nationalobserver--2020-12-30--Air travellers will soon require negative COVID-19 test before entering Canada

OTTAWA — The federal government says it plans to require air travellers to test negative for COVID-19 before landing in Canada in response to concerns that people vacationing abroad could bring the novel coronavirus home with them .
Cabinet ministers met Wednesday morning following criticism from the premiers of Canada 's two largest provinces that federal efforts at the border were too loose , and allowing new cases and strains of the virus to enter the country .
Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said all passengers on flights entering Canada will soon be required to have a negative PCR test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests are designed to detect minute amounts of the virus that causes COVID-19 , usually through a swab up the nose or in the mouth .
“ Our MP offices have already been receiving inquiries this morning from panicked travellers abroad on this new requirement , '' she said in a statement Wednesday .
`` Justin Trudeau has had months to get his act together on this front , and today ’ s detail-free announcement is irresponsible . ''
Government officials for months have asked people to stay home and avoid non-essential travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the while acknowledging that they ca n't block Canadians from leaving or re-entering the country .
All passengers on flights entering Canada will require a negative PCR test three days before their arrival .
# covid # cdnpoli # travel That has n't stopped people from hopping on planes to head abroad , including politicians who now find themselves in hot water over their vacation plans .
Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips faces calls for his resignation after being caught in the Caribbean island nation of St. Barts .
Saskatchewan Highways Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks once he comes back from Palm Springs , Calif. , to finalize the sale of a house .
And in Quebec , Liberal Pierre Arcand was facing heat for a trip with his wife to Barbados .
Asked about the issue Wednesday , Premier Brian Pallister said politicians and staffers were `` all aware of the importance of setting a proper example . ''
None of the five federal parties was aware Wednesday of any of their MPs travelling abroad for non-essential reasons , such as a vacation .
Anyone coming back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 14 days , or face six-figure fines or up to six months in jail .
That requirement alone has n't been enough for Ontario Premier Doug Ford , who has demanded strict testing of arriving passengers at the country 's largest airport in Toronto , vowing to go it alone if Ottawa does n't act .
Blair said discussions are underway for a testing program at Toronto 's Pearson International Airport .
Quebec Premier Francois Legault made a similar demand for testing , denouncing before Christmas what he called Ottawa 's slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Quebec might do something drastic to stem the tide of rising cases .
Federal officials said Wednesday that testing alone at the border , or even pre-flight , was n't foolproof .
Canada 's deputy chief public health officer , Dr. Howard Njoo , said individuals found with the new strains of COVID-19 were in quarantine when their symptoms showed up .

OTTAWA — The federal government says it plans to require air travellers to test negative for COVID-19 before landing in Canada in response to concerns that people vacationing abroad could bring the novel coronavirus home with them. Cabinet ministers met Wednesday morning following criticism from the premiers of Canada's two largest provinces that federal efforts at the border were too loose, and allowing new cases and strains of the virus to enter the country. Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said all passengers on flights entering Canada will soon be required to have a negative PCR test three days before their arrival. PCR tests are designed to detect minute amounts of the virus that causes COVID-19, usually through a swab up the nose or in the mouth. It wasn't immediately clear when the new requirement will be put in place, with LeBlanc saying more information would follow in the coming days. It does not appear to apply to anyone crossing by car into Canada through a border point with the United States.
"Right now, the greatest concern that we have heard among Canadians is the impact of international travel at our airports," Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said. Several other countries, including the U.S., have implemented a negative test requirement for incoming passengers. The identification of new strains of COVID-19 in the U.K. and South Africa has only heightened concerns about cross-border spread of the virus. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The government had months to implement a similar system in Canada, but instead rolled out a haphazard announcement in response to headlines, said Conservative health critic Michelle Rempel.
“Our MP offices have already been receiving inquiries this morning from panicked travellers abroad on this new requirement," she said in a statement Wednesday. All passengers on flights entering Canada will require a negative PCR test three days before their arrival. #covid #cdnpoli #travel "Justin Trudeau has had months to get his act together on this front, and today’s detail-free announcement is irresponsible." Government officials for months have asked people to stay home and avoid non-essential travel to slow the spread of COVID-19, all the while acknowledging that they can't block Canadians from leaving or re-entering the country. That hasn't stopped people from hopping on planes to head abroad, including politicians who now find themselves in hot water over their vacation plans. Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips faces calls for his resignation after being caught in the Caribbean island nation of St. Barts. Saskatchewan Highways Minister Joe Hargrave promised to isolate for two weeks once he comes back from Palm Springs, Calif., to finalize the sale of a house. And in Quebec, Liberal Pierre Arcand was facing heat for a trip with his wife to Barbados.
Asked about the issue Wednesday, Premier Brian Pallister said politicians and staffers were "all aware of the importance of setting a proper example." None of the five federal parties was aware Wednesday of any of their MPs travelling abroad for non-essential reasons, such as a vacation. Anyone coming back into the country is required to quarantine for 14 days, or face six-figure fines or up to six months in jail.


