevin Bissett in Fredericton .

A murderous rampage by a Halifax man impersonating an RCMP officer has claimed 22 lives, police announced Tuesday as some questioned why more wasn't done to warn citizens along his route. The RCMP confirmed in a news release that the killing began in Portapique, N.S., and when police arrived Saturday night they discovered several casualties inside and outside of a home. The killer's trail continued overnight and into the next morning through Wentworth, Debert and Shubenacadie before he was shot dead by police in Enfield at around noon Sunday. When it was over, there were 16 different crime scenes. During that time, the RCMP provided Twitter updates. But no public agency issued a public emergency alert that automatically pops up on all smart phones and televisions — even though the provincial alert system had recently been used to advise people to maintain physical distancing because of COVID-19. David and Heather Matthews were out for a stroll in a wooded valley in Wentworth on Sunday morning when they were confronted with a choice: They could walk down the road on Highway 4, or go down a trail.
"I just didn't have a good feeling about something," David Matthews recalled in a phone interview. "I said, 'I'm not going down the road.'" About halfway along the trail, the couple heard a "pop," which they said sounded like it could be a gunshot, or perhaps just a car backfiring. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Shortly after the Matthews returned home, their phone started ringing with warnings from friends that there was an active shooter on the loose in the neighbourhood. They later learned that a fellow walker was gunned down that morning on a road nearby.
"If I had gone down the road, he probably would have shot us," said David Matthews. Number of N.S. victims hits 22, as some ask why emergency alert wasn't used "In my mind, there should have been some provincial alert ... (that) you've got to be careful, because there's an active shooter in the area." From Wentworth, the precise route of Gabriel Wortman — identified by police as the killer —remains unclear, but police have said he targeted people he knew and others he did not know. The RCMP has said the 51-year-old denturist continued to evade his pursuers in part because he was wearing an "authentic" police uniform and driving a vehicle painted to look exactly like an RCMP patrol car. Eyewitnesses said he made his way to Shubenacadie, N.S., a community about 50 kilometres northwest of Halifax off Highway 102.
It was in Shubenacadie that onlookers took photographs and video that show what looked like two RCMP vehicles on fire and a body on the ground. Const. Heidi Stevenson was killed in the rampage and Const. Chad Morrison was wounded but has been released from hospital. From Shubenacadie the shooter headed back towards the highway. A municipal councillor, Steve Streatch, has said that a young father, Joey Webber, was also killed in that area while running a family errand. Cheryl Maloney, a resident of a highway leading into Shubenacadie, said her home was along the killer's route, between the scene where the burning cars and the body were filmed and a location where Gina Goulet, a 54-year-old denturist, was murdered at her home.


nationalobserver--2020-04-22--Uranium workers in northern Sask. facing 25 per cent pay cut

Hundreds of workers in northern Saskatchewan will be hit with a 25 per cent pay cut in May , as Cameco Corporation ’ s Cigar Lake mine and Orano Canada Inc. ’ s McClean Lake mill extend their production suspension past the four week period that was announced on March 23 .
“ The global challenges posed by this pandemic are not abating — in fact , they are deepening , ” Cameco ’ s president and CEO Tim Gitzel said in a written statement .
Cameco Corporation is the world ’ s largest producer of uranium and Orano Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cigar Lake mine is processed .
“ We thought since things were still evolving pretty rapidly , we ’ d give it four weeks and see how that duration unfolded , and as we saw , not a lot changed for the positive , ” Jeff Hryhoriw , director of government relations and communications at Cameco Corporation told National Observer .
Cameco employees who were at Cigar Lake are continuing to be paid their full pay and benefits for the four-week period since care and maintenance — an upkeep period where production goes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began about a week after the announcement in March .
• Canada ’ s murky bailout deal for oil and gas will cost us all • Ontario may be at COVID-19 peak , but testing woes could stall reopening • Bike couriers in Toronto risking illness to deliver 'junk food to rich people ' Water samples being collected at Key Lake in northern Saskatchewan as part of the environmental management system .
The McArthur River/Key Lake operation went into care and maintenance in 2017 .
In 2018 Cameco announced that the shutdown is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courtesy of Cameco .
In May , that will drop to 75 per cent of their regular pay , plus full benefits .
The 75-per-cent arrangement is in place for May and June , but Hryhoriw said that the company can ’ t project beyond that as to how things will unfold .
“ There ’ s still a lot of uncertainty out there and restrictions remain in place .
We ’ re going to continue to monitor the situation around COVID-19 and some of the precautions that have been put in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Hryhoriw said .
Care and maintenance crews who are remaining to work and travelling to the site will continue to be paid their full pay and benefits , and an additional 10 per cent temporary recognition pay .
“ Just to recognize them going above and beyond to keep our facilities safe and in good condition during this period of pretty sizable uncertainty around there , ” Hryhoriw said .
According to Hryhoriw , approximately 50 per cent of the roughly 320 employees and another 240 contractors at Cigar Lake are from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of employees dropped to 75 during care and maintenance .
The workforce at Orano ’ s McClean Lake mill was reduced from 160 to 50 .
“ The idea of not knowing when you ’ re going to go back to work and how things are going to change has to have a massive impact on the mental well-being of a person , ” Ron Woytowich , mayor of La Ronge , Sask .
Orano Canada Inc. ’ s McClean Lake mill , where ore from Cigar Lake is processed .
Photograph courtesy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of not knowing when you ’ re going to go back to work and how things are going to change has to have a massive impact on the mental well-being of a person , ” said Ron Woytowich , mayor of La Ronge , Sask.
, a town in the Far North about five hundred kilometers south of Cigar Lake .
The effect on La Ronge itself is huge .
“ In economics we call that a multiplier effect , and I do n't know what the mine ’ s effect would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the multiplier effect of those mines and the salaries and everything that goes with it is huge .
There is that massive effect on a community , ” Woytowich said .
Global uranium equities have climbed since Cameco shut down Cigar Lake , the last producing mine in Saskatchewan ’ s Athabasca Basin .
Uranium prices that have suffered recently amid a glut in supply and decreased market value for the product are experiencing a rise in value after the Cigar Lake closure .
Yellowcake is a concentrated uranium powder that represents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uranium ores .
Prior to shipping , yellowcake is packed into steel drums .
Photograph courtesy of Cameco .
 “ Interestingly enough , the uranium industry is having a bit of a turnaround … It ’ s ironic but the less Cameco does , the better off the company does , ” said Brooke Dobni , professor of strategy at the University of Saskatchewan ’ s Edwards School of Business .
It ’ s basic supply and demand , according to Dobni .
“ Because [ uranium is ] a commodity in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is starting to restrict a bit and so the price goes up .
Whether or not there ’ s actually more demand is another story .
It could be just less supply , and I think we ’ ve seen that.
” Dobni speculates that stopping production of uranium at this time will be good for Cameco in the long run from a market perspective .
He said that it can be less expensive to buy uranium from a secondary producer at a lower price and sell it second-hand to clients while preserving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ground .
“ The short-term pain is going to benefit them in the longer term because of the economics of uranium in the world , and to me it isn ’ t responsible to be mining and selling uranium at a loss .
Given that uranium is a non-renewable resource , ” Dobni said .
He said that when the price of uranium goes up , Cameco will be able to sell their resource for a better profit .
An employee at Cameco Fuel Manufacturing Inc .
Uranium dioxide powder is refined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consistency to make pellets for use in fuel bundles .
 “ That ’ s the situation we ’ re in right now , so there ’ s a bit of a honeymoon now for uranium , but it ’ s not going to affect production in the next few months , so I think Cameco and others are going to stay shuttered .
You know , they ’ re going to take it a month at a time , ” Dobni said .
The future depends on how Cameco makes it through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncertainties as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic , we expect our business to be resilient , ” Gitzel said .
He said that Cameco believes that the risk to uranium supply is greater than the risk to uranium demand during care and maintenance , and has renewed focus on “ ensuring availability of long-term supply.
” “ With many governments and communities declaring states of emergency in their jurisdictions , our utility customers ’ nuclear power plants are part of the critical infrastructure needed to guarantee the availability of 24-hour electricity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services , ” Gitzel said .
” So our customers are going to need uranium .
As a reliable , independent , commercial supplier , we will continue to work with them to help meet their delivery needs .
”