nationalobserver--2020-12-30--First Nations building geothermal greenhouses to address food insecurity

ST. PETER 'S , N.S .
— The Potlotek First Nation in Cape Breton is one of several Indigenous communities in Atlantic Canada that is launching a project to address food insecurity using a geothermal greenhouse that can grow produce year-round .
Once complete , the project will also boast a field garden , a large-scale potting shed and a food centre .
The Potlotek First Nation initiative is being steered by Digital Mi ’ kmaq , an Indigenous-led education and training organization that is launching similar projects in five other Indigenous communities in the region .
Tahirih Paul , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said the greenhouse project is also creating jobs for people who have lost work during the pandemic .
On-reserve food options are limited to what the roughly 600 band members can find in convenience stores , Paul said in a recent interview .
The nearest grocery store is about a 10-minute drive and its produce section leaves much to be desired , she said , adding that members have to travel about 55 kilometres to reach the larger grocery stores .
`` We saw about an 80 per cent decline in employment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) compared to the last five , '' Paul said , referring to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic , which she said also affected residents ' ability to buy fresh food .
• This Calgarian supports Albertans transitioning to work in a greener economy • Poll reveals low levels of satisfaction over Prairie premiers ' handling of pandemic Paul was looking for solutions to the First Nation 's food insecurity problems when she was approached by Digital Mi ’ kmaq for the gardening project .
Potlotek First Nation broke ground in mid-September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Marni Fullerton , director of Digital Mi ’ kmaq , said food security issues have plagued the First Nations of Canada since the arrival of European settlers .
The greenhouse project , she said , is a way to begin addressing years of difficulties for the country ’ s Indigenous peoples .
“ It 's going to be really interesting as we go step by step to introduce more progressive , sustainable technologies , ” Fullerton said .
A 2019 study of a group of First Nations communities in Canada indicated 48 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considered `` food insecure . ''
The study , conducted by the University of Ottawa , Universite de Montreal and the Assembly of First Nations , also indicated food-insecurity rates were three-to-five times higher for participants compared to the general public .
Fullerton said the greenhouse project could bring real change to Indigenous communities that lack access to year-round fresh food .
“ The value , I think , is going to be really significant , to be able to have fresh , local , accessible food right at your doorstep , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Digital Mi ’ kmaq has teamed up for similar projects with Nova Scotia First Nation Annapolis Valley ; Lennox Island in Prince Edward Island ; Miawpukek in Newfoundland and Labrador ; and in New Brunswick , Eel River Bar and Kingsclear .
The Potlotek First Nation in Cape Breton is one of several Indigenous communities in Atlantic Canada that is launching a project to address food insecurity using a geothermal greenhouse that can grow produce year-round .
The vision , Fullerton said , is to expand the greenhouse project to Indigenous communities across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have the greenhouse completed by the spring and is currently working on a plan to divide space in the garden according to the different food band members want to eat .
“ It 's been a large undertaking for us , for administration and for our labour , '' Paul said .
`` But the end result will be worth every single hour that we 've put in … and the stresses that 've we 've gone through . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 30 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship .

ST. PETER'S, N.S. — The Potlotek First Nation in Cape Breton is one of several Indigenous communities in Atlantic Canada that is launching a project to address food insecurity using a geothermal greenhouse that can grow produce year-round.
Once complete, the project will also boast a field garden, a large-scale potting shed and a food centre. The Potlotek First Nation initiative is being steered by Digital Mi’kmaq, an Indigenous-led education and training organization that is launching similar projects in five other Indigenous communities in the region.
Tahirih Paul, economic development officer for Potlotek First Nation, said the greenhouse project is also creating jobs for people who have lost work during the pandemic.
On-reserve food options are limited to what the roughly 600 band members can find in convenience stores, Paul said in a recent interview. The nearest grocery store is about a 10-minute drive and its produce section leaves much to be desired, she said, adding that members have to travel about 55 kilometres to reach the larger grocery stores.
"We saw about an 80 per cent decline in employment rates this year (for band members) compared to the last five," Paul said, referring to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which she said also affected residents' ability to buy fresh food.


nationalobserver--2020-12-30--Pandemic-related mental health issues will need addressing in 2021, Bains says

Canada 's industry minister says the country faces mounting mental health concerns that the government will have to address in 2021 .
Navdeep Bains says he has heard more stories about the mental health of workers and entrepreneurs alongside needs for financial help to individuals and businesses .
He says it is particularly the case in his Toronto-area riding that is home to Pearson International Airport , where local hotels and restaurants are also suffering from a drop in travel .
Bains tells The Canadian Press that he has seen the issue in his own home .
A father of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken its toll on his school-aged daughters from not being able to engage with friends and family .
• This Calgarian supports Albertans transitioning to work in a greener economy • Poll reveals low levels of satisfaction over Prairie premiers ' handling of pandemic Research by Statistics Canada through the pandemic has noted a decline in self-perceived mental health .
A study by the agency published in June suggested those more affected by the pandemic — such as women , those with compromised immune systems or chronic health conditions — were less likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm hearing more and more stories and frankly , personally , I can relate to that , '' Bains said of mental health concerns .
`` It 's an emerging issue not only in my riding — I suspect it 's across the country as well .
But it is clearly an issue that we have to deal with . ''
Another Statistics Canada study released just before Christmas noted Canadians ' measurement of `` life satisfaction '' had dropped to its lowest level over two decades of comparable data .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year about the mental health impacts from the economic and health crisis .
Canada 's industry minister says the country faces mounting # MentalHealth concerns that the government will have to address in 2021 .
# Covid19 Federally , the government responded to the pandemic with unprecedented spending that pushed the deficit to $ 381.6 billion , although the government 's math says it could close in on $ 400 billion depending on the length and breadth of restrictions and lockdowns .
For all that spending , Bains suggested there may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sectors that do n't cost money .
He noted the how companies have sped up plans to go digital as workers stayed home .
That required what Bains described as a shift to focusing on `` the plumbing '' by updating legislative and market frameworks around privacy laws .
He also announced the `` 50-30 challenge '' just before the end of 2020 that asks organizations to have 50 per cent of women on boards and in senior management .
The federal program also calls for 30 per cent of those positions to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like racialized people , those living with disabilities and Indigenous people .
Companies that show they have met the goal would land preferential access to federal programs , and potentially federal contracts .
`` If you 've done that , then I firmly believe … you will get better access to , you will be treated favourably when it comes to grants and contributions , '' Bains said , `` and ultimately , if we want to proceed , procurement as well . ''
Bains argued the government 's pandemic response overall should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for top talent .
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem said in a recent speech that protectionist policies and attitudes stemming from U.S. President Donald Trump helped make Canada a more attractive landing spot for global talent over the past four years .

Canada's industry minister says the country faces mounting mental health concerns that the government will have to address in 2021. Navdeep Bains says he has heard more stories about the mental health of workers and entrepreneurs alongside needs for financial help to individuals and businesses. He says it is particularly the case in his Toronto-area riding that is home to Pearson International Airport, where local hotels and restaurants are also suffering from a drop in travel. Bains tells The Canadian Press that he has seen the issue in his own home. A father of two, Bains says the pandemic has taken its toll on his school-aged daughters from not being able to engage with friends and family.
Research by Statistics Canada through the pandemic has noted a decline in self-perceived mental health. A study by the agency published in June suggested those more affected by the pandemic — such as women, those with compromised immune systems or chronic health conditions — were less likely to report better mental health. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "I'm hearing more and more stories and frankly, personally, I can relate to that," Bains said of mental health concerns.
"It's an emerging issue not only in my riding — I suspect it's across the country as well. But it is clearly an issue that we have to deal with." Canada's industry minister says the country faces