Hundreds of workers in northern Saskatchewan will be hit with a 25 per cent pay cut in May, as Cameco Corporation’s Cigar Lake mine and Orano Canada Inc.’s McClean Lake mill extend their production suspension past the four week period that was announced on March 23. “The global challenges posed by this pandemic are not abating — in fact, they are deepening,” Cameco’s president and CEO Tim Gitzel said in a written statement. Cameco Corporation is the world’s largest publicly traded producer of uranium and Orano Canada Inc. operates the mill where ore from Cigar Lake mine is processed. “We thought since things were still evolving pretty rapidly, we’d give it four weeks and see how that duration unfolded, and as we saw, not a lot changed for the positive,” Jeff Hryhoriw, director of government relations and communications at Cameco Corporation told National Observer. Cameco employees who were at Cigar Lake are continuing to be paid their full pay and benefits for the four-week period since care and maintenance — an upkeep period where production goes on hold at the mine site — began about a week after the announcement in March.
Located in northern Saskatchewan, Cigar Lake is the world's largest undeveloped uranium deposit. Photograph courtesy of Cameco. In May, that will drop to 75 per cent of their regular pay, plus full benefits. The 75-per-cent arrangement is in place for May and June, but Hryhoriw said that the company can’t project beyond that as to how things will unfold. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “There’s still a lot of uncertainty out there and restrictions remain in place. We’re going to continue to monitor the situation around COVID-19 and some of the precautions that have been put in place by government and public health authorities,” Hryhoriw said.
Care and maintenance crews who are remaining to work and travelling to the site will continue to be paid their full pay and benefits, and an additional 10 per cent temporary recognition pay. “The idea of not knowing when you’re going to go back to work and how things are going to change has to have a massive impact on the mental well-being of a person,” Ron Woytowich, mayor of La Ronge, Sask. “Just to recognize them going above and beyond to keep our facilities safe and in good condition during this period of pretty sizable uncertainty around there,” Hryhoriw said. According to Hryhoriw, approximately 50 per cent of the roughly 320 employees and another 240 contractors at Cigar Lake are from communities in northern Saskatchewan. The number of employees dropped to 75 during care and maintenance. The workforce at Orano’s McClean Lake mill was reduced from 160 to 50. Orano Canada Inc.’s McClean Lake mill, where ore from Cigar Lake is processed. Photograph courtesy of Orano Canada Inc. “The idea of not knowing when you’re going to go back to work and how things are going to change has to have a massive impact on the mental well-being of a person,” said Ron Woytowich, mayor of La Ronge, Sask., a town in the Far North about five hundred kilometers south of Cigar Lake.
The effect on La Ronge itself is huge. “In economics we call that a multiplier effect, and I don't know what the mine’s effect would be [but] I can guarantee you that the multiplier effect of those mines and the salaries and everything that goes with it is huge. There is that massive effect on a community,” Woytowich said. Global uranium equities have climbed since Cameco shut down Cigar Lake, the last producing mine in Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin. Uranium prices that have suffered recently amid a glut in supply and decreased market value for the product are experiencing a rise in value after the Cigar Lake closure.


nationalobserver--2020-04-22--COVID-19 lessons for the media covering the climate crisis

This story was originally co-published by Columbia Journalism Review and The Nation as part of Covering Climate Now , a global journalistic collaboration to strengthen coverage of the climate story .
The coronavirus pandemic is a tragic reminder of just how essential fact-based , outspoken journalism is , especially in times of crisis .
Without it , people die .
In China , the lack of an independent press made it easier for the government to hide the danger of the virus , putting many more people , especially health care workers , at risk .
In the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , calling it a “ hoax , ” but faced pushback from much of the media .
By highlighting what science and medical experts say , rather than the fake controversies around it , such reporting is helping to push the US death toll lower than it otherwise would be .
Now it ’ s time for the same journalistic rigor and urgency around the other great crisis of our time .
The overlaps between the coronavirus crisis and the climate crisis are many , and the same best practices when it comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too , newsrooms must let facts , especially scientific facts , be our guide .
We must stand up to the powerful , remembering that journalists work for the public , not for governments .
We must report with compassion , candor , and courage , not only chronicling the ongoing devastation , as important as that is , but also illuminating credible remedies and reasons for hope .
Towards that end , the global journalistic collaboration Covering Climate Now , founded a year ago by Columbia Journalism Review ( CJR ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coverage coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and focusing on climate solutions .
Comprised of more than 400 TV , radio , wire service , digital and print news outlets with a combined audience approaching 2 billion people , Covering Climate Now organized a similar week of joint coverage in September around the UN Climate Action Summit that helped drive a massive increase in overall media coverage of climate change .
Going ahead with this week of climate solutions coverage , even as the coronavirus continues to ravage communities around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We know from conversations with colleagues throughout the media that most newsrooms are already working overtime to cover this pandemic , and that audiences crave that in-depth , 24/7 coverage .
• Canada ’ s murky bailout deal for oil and gas will cost us all • Ontario may be at COVID-19 peak , but testing woes could stall reopening • Bike couriers in Toronto risking illness to deliver 'junk food to rich people ' Nevertheless , there is an opportunity for all of us here .
As awful as the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test run for the challenges of a climate crisis that continues to accelerate .
Our job , as journalists , is to extract lessons from the COVID-19 crisis that we can apply to covering the climate crisis .
It is , as author and activist Bill McKibben recently wrote in The New Yorker , a daunting task .
“ The edifice ( of contemporary society ) seems so shiny and substantial , a world of silver jets stitching together cities of towering skyscrapers , a globe of soaring markets and smartphone connectivity , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple of months into this disease and it ’ s all tottering….
” The similarities between the causes of and solutions to the coronavirus and the climate crisis are nothing short of eerie .
In both cases , it is imperative to respect science , intervene early to flatten the curve , and prepare for impacts that can ’ t be avoided .
The coronavirus shows what horrors can result when governments , often abetted by propaganda organs masquerading as news organizations , instead scorn science , shun early action , and fail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results .
It is precisely now , in this moment of rawness around the coronavirus , that we can most ably draw lessons to help us do better against the onrushing climate crisis .
It is notable , and encouraging , that even as people understandably obsess about the coronavirus , they remain interested in climate stories .
“ We ’ ve found that there is an audience ; a lot of people want to hear about climate change , ” Justin Worland , the climate correspondent for Time , said during a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covering Climate Now on April 16 .
So during this week of Earth Day ’ s 50th anniversary , look for an abundance of first-class reporting and analysis of climate solutions by the news outlets of Covering Climate Now .
We define solutions broadly , to include not only technical fixes such as solar panels and sea walls but also policy reforms such as pricing carbon and ending fossil fuel subsidies as well as civic actions to advance these reforms , including voting , protesting , and , yes , better journalism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of Covering Climate Now ’ s partners—including , The Guardian , Reuters , CBS News , WNYC public radio , HuffPost , The Asahi Shimbun , and CJR—will make their coverage available free of charge for all partners to republish or rebroadcast .
We are also excited that on Earth Day itself , this Wednesday , a number of the biggest names in news will announce that they are joining Covering Climate Now , expanding our collaboration ’ s reach and our ability to keep the climate story at the top of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come easy at this moment in our history .
But we can draw hope from the fact that we can learn from the coronavirus crisis , and that it can provide a roadmap for stories that will matter about the climate crisis and , crucially , its solutions .
`` As awful as the coronavirus is , it 's a test run for the challenges of an accelerating climate crisis .
As journalists , our job is to extract lessons from the COVID-19 crisis that we can apply to covering another crisis -- @ @ @ @

This story was originally co-published by Columbia Journalism Review and The Nation as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalistic collaboration to strengthen coverage of the climate story.
The coronavirus pandemic is a tragic reminder of just how essential fact-based, outspoken journalism is, especially in times of crisis. Without it, people die. In China, the lack of an independent press made it easier for the government to hide the danger of the virus, putting many more people, especially health care workers, at risk. In the United States, Donald Trump likewise downplayed the threat, calling it a “hoax,” but faced pushback from much of the media. By highlighting what science and medical experts say, rather than the fake controversies around it, such reporting is helping to push the US death toll lower than it otherwise would be.
Now it’s time for the same journalistic rigor and urgency around the other great crisis of our time. The overlaps between the coronavirus crisis and the climate crisis are many, and the same best practices when it comes to reporting are needed. Here, too, newsrooms must let facts, especially scientific facts, be our guide. We must stand up to the powerful, remembering that journalists work for the public, not for governments. We must report with compassion, candor, and courage, not only chronicling the ongoing devastation, as important as that is, but also illuminating credible remedies and reasons for hope.
Towards that end, the global journalistic collaboration Covering Climate Now, founded a year ago by Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) and The Nation, has launched a week of coverage coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and focusing on climate solutions. Comprised of more than 400 TV, radio, wire service, digital and print news outlets with a combined audience approaching 2 billion people, Covering Climate Now organized a similar week of joint coverage in September around the UN Climate Action Summit that helped drive a massive increase in overall media coverage of climate change.
Going ahead with this week of climate solutions coverage, even as the coronavirus continues to ravage communities around the world is not an easy call. We know from conversations with colleagues throughout the media that most newsrooms are already working overtime to cover this pandemic, and that audiences crave that in-depth, 24/7 coverage.


nationalobserver--2020-04-22--COVID-19 is creating a food crisis and Canada needs to respond

The first wave of response to the COVID-19 pandemic has shown , thus far , encouraging signs of global cooperation on public health .
But there is a global food crisis building on the horizon , and we have precious little time to act in order to prevent devastation .
The World Food Programme has identified 49 countries at high risk of experiencing food crises as a result of COVID-19 .
For the almost 307 million highly food-insecure people living in these countries , the economic and food security consequences may be worse than the impacts of the disease itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ International Development Karina Gould announced that Canada has allocated $ 159.5 million to support its international partners as they work to prevent and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic .
These investments will help save lives in Canada and around the world .
It is imperative that this funding be the first phase of an ongoing response .
The spread of COVID-19 has precipitated critical shocks throughout the global food system .
Farmers — especially the small-scale farmers who are the last line of defense against food insecurity in their communities — are among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limiting access to seeds and other inputs at a critical moment in many regions , with the planting season about to begin .
Social distancing and mobility restrictions also create a high level of vulnerability for farmers in the global South , where agriculture is more labour intensive .
In Pakistan , around 70 per cent of small-scale farmers rely on migratory farm labourers who have been unable to travel , according to the Anadolu Agency .
• Canada ’ s murky bailout deal for oil and gas will cost us all • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but testing woes could stall reopening • Bike couriers in Toronto risking illness to deliver 'junk food to rich people ' At the same time , lockdowns are creating a surge in staple food prices in many areas — as much as 20 to 33 per cent in Ghana , for example , according to the Cornell Alliance for Science .
Faced with hunger , farming families may be forced to make the impossible choice of eating their grain and pulse seeds to survive today , sacrificing tomorrow ’ s harvest .
Local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is on the horizon now .
Many food systems in the global South were already under stress before this crisis , due to climate change , migration and political instability .
The impacts of COVID-19 could take these already strained food systems beyond their breaking point .
Women and girls will be the hardest hit .
Most rural women in the global South are farmers , focusing primarily on small-scale production for their households and communities .
In many places , women are also the traditional seed-keepers , maintaining seed supplies to assure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are systematically denied land rights , excluded from household and community decision-making and denied access to resources and capital .
This marginalization is exacerbated in times of crisis .
Women and girls in food-insecure households eat last and least , according to the World Food Programme .
At the same time , increased pressure on local food and seed production places additional demands on women ’ s labour .
It is incumbent upon us to take action to prevent the mass suffering of food-insecure women and girls , and to support their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food crisis is a lot like combatting a pandemic — an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure .
`` The spread of COVID-19 has precipitated critical shocks throughout the global food system . ''
We know the vulnerabilities , and the prescriptions needed to mitigate harm .
Farmers who have lost access to external inputs and affordable food need support to boost local seed , crop , livestock and input production , and expand community and home gardens .
If we do this in ways that make use of locally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practices , we will also bolster resilience to future crises , including climate change .
As we have witnessed in Canada , demands on food systems during this time are immense .
We need to come together now to prevent the COVID-19 health crisis from starting a global food crisis .
Canada has demonstrated impressive international leadership on gender equality through our Feminist International Assistance Policy ( FIAP ) .
This gendered approach must continue in our food security response .
By taking action now , we can save the lives of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ die from lack of food .
Canada has a critical role to play in leading this global response .

The first wave of response to the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, thus far, encouraging signs of global cooperation on public health. But there is a global food crisis building on the horizon, and we have precious little time to act in order to prevent devastation.
The World Food Programme has identified 49 countries at high risk of experiencing food crises as a result of COVID-19. For the almost 307 million highly food-insecure people living in these countries, the economic and food security consequences may be worse than the impacts of the disease itself.
On April 5, Minister of International Development Karina Gould announced that Canada has allocated $159.5 million to support its international partners as they work to prevent and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. These investments will help save lives in Canada and around the world. It is imperative that this funding be the first phase of an ongoing response.
The spread of COVID-19 has precipitated critical shocks throughout the global food system.
Farmers — especially the small-scale farmers who are the last line of defense against food insecurity in their communities — are among the worst hit. Trade interruptions are limiting access to seeds and other inputs at a critical moment in many regions, with the planting season about to begin. Social distancing and mobility restrictions also create a high level of vulnerability for farmers in the global South, where agriculture is more labour intensive. In Pakistan, around 70 per cent of small-scale farmers rely on migratory farm labourers who have been unable to travel, according to the Anadolu Agency.


nationalobserver--2020-04-22--COVID-19 moves Earth Day celebrations online for 50th anniversary

Allie Rougeot is used to marshalling climate activists onto the streets as an organizer of Toronto ’ s Fridays for Future student marches .
This month , she ’ s instead helping elder members of the climate movement navigate the brave new world of live streaming .
It ’ s not the only change to her typical routine that the COVID-19 pandemic has forced on the 21-year-old University of Toronto student ; she also rode her bicycle Wednesday morning on the city ’ s usually chaotic downtown streets , which are now almost empty .
On the 50th anniversary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant challenges making sure their message is heard , but also , perhaps , a more receptive audience .
“ People are less busy with their business as usual , ” Rougeot said .
“ People are realizing that foxes are back in downtown Toronto , geese are back .
People are more aware right now that nature needed a break , so it ’ s a good time to celebrate it .
And at the same time , we need to say it doesn ’ t only take a catastrophe like COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ painful ways to do that , too , ” she said .
• Canada ’ s murky bailout deal for oil and gas will cost us all • Ontario may be at COVID-19 peak , but testing woes could stall reopening • Bike couriers in Toronto risking illness to deliver 'junk food to rich people ' Catherine Abreu , the executive director of Climate Action Network , had been pushing federal and provincial legislatures to dedicate question periods on Earth Day to the environment .
That plan was sidelined by the closure of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take part in an online discussion with leading climate advocates and enjoy some musical acts , which Rougeot will MC .
Other guests , whose comments will be capped at a four-minute maximum to keep the 90-minute event humming along , include Katharine Hayhoe , a leading climate scientist , and professor at Texas Tech University , and Dianne Saxe , the former environmental commissioner of Ontario .
The event starts at 7 p.m .
ET and will be streamed on YouTube .
While Earth Day has long celebrated the individual actions that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact on the environment , Rougeot said younger people are these days more focused on getting governments to enact meaningful policy .
“ I think our generation of climate activists have given up , not given up , but we don ’ t emphasize ‘ recycle and turn off your lights ’ at this point .
We tell people to go and look at petitions and open letters to government ” about issues such as the proposed bailout of oil and gas companies .
She said the climate movement can ’ t ignore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , both health-wise and economically , but it is also presenting an opportunity for people to imagine a different future .
“ What are the things that we definitely want to keep , and what are the things that definitely are not working — like a major recession — and how do we counter that , for example , with things like the Green New Deal ?
” she said .
Abreu agreed , saying Canadians can choose to rebuild a shuttered economy without returning to a status quo that wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this would include a continuation of the mutual care that people and governments across Canada are showing during the pandemic .
“ Let ’ s be thinking about how we can perhaps turn the emergency response benefit into guaranteed annual income and address the crisis of poverty that we have been stricken with in Canada in recent years , ” she said .

Allie Rougeot is used to marshalling climate activists onto the streets as an organizer of Toronto’s Fridays for Future student marches. This month, she’s instead helping elder members of the climate movement navigate the brave new world of live streaming. It’s not the only change to her typical routine that the COVID-19 pandemic has forced on the 21-year-old University of Toronto student; she also rode her bicycle Wednesday morning on the city’s usually chaotic downtown streets, which are now almost empty. On the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, climate activists are facing significant challenges making sure their message is heard, but also, perhaps, a more receptive audience. “People are less busy with their business as usual,” Rougeot said. “People are realizing that foxes are back in downtown Toronto, geese are back. People are more aware right now that nature needed a break, so it’s a good time to celebrate it. And at the same time, we need to say it doesn’t only take a catastrophe like COVID to save it, there are less painful ways to do that, too,” she said.
Catherine Abreu, the executive director of Climate Action Network, had been pushing federal and provincial legislatures to dedicate question periods on Earth Day to the environment. That plan was sidelined by the closure of those bodies, and she will instead take part in an online discussion with leading climate advocates and enjoy some musical acts, which Rougeot will MC. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “We’re having a big Earth Day party online tonight,” Abreu said.
Other guests, whose comments will be capped at a four-minute maximum to keep the 90-minute event humming along, include Katharine Hayhoe, a leading climate scientist,and professor at Texas Tech University, and Dianne Saxe, the former environmental commissioner of Ontario. The event starts at 7 p.m. ET and will be streamed on YouTube.
From recycling to policy change While Earth Day has long celebrated the individual actions that can collectively help lessen humanity’s impact on the environment, Rougeot said younger people are these days more focused on getting governments to enact meaningful policy. “I think our generation of climate activists have given up, not given up, but we don’t emphasize ‘recycle and turn off your lights’ at this point. We tell people to go and look at petitions and open letters to government” about issues such as the proposed bailout of oil and gas companies.


nationalobserver--2020-04-22--Ontario calls on military for help as COVID-19 ravages long-term care

Ontario is asking the Canadian military for help stopping the rapid spread of COVID-19 in long-term care homes , Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday .
Although he said a week ago that the province didn ’ t need to call in the military , the premier said front-line medical workers in those homes need more support .
The novel coronavirus is “ ruthlessly attacking ” Ontario ’ s long-term care system , Ford said .
“ As we need more resources , we ’ re bringing more resources in , ” Ford said in response to questions from reporters about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve never been reluctant to call for help.
” It wasn ’ t immediately clear if the Canadian Armed Forces would agree to the government ’ s request .
Long-Term Care Minister Merrilee Fullerton declined to say where the extra help would be deployed , saying only that they would go to five homes that have been hit particularly hard by the virus .
Teams of about 50 from the military could be deployed to five hard-hit nursing homes , said Dr. David Williams , the province ’ s chief medical officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led by nurses and include medics and general military personnel who can be assigned to other tasks , he added .
• Canada ’ s murky bailout deal for oil and gas will cost us all • Ontario may be at COVID-19 peak , but testing woes could stall reopening • Bike couriers in Toronto risking illness to deliver 'junk food to rich people ' Quebec Premier Francois Legault made a similar call for help last week .
Workers at nursing homes there have abandoned their jobs as outbreaks worsened , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The virus disproportionately sickens and kills elderly people and those with underlying health conditions , and once it gets inside a nursing home , it has proven difficult to stop .
Infections inside long-term care are now accelerating even as community spread of the virus appears to be slowing .
At least 400 of Ontario ’ s 12,245 reported cases are linked to long-term care .
And of Ontario ’ s 626 long-term care homes , at least 128 had reported COVID-19 outbreaks at the time of publication .
The Ontario Long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 70 per cent of the province ’ s private , not-for-profit , charitable , and municipal long-term care homes , praised the Progressive Conservative government ’ s move to call in the military .
“ Today ’ s announcement , following similar measures in Quebec , will mean more support where it is needed most , ” said the group ’ s CEO , Donna Duncan , in a statement .
Doris Grinspun , CEO of the Registered Nurses ' Association of Ontario , said an interview with National Observer that she ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ontario needs the military in this case .
Quebec lacked a pool of nurses when it asked for help , but Ontario still has plenty who could be deployed , she added .
COVID-19 disproportionately sickens and kills elderly people , and has spread through nursing homes like wildfire .
Now , Ontario Premier Doug Ford is asking the military for help to stop it .
“ We can serve all of them , ” she said .
“ Give me the names of the homes and we will send help.
” COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care Nursing homes in Ontario have struggled with understaffing and underfunding issues that long predate the pandemic .
And earlier this month , a CBC News investigation showed that under Ford , the government had largely stopped doing unannounced annual inspections of long-term care facilities , instead visiting the homes only in response to complaints .
Cases began erupting in Ontario long-term care homes last month .
Last week , Ford said the virus was moving through long-term care homes like “ wildfire , ” and unveiled a new plan to address the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan was barring staff at homes from working at multiple facilities .
Many work several jobs to make ends meet , but the practice is linked to the spread of the virus between homes .
That measure took a week to take effect , however , meaning Wednesday is the last day before workers must stick to one facility .
The measure also exempts workers from agencies , which the Opposition NDP criticized as a significant loophole .
Ontario also announced Wednesday that it will begin screening all long-term care home residents for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of staff , stepping up a testing program it already upped last week .
It ’ s not clear when the increased testing will be rolled out .
Though Ontario has lagged in screening for COVID-19 , it is gradually increasing capacity , processing 10,000 tests a day as of Wednesday and aiming for 14,000 by the end of April .

Ontario is asking the Canadian military for help stopping the rapid spread of COVID-19 in long-term care homes, Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday. Although he said a week ago that the province didn’t need to call in the military, the premier said front-line medical workers in those homes need more support. The novel coronavirus is “ruthlessly attacking” Ontario’s long-term care system, Ford said. “As we need more resources, we’re bringing more resources in,” Ford said in response to questions from reporters about what changed his mind. “I’ve never been reluctant to call for help.” It wasn’t immediately clear if the Canadian Armed Forces would agree to the government’s request. Long-Term Care Minister Merrilee Fullerton declined to say where the extra help would be deployed, saying only that they would go to five homes that have been hit particularly hard by the virus. Teams of about 50 from the military could be deployed to five hard-hit nursing homes, said Dr. David Williams, the province’s chief medical officer of health. The teams would be led by nurses and include medics and general military personnel who can be assigned to other tasks, he added.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault made a similar call for help last week. Workers at nursing homes there have abandoned their jobs as outbreaks worsened, and the province has struggled to fill staffing shortages. The virus disproportionately sickens and kills elderly people and those with underlying health conditions, and once it gets inside a nursing home, it has proven difficult to stop. Infections inside long-term care are now accelerating even as community spread of the virus appears to be slowing. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions At least 400 of Ontario’s 12,245 reported cases are linked to long-term care. And of Ontario’s 626 long-term care homes, at least 128 had reported COVID-19 outbreaks at the time of publication.
The Ontario Long Term Care Association, which represents nearly 70 per cent of the province’s private, not-for-profit, charitable, and municipal long-term care homes, praised the Progressive Conservative government’s move to call in the military. COVID-19 disproportionately sickens and kills elderly people, and has spread through nursing homes like wildfire. Now, Ontario Premier Doug Ford is asking the military for help to stop it. “Today’s announcement, following similar measures in Quebec, will mean more support where it is needed most,” said the group’s CEO, Donna Duncan, in a statement. Doris Grinspun, CEO of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario, said an interview with National Observer that she’s “confused” as to why Ontario needs the military in this case. Quebec lacked a pool of nurses when it asked for help, but Ontario still has plenty who could be deployed, she added. “We can serve all of them,” she said. “Give me the names of the homes and we will send help.”
COVID-19 has become a 'wildfire' in long-term care Nursing homes in Ontario have struggled with understaffing and underfunding issues that long predate the pandemic. And earlier this month, a CBC News investigation showed that under Ford, the government had largely stopped doing unannounced annual inspections of long-term care facilities, instead visiting the homes only in response to complaints. Cases began erupting in Ontario long-term care homes last month. Last week, Ford said the virus was moving through long-term care homes like “wildfire,” and unveiled a new plan to address the crisis.


nationalobserver--2020-04-22--COVID-19 compounds isolation of rural women facing violence

“ We ’ re actually seeing a decrease in calls to our 24-hour crisis line , and we have available beds right now , ” Palmer said .
“ We feel women aren ’ t able talk on the phone safely , so it ’ s limiting some women from getting support.
” Social-distancing measures during the pandemic can put women into even tighter quarters with their abuser , further limiting their ability to reach out for help , said Diane Palmer , of the Campbell River and North Island Transition Society ( CRNITS ) .
The danger to rural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to the COVID-19 crisis , but the number of victims reaching out for support is not growing apace in the North Island region , troubling the agencies that help them .
“ We don ’ t think the abuse is less , we think it ’ s probably increased , ” she said .
“ When you see stressors like massive layoffs or natural disasters , and all those stressors are in play now , it gets worse .
It ’ s just likely accessing services is more difficult for women.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is widespread societal distress , Palmer said .
Intimate partner violence ( IPV ) is also the dominant form of violence experienced by women , representing 45 per cent of all female victims aged 15 to 89 .
Almost a third of police-reported violence happens between intimate partners , with women representing 80 per cent of the victims .
CRNITS not only serves Campbell River , but women and children at risk of violence in isolated rural communities across the North Island , including Cortes and Quadra islands .
The women ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is two ferry rides away from Campbell River — is still operational , but its safehouse operated in partnership with the society isn ’ t necessarily accessible during COVID-19 restrictions , Palmer said .
Generally , women in isolated rural areas face greater geographical challenges accessing services , and if they need transitional housing , they have to leave their community and go to Campbell River .
COVID-19 measures are aggravating the isolation rural women already face in situations of violence or abuse , said Palmer .
In an effort to provide a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in danger during the health crisis , the transition society has set up a new 24-hour text-only help line , Palmer said .
The recovery program at the Ann Elmore House is operating again , but at 50 per cent capacity .
While group gatherings aren ’ t being offered at the moment , the women ’ s centre is still open to five women at a time Monday through Thursday , with food and poverty relief supplies available .
The transition society is still providing urgent supports , such as crisis lines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shelter services to help safeguard women from violence during the pandemic , Palmer said .
“ It seems to be a similar trend on Vancouver Island that is not limited to Campbell River , ” she said .
“ ( COVID-19 ) seems to be having that effect in a broader area , as well.
” Transition societies in Comox and further south on Vancouver Island have shared the fact they ’ ve seen similar drops , said Palmer .
In general , women in rural areas experience the highest overall rates of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per 100,000 population , versus an urban rate of 447 victims .
Women in rural , remote and northern communities are more vulnerable to gender-based violence ( GBV ) , with Indigenous women , girls and LGBTQ2 people suffering the highest rates of violence , according to Status of Women Canada ( SWC ) .
Indigenous women experienced violence at a rate 2.7 times higher than that reported by non-Indigenous women , and were more than three times as likely to report spousal violence .
“ It may look different , but we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe shelter in Ann Elmore House … police will help them get into town , ” she said .
Of the 945 intimate partner homicides that occurred between 2008 and 2018 , 79 per cent involved female victims .
Recognizing women at risk of violence are highly vulnerable during the COVID-19 crisis , the federal government is allocating $ 30 million to women ’ s shelters and sexual assault centres nationally , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced April 4 .
An additional $ 10 million is slated for Indigenous Services Canada 's ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on reserves and in the Yukon to support Indigenous women and children fleeing violence .
RCMP Cpl .
Sean Bulford , Quadra Island detachment commander , said there hasn ’ t been an uptick in domestic abuse calls on Quadra and Cortes islands since the coronavirus isolation measures were put in place .
But that doesn ’ t mean women aren ’ t facing increased risk of violence on the islands , he said .
“ Domestic violence is a very underreported crime .
There are a lot of women , I suspect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but we never get calls from them , ” said Bulford .
“ Just because we haven ’ t seen an increase , doesn ’ t mean it isn ’ t happening.
” The majority of gender-based violence cases are not reported to police , with just five per cent of sexual assault survivors reporting to police in 2014 , according to Status of Women Canada .
Reasons why survivors of violence don ’ t report can include the belief the offender won ’ t be convicted or a lack of faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of family to know or be shamed , financial dependence on the abuser or fear the abuser will enact revenge , or that they might lose their children or be deported .
In 2019 , the Quadra Island RCMP detachment , which also polices neighbouring Cortes , Read , and Rendezvous islands , responded to six spousal assault complaints , Bulford said .
Charges were forwarded to the Crown in five of the incidents , with insufficient evidence to proceed in the other one , he added .
Quadra RCMP also responded to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t involve assaults , Bulford said .
To date in 2020 , police have responded to five family or spousal disturbances that didn ’ t involve assaults on the islands .
The RCMP treats domestic assaults very seriously and strives to get charges if the evidence allows , said Bulford , adding he understands women being abused might be hesitant to call police .
“ We encourage women to come forward to provide statements , but we realize it ’ s a step a lot of women aren ’ t prepared to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they aren ’ t comfortable reaching out to police , victims should confide in service providers or friends or family , Bulford said .
“ The first step is to tell somebody they trust , so someone knows what they are living with , ” he said .
“ It provides some measure of safety.
” RCMP domestic violence co-ordinator Const .
Julie Clelland said officers in Campbell River also haven ’ t seen a noticeable rise in domestic violence during the COVID-19 crisis .
Campbell River RCMP responded to 37 different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase of three files compared to the same period in 2019 .
“ We ’ re not seeing a spike , but we can ’ t say for sure it isn ’ t happening , ” Clelland said .
“ Domestic violence isn ’ t less important under COVID-19 .
In fact , it is even heightened , but people need to reach out to police or a crisis line … when they are in a violent situation.
” Women living in rural or isolated communities , such as Quadra and Cortes islands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , programs or transition housing , which are mostly based in Campbell River .
“ Unfortunately , they are looking at displacement from their community to get the resources that they require.
” Women fleeing violence on the islands who need long-term safe shelter face journeys involving one , if not two , ferries , and no public transit across the islands .
RCMP officers can help get women and children off island , but the police ’ s ability to respond to Cortes Island , only accessible by water from Quadra , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
The very strengths of the islands ' small communities can also pose stumbling blocks for women facing violence , Clelland added .
“ What makes that community great is also what makes the community unsafe sometimes , ” she said .
“ Quadra and Cortes communities are tight-knit and always willing to help out , but everybody also knows your business.
” This can be particularly problematic when it comes to keeping the location of temporary safehouses secret .
But resources for women and children facing domestic abuse are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Clelland said .
“ We still want people to access them when they can , and police are still on the road answering calls.
” In terms of available resources , Palmer is particularly unnerved that there are safety beds available at the transition society ’ s Ann Elmore House , which is typically full .
“ It ’ s an eerie , odd situation because we know women are likely facing more violence than usual , ” she said , adding it ’ s likely a reflection of the drop in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But that could change any moment … we are expecting the bottom to drop out any minute.
” Palmer suspects a key reason women aren ’ t leaving dangerous homes is the dire lack of affordable rental housing , a problem that pre-dates COVID-19 , but is further aggravated by the fact few buildings are taking in new tenants with the pandemic in full swing .
Additionally , BC Housing , the key source of subsidized housing for women and children fleeing violence across the province , has stopped accepting and processing housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palmer .
“ There ’ s lots of uncertainty right now in the housing market … women are scared of ending up homeless , and that ’ s a legitimate and definite concern.
” But the transition society is still providing critical services to women and children during the health crisis , Palmer stressed .
“ We are still here , ” she said .
“ We really want women to access our services .
We ’ re still there for supports , even if they just want to talk to someone on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in immediate danger , call police at 911 right away .
North Island region : Women at risk of violence can use text-only 24-hour helpline at 250-895-1773 .
Or call the 24-hour helpline at 250-286-3666 or toll-free at 1-800-667-2188 .
Provincewide : Call VictimLinkBC at 1-800-563-0808 or email [ email protected ] for 24/7 confidential service , supports and translators in 150 languages .

Almost a third of police-reported violence happens between intimate partners, with women representing 80 per cent of the victims.
CRNITS not only serves Campbell River, but women and children at risk of violence in isolated rural communities across the North Island, including Cortes and Quadra islands.
“We’re actually seeing a decrease in calls to our 24-hour crisis line, and we have available beds right now,” Palmer said. “We feel women aren’t able talk on the phone safely, so it’s limiting some women from getting support.”
Social-distancing measures during the pandemic can put women into even tighter quarters with their abuser, further limiting their ability to reach out for help, said Diane Palmer, of the Campbell River and North Island Transition Society (CRNITS).
The danger to rural women facing violence is higher than ever due to the COVID-19 crisis, but the number of victims reaching out for support is not growing apace in the North Island region, troubling the agencies that help them.
“We don’t think the abuse is less, we think it’s probably increased,” she said. “When you see stressors like massive layoffs or natural disasters, and all those stressors are in play now, it gets worse. It’s just likely accessing services is more difficult for women.”
Historically, violence against women jumps when there is widespread societal distress , Palmer said.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is also the dominant form of violence experienced by women, representing 45 per cent of all female victims aged 15 to 89.
The recovery program at the Ann Elmore House is operating again, but at 50 per cent capacity.
While group gatherings aren’t being offered at the moment, the women’s centre is still open to five women at a time Monday through Thursday, with food and poverty relief supplies available.
The transition society is still providing urgent supports, such as crisis lines, one-on-one counselling over the phone and shelter services to help safeguard women from violence during the pandemic, Palmer said.
“It seems to be a similar trend on Vancouver Island that is not limited to Campbell River,” she said. “(COVID-19) seems to be having that effect in a broader area, as well.”
Transition societies in Comox and further south on Vancouver Island have shared the fact they’ve seen similar drops, said Palmer.
Generally, women in isolated rural areas face greater geographical challenges accessing services, and if they need transitional housing, they have to leave their community and go to Campbell River.
COVID-19 measures are aggravating the isolation rural women already face in situations of violence or abuse, said Palmer.
In an effort to provide a safe and easily accessible tool for women in danger during the health crisis, the transition society has set up a new 24-hour text-only help line, Palmer said.
The women’s centre on Cortes Island — which is two ferry rides away from Campbell River — is still operational, but its safehouse operated in partnership with the society isn’t necessarily accessible during COVID-19 restrictions, Palmer said.
“It may look different, but we can still get women here and provide safe shelter in Ann Elmore House … police will help them get into town,” she said.
Women in rural, remote and northern communities are more vulnerable to gender-based violence (GBV), with Indigenous women, girls and LGBTQ2 people suffering the highest rates of violence, according to Status of Women Canada (SWC). Indigenous women experienced violence at a rate 2.7 times higher than that reported by non-Indigenous women, and were more than three times as likely to report spousal violence.
In general, women in rural areas experience the highest overall rates of intimate partner violence, with 789 victims per 100,000 population, versus an urban rate of 447 victims.
Rural women face greater rate violence from intimate partner violence, as outlined in a Statistics Canada table showing police-reported intimate partner and non-intimate partner violence, by victim sex from 2017 to 2018. Courtesy Statistics Canada.
Of the 945 intimate partner homicides that occurred between 2008 and 2018, 79 per cent involved female victims.
Recognizing women at risk of violence are highly vulnerable during the COVID-19 crisis, the federal government is allocating $30 million to women’s shelters and sexual assault centres nationally, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced April 4.
An additional $10 million is slated for Indigenous Services Canada's (ISC) network of 46 emergency shelters on reserves and in the Yukon to support Indigenous women and children fleeing violence.
RCMP Cpl. Sean Bulford, Quadra Island detachment commander, said there hasn’t been an uptick in domestic abuse calls on Quadra and Cortes islands since the coronavirus isolation measures were put in place.
But that doesn’t mean women aren’t facing increased risk of violence on the islands, he said.
“Domestic violence is a very underreported crime. There are a lot of women, I suspect, that are living in abusive relationships, but we never get calls from them,” said Bulford.
“Just because we haven’t seen an increase, doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.”
The majority of gender-based violence cases are not reported to police, with just five per cent of sexual assault survivors reporting to police in 2014, according to Status of Women Canada.
Reasons why survivors of violence don’t report can include the belief the offender won’t be convicted or a lack of faith in police, not wanting their community of family to know or be shamed, financial dependence on the abuser or fear the abuser will enact revenge, or that they might lose their children or be deported.
In 2019, the Quadra Island RCMP detachment, which also polices neighbouring Cortes, Read, and Rendezvous islands, responded to six spousal assault complaints, Bulford said.
Charges were forwarded to the Crown in five of the incidents, with insufficient evidence to proceed in the other one, he added.
Quadra RCMP also responded to 20 family or spousal-related disturbances that didn’t involve assaults, Bulford said.
To date in 2020, police have responded to five family or spousal disturbances that didn’t involve assaults on the islands.
The RCMP treats domestic assaults very seriously and strives to get charges if the evidence allows, said Bulford, adding he understands women being abused might be hesitant to call police.
“We encourage women to come forward to provide statements, but we realize it’s a step a lot of women aren’t prepared to take,” he said.
But if they aren’t comfortable reaching out to police, victims should confide in service providers or friends or family, Bulford said.
“The first step is to tell somebody they trust, so someone knows what they are living with,” he said. “It provides some measure of safety.”
RCMP domestic violence co-ordinator Const. Julie Clelland said officers in Campbell River also haven’t seen a noticeable rise in domestic violence during the COVID-19 crisis.
Campbell River RCMP responded to 37 different domestic violence calls in March, an increase of three files compared to the same period in 2019.
“We’re not seeing a spike, but we can’t say for sure it isn’t happening,” Clelland said.
“Domestic violence isn’t less important under COVID-19. In fact, it is even heightened, but people need to reach out to police or a crisis line … when they are in a violent situation.”
Women living in rural or isolated communities, such as Quadra and Cortes islands, face added challenges in accessing services, programs or transition housing, which are mostly based in Campbell River.
“Unfortunately, they are looking at displacement from their community to get the resources that they require.”
Women fleeing violence on the islands who need long-term safe shelter face journeys involving one, if not two, ferries, and no public transit across the islands.
RCMP officers can help get women and children off island, but the police’s ability to respond to Cortes Island, only accessible by water from Quadra, in a timely manner is difficult, she said.
The very strengths of the islands' small communities can also pose stumbling blocks for women facing violence, Clelland added.
“What makes that community great is also what makes the community unsafe sometimes,” she said.
“Quadra and Cortes communities are tight-knit and always willing to help out, but everybody also knows your business.”
This can be particularly problematic when it comes to keeping the location of temporary safehouses secret.
But resources for women and children facing domestic abuse are in place during COVID-19’s self-isolation measures, Clelland said.
“We still want people to access them when they can, and police are still on the road answering calls.”
In terms of available resources, Palmer is particularly unnerved that there are safety beds available at the transition society’s Ann Elmore House, which is typically full.
“It’s an eerie, odd situation because we know women are likely facing more violence than usual,” she said, adding it’s likely a reflection of the drop in calls to the crisis line.
“But that could change any moment … we are expecting the bottom to drop out any minute.”
[Rose Harbour House, a transitional housing residence for women fleeing violence run by Campbell River North Island Transition Society (CRNITS) decorated with T-shirts created by people affected by abuse as part of the 2019 Clothesline project. Photo: courtesy of CRNITS.
Palmer suspects a key reason women aren’t leaving dangerous homes is the dire lack of affordable rental housing, a problem that pre-dates COVID-19, but is further aggravated by the fact few buildings are taking in new tenants with the pandemic in full swing.
Additionally, BC Housing, the key source of subsidized housing for women and children fleeing violence across the province, has stopped accepting and processing housing registry applications during the pandemic, said Palmer.
“There’s lots of uncertainty right now in the housing market … women are scared of ending up homeless, and that’s a legitimate and definite concern.”
But the transition society is still providing critical services to women and children during the health crisis, Palmer stressed.
“We are still here,” she said. “We really want women to access our services. We’re still there for supports, even if they just want to talk to someone on the crisis line.”
Rochelle Baker / Local Journalism Initiative
If you are in immediate danger, call police at 911 right away.
North Island region: Women at risk of violence can use text-only 24-hour helpline at 250-895-1773.
Or call the 24-hour helpline at 250-286-3666 or toll-free at 1-800-667-2188.
Provincewide: Call VictimLinkBC at 1-800-563-0808 or email [email protected] for 24/7 confidential service, supports and translators in 150 languages.


nationalobserver--2020-04-22--Ottawa outlines $9 billion in pandemic aid for students

The government has announced a relief package for post-secondary students , many of whom had complained they were shut out of initial aid targeting workers and businesses while facing a dire summer jobs market .
The Canada Emergency Student Benefit will disperse $ 1,250 a month to eligible students from May to August , the Prime Minister ’ s Office said in a statement on Wednesday .
It will pay $ 1,750 per month for eligible students with dependants or disabilities .
The move should go some way to placate students and advocates who had lamented that those enrolled at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either employment insurance or the Canada Emergency Relief Benefit ( CERB ) offered to workers who lost their jobs due to the pandemic .
“ Anything is better than nothing , ” said Nathalie Bouchard , who went back to school for a social work diploma at the start of this year and as a single mother would receive the higher amount .
“ For me , this does help , I ’ m not going to say it doesn ’ t .
It puts me in a much better , safer position @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the 35-year-old .
“ But at the same time , it isn ’ t really enough when you ’ re a homeowner and a single parent.
” • Canada ’ s murky bailout deal for oil and gas will cost us all • Ontario may be at COVID-19 peak , but testing woes could stall reopening • Bike couriers in Toronto risking illness to deliver 'junk food to rich people ' Last week , about 45,000 people signed an online petition calling on Ottawa to include students under CERB , which pays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefit has evolved over time , including with the addition last week of part-time , contract and seasonal workers to the list of those eligible and the allowance of earnings of up to $ 1,000 a month .
Bouchard had planned to bridge into a degree program after graduating from Mohawk College in Hamilton next April , but COVID-19 and the resulting shutdown have thrown uncertainty into the mix .
“ The plan was to keep going , but then it , like for others , has been interrupted , so we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bouchard had been working part-time at a local community organization serving women and children while studying , but had not earned the $ 5,000 needed to qualify for the government ’ s previously announced CERB program .
She was offered full-time hours at a higher pay rate last week to provide essential services to the organization ’ s clients in transitional housing , but she can ’ t accept it since her three-year-old son ’ s daycare facility is closed .
Ottawa says it will pay post-secondary students and graduates facing a dire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turning to help students with a $ 9 billion package weeks after launching supports for workers and businesses .
Ottawa had previously retooled its summer jobs program in a bid to get students into community-focused and essential services work .
Many students and recent graduates have lost summer job placements and are struggling to find meaningful work while also worrying about how to make rent and cover other basic costs .
“ The future of our economy and our country relies on the opportunities and support we provide to Canadian students today , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The almost $ 9-billion package also increases the maximum weekly amount a student can receive under the Canada Student Loans Program — which covers some 700,000 students — to $ 350 from $ 210 .
It also offers a $ 5,000 education grant to returning students who sign up for national service or serve their communities during the pandemic .
“ Overall , it sounds promising , ” said Alex Gold-Apel , a master ’ s student at the University of Toronto ’ s Munk School who has been among those leading efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We 're happy they have been listening and responding.
” But he still had questions ; including why the main benefit was capped at $ 1,250 ( while workers get $ 2,000 ) , whether those graduating in the fall are included , and how quickly it could be rolled out .
“ Why is the student benefit less than CERB ?
” tweeted Reg Manzer , a master ’ s student at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia .
“ Not only do students pay living expenses like everyone else , but we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that.
” Despite the questions , there was relief .
“ Today ’ s announcement is taking a lot of pressure off the students ’ shoulders .
They can finally go through their finals or research without worrying about May 1st rent , ” said Philippe LeBel , president of the Quebec Student Union .

The government has announced a relief package for post-secondary students, many of whom had complained they were shut out of initial aid targeting workers and businesses while facing a dire summer jobs market. The Canada Emergency Student Benefit will disperse $1,250 a month to eligible students from May to August, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement on Wednesday. It will pay $1,750 per month for eligible students with dependants or disabilities. The move should go some way to placate students and advocates who had lamented that those enrolled at universities and colleges were largely ineligible for either employment insurance or the Canada Emergency Relief Benefit (CERB) offered to workers who lost their jobs due to the pandemic. “Anything is better than nothing,” said Nathalie Bouchard, who went back to school for a social work diploma at the start of this year and as a single mother would receive the higher amount. “For me, this does help, I’m not going to say it doesn’t. It puts me in a much better, safer position than I was in yesterday,” said the 35-year-old. “But at the same time, it isn’t really enough when you’re a homeowner and a single parent.”
Last week, about 45,000 people signed an online petition calling on Ottawa to include students under CERB, which pays out $2,000 a month. That benefit has evolved over time, including with the addition last week of part-time, contract and seasonal workers to the list of those eligible and the allowance of earnings of up to $1,000 a month. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Bouchard had planned to bridge into a degree program after graduating from Mohawk College in Hamilton next April, but COVID-19 and the resulting shutdown have thrown uncertainty into the mix.
“The plan was to keep going, but then it, like for others, has been interrupted, so we’ll see,” she said. Ottawa says it will pay post-secondary students and graduates facing a dire summer jobs market during to COVID-19, turning to help students with a $9 billion package weeks after launching supports for workers and businesses. Bouchard had been working part-time at a local community organization serving women and children while studying, but had not earned the $5,000 needed to qualify for the government’s previously announced CERB program. She was offered full-time hours at a higher pay rate last week to provide essential services to the organization’s clients in transitional housing, but she can’t accept it since her three-year-old son’s daycare facility is closed. Ottawa had previously retooled its summer jobs program in a bid to get students into community-focused and essential services work. Many students and recent graduates have lost summer job placements and are struggling to find meaningful work while also worrying about how to make rent and cover other basic costs.
“The future of our economy and our country relies on the opportunities and support we provide to Canadian students today,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. The almost $9-billion package also increases the maximum weekly amount a student can receive under the Canada Student Loans Program — which covers some 700,000 students — to $350 from $210. It also offers a $5,000 education grant to returning students who sign up for national service or serve their communities during the pandemic. “Overall, it sounds promising,” said Alex Gold-Apel, a master’s student at the University of Toronto’s Munk School who has been among those leading efforts to get support to students. “We're happy they have been listening and responding.”


nationalobserver--2020-04-23--RMCP chief defends 'dynamic and fluid' response to Nova Scotia massacre

Under fire for how they alerted the public to a 12-hour massacre that took the lives of 22 people , the Nova Scotia RCMP defended their actions Wednesday , saying their use of Twitter was effective .
Since the horrific string of killings started Saturday night and stretched into Sunday morning , questions have been raised as to why the province did not use an emergency alert system to transmit warnings to Nova Scotians ' cellphones and television screens .
RCMP Chief Supt .
Chris Leather said Twitter messages from the RCMP started Saturday at 10:26 p.m. , when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Portapique , a tiny village about a 130-kilometre drive north of Halifax .
Leather read from a statement Wednesday making it clear he was aware the RCMP 's communication with the public was under scrutiny .
`` From that initial call , our response was dynamic and fluid , with members using their training to assess what was going on while encountering the unimaginable , '' he said .
• Canada ’ s murky bailout deal for oil and gas will cost us all • COVID-19 is creating a food crisis and Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at COVID-19 peak , but testing woes could stall reopening `` Critical incident command staff were processing fast-changing information related to what was unfolding in front of them . ''
The senior Mountie said officers on the scene at Portapique Beach Road quickly learned there had been a number of fatal shootings amongst a clutch of seasonal and permanent homes , some of which were on fire .
However , police were n't aware the shooter had left the area until 8:02 a.m. on Sunday .
`` Until the following day , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ located , some theories — but we had no idea , '' he said .
The first RCMP tweet about an active shooter on the loose was sent at 8:02 a.m. As well , Leather confirmed it was between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. that police learned from a witness that the suspect was dressed as an RCMP officer and driving a vehicle that looked exactly like a police cruiser .
That disturbing information , including a photo of the car , was n't relayed on Twitter until 10:21 a.m. `` Twitter allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and broadcast by local , provincial and national news outlets , '' Leather said .
He said the provincial Emergency Management Office ( EMO ) contacted the RCMP at 10:15 a.m. to ask about sending an emergency message , but the alert was never sent out .
The Mounties were still crafting a message when the suspect was killed almost two hours later at a gas station in Enfield , N.S.
, about 90 kilometres south of Portapique — and within the Halifax region .
When asked about the lag in getting out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there were delays within the chain of command .
`` You can appreciate that a series of phone calls had to be made to find the officer in charge that evening and to speak to the serious incident commander to have the conversation about the issuing of a message , '' he said .
`` A lot of the delay was based on communications between the EMO and the various officers — and then a discussion about how the message would be constructed and what it would say . ''
That morning , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to its citizens warning of the danger , saying it based its alert on the RCMP 's tweets .
Marcia R. Seitz-Ehler , a spokeswoman for the U.S. Consulate , said the consulate 's email advised people to avoid the Portapique area and to remain inside with their doors locked .
`` It is our protocol — when emergencies occur — to alert U.S. citizens in the area to the situation , '' she said .
She did not immediately respond to an inquiry about what time the U.S. alert was sent .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ why the province did n't issue an alert based on the tweets , he said emergency officials could n't act until the RCMP had prepared an approved message .
`` That 's the protocol in place when it comes to the EMO , '' the premier told a news conference .
`` The lead agency is the one that has to put the message together .
We would not go from what 's happening on Twitter ... .
No message was received , even though EMO had reached out a number of times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Residents of some of the five communities where the killer struck have said they would have changed their behaviour had an alert been sent .
David Matthews was walking with his wife in Wentworth on Sunday morning when they heard a `` pop , '' which they said sounded like it could be a gunshot , or perhaps just a car backfiring .
Shortly after the Matthews returned home , their phone started ringing with warnings from friends that there was an active shooter on the loose in the neighbourhood .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gunned down that morning on a road nearby .
`` In my mind , there should have been some provincial alert ... ( that ) you 've got to be careful , because there 's an active shooter in the area , '' Matthews told The Canadian Press .
On Tuesday , police confirmed the rampage claimed 22 victims , including neighbours of the shooter , a family of three , a teacher , two nurses , two correctional officers and an RCMP officer .
Leather said investigators confirmed the 51-year-old shooter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before noon on Sunday and had acted alone .
He said investigators are still trying to determine whether anyone assisted the gunman leading up to the incident .
That assistance could have included the acquisition of the vehicle , complete with emergency lights and RCMP decals , and an authentic police uniform .
Police have said the mock cruiser and uniform helped the shooter escape detection as he travelled though the communities of Wentworth , Debert , Shubenacadie and Enfield .
The gunman shot people he knew , killed others at random and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are 16 crime scenes spread over the northern half of Nova Scotia .
A total of five structures were set on fire , though the exact sequence of events remains unclear .
Meanwhile , the Canadian military has been called in to help the RCMP .
The military issued a statement saying it has provided personnel , modular tents , lights , tables , chairs and generators to a number of locations in the province .
— with files from Michael Tutton in Halifax This report by The Canadian Press was @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Under fire for how they alerted the public to a 12-hour massacre that took the lives of 22 people, the Nova Scotia RCMP defended their actions Wednesday, saying their use of Twitter was effective. Since the horrific string of killings started Saturday night and stretched into Sunday morning, questions have been raised as to why the province did not use an emergency alert system to transmit warnings to Nova Scotians' cellphones and television screens. RCMP Chief Supt. Chris Leather said Twitter messages from the RCMP started Saturday at 10:26 p.m., when the Mounties warned of a firearms complaint in Portapique, a tiny village about a 130-kilometre drive north of Halifax. Leather read from a statement Wednesday making it clear he was aware the RCMP's communication with the public was under scrutiny. "From that initial call, our response was dynamic and fluid, with members using their training to assess what was going on while encountering the unimaginable," he said.
"Critical incident command staff were processing fast-changing information related to what was unfolding in front of them." The senior Mountie said officers on the scene at Portapique Beach Road quickly learned there had been a number of fatal shootings amongst a clutch of seasonal and permanent homes, some of which were on fire. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions However, police weren't aware the shooter had left the area until 8:02 a.m. on Sunday.
"Until the following day, we had some idea where the suspect was located, some theories — but we had no idea," he said. Nova Scotia RMCP chief defends 'dynamic and fluid' response to massacre The first RCMP tweet about an active shooter on the loose was sent at 8:02 a.m. As well, Leather confirmed it was between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. that police learned from a witness that the suspect was dressed as an RCMP officer and driving a vehicle that looked exactly like a police cruiser. That disturbing information, including a photo of the car, wasn't relayed on Twitter until 10:21 a.m. "Twitter allowed our information to be shared, followed and broadcast by local, provincial and national news outlets," Leather said.
He said the provincial Emergency Management Office (EMO) contacted the RCMP at 10:15 a.m. to ask about sending an emergency message, but the alert was never sent out. The Mounties were still crafting a message when the suspect was killed almost two hours later at a gas station in Enfield, N.S., about 90 kilometres south of Portapique — and within the Halifax region. When asked about the lag in getting out such an urgent message, Leather indicated there were delays within the chain of command.


nationalobserver--2020-04-23--Police have 'good idea' guns used in N.S. mass shooting were not licensed

Police say the man who went on a murderous rampage through five Nova Scotia communities was likely using unlicensed firearms , and investigators are trying find out how he obtained illegal weapons .
That probe into firearms is occurring alongside a hunt for anyone who helped the killer obtain an RCMP uniform and a replica vehicle he used to deceive his pursuers and the public as he went about killing 22 people and setting fire to homes on the weekend .
Chief Supt .
Chris Leather said Wednesday that `` we have a fairly good idea that , in Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a firearms acquisition certificate . ''
It is illegal to own a gun without the proper licence , which federal legislation formally refers to as a possession and acquisition licence .
Leather later said that it 's now a key part of the investigation to understand how Gabriel Wortman obtained his weapons , as well as an `` authentic '' police uniform and a Ford Taurus that was painted in a fashion identical to a regular RCMP patrol car .
• Canada ’ s murky bailout deal for oil and gas will cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food crisis and Canada needs to respond • Ontario may be at COVID-19 peak , but testing woes could stall reopening The 51-year-old denturist , whose business was in Halifax , began his killing spree in the small community of Portapique , about 40 kilometres west of Truro , late Saturday .
He managed to evade a police perimeter and continued killing people and burning homes in four other communities .
He was finally shot and killed by police at a gas pump in Enfield , N.S.
, his illegal guns nearby , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his attacks at a home in Portapique .
Leather referred the issue of the exact type of guns that Wortman possessed to the acting director of an agency that is investigating the police shooting of the killer .
Contacted late Wednesday , Pat Curran , the acting director of the Serious Incident Response Team said he would look into providing the information about the types of guns Wortman had .
Andrew Somerset , the author of `` Arms : the Culture and Credo of the Gun , '' said in an interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he was n't licensed to possess raises fresh issues .
Police have 'good idea ' guns used in N.S .
mass shooting were not licensed `` The big question now is how did he get that gun ? ''
he wrote in an email .
Police will have to examine issues such as whether the gun was smuggled or purchased by a surrogate for Wortman , Somerset wrote in an email .
He noted there are already measures in place to discourage a black market in restricted weapons like handguns , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ registry .
The array of gear and weaponry is emerging as one of the main elements of the RCMP probe three days after Wortman 's death .
`` Whether it 's transportation , weapons , the uniforms , the vehicle itself , associates here and elsewhere , these are all the elements in the investigation currently being explored , '' Leather said .
He also said it 's still unclear how many people died as a result of gunshots , as bodies were discovered in the burned homes and have required detailed autopsies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It remains unclear whether Wortman was ever , in the past , granted a licence by the federal firearms licensing body operated by the RCMP .
Provincial court records confirm he was ordered to receive counselling for anger management after he pleaded guilty to an assault in the Halifax area on Oct. 29 , 2001 .
The victim , who asked not to have his name published , said he was 15 at the time and was waiting for a bus when Wortman came out of his denture clinic smelling of alcohol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The man said he started walking to the next bus stop .
`` He grabbed me by the shirt and punched me in the back of the head , '' he said .
`` I was shocked . ''
Police were called and they charged Wortman with assault after taking a statement from the victim in hospital .
Wortman was granted a conditional discharge , placed on probation nine months , ordered to undergo counselling , fined $ 50 and told to stay away from the victim .
As well , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapon , ammunition or explosive substances .
That prohibition expired after nine months under Section 110 of the Criminal Code .
Federal legislation passed last year expanded the scope of background checks on those who want to acquire a gun .
Questions about an applicant 's history now cover their entire lifetime , instead of just the five years immediately preceding the licence application .
It also forces gun retailers to keep records of firearms inventory and sales and requires the purchaser of a hunting rifle or shotgun to present a firearms licence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure its validity .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 23 , 2020 .
— With files from Jim Bronskill in Ottawa and Michael MacDonald in Halifax .

Police say the man who went on a murderous rampage through five Nova Scotia communities was likely using unlicensed firearms, and investigators are trying find out how he obtained illegal weapons. That probe into firearms is occurring alongside a hunt for anyone who helped the killer obtain an RCMP uniform and a replica vehicle he used to deceive his pursuers and the public as he went about killing 22 people and setting fire to homes on the weekend. Chief Supt. Chris Leather said Wednesday that "we have a fairly good idea that, in Canada at least, he didn't have a firearms acquisition certificate." It is illegal to own a gun without the proper licence, which federal legislation formally refers to as a possession and acquisition licence. Leather later said that it's now a key part of the investigation to understand how Gabriel Wortman obtained his weapons, as well as an "authentic" police uniform and a Ford Taurus that was painted in a fashion identical to a regular RCMP patrol car.
The 51-year-old denturist, whose business was in Halifax, began his killing spree in the small community of Portapique, about 40 kilometres west of Truro, late Saturday. He managed to evade a police perimeter and continued killing people and burning homes in four other communities. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions He was finally shot and killed by police at a gas pump in Enfield, N.S., his illegal guns nearby, about 12 hours after the first reports of his attacks at a home in Portapique.
Leather referred the issue of the exact type of guns that Wortman possessed to the acting director of an agency that is investigating the police shooting of the killer. Police have 'good idea' guns used in N.S. mass shooting were not licensed Contacted late Wednesday, Pat Curran, the acting director of the Serious Incident Response Team said he would look into providing the information about the types of guns Wortman had. Andrew Somerset, the author of "Arms: the Culture and Credo of the Gun," said in an interview the news that Wortman was using firearms that he wasn't licensed to possess raises fresh issues. "The big question now is how did he get that gun?" he wrote in an email. Police will have to examine issues such as whether the gun was smuggled or purchased by a surrogate for Wortman, Somerset wrote in an email.
He noted there are already measures in place to discourage a black market in restricted weapons like handguns, which are supposed to be noted in a registry. The array of gear and weaponry is emerging as one of the main elements of the RCMP probe three days after Wortman's death. "Whether it's transportation, weapons, the uniforms, the vehicle itself, associates here and elsewhere, these are all the elements in the investigation currently being explored," Leather said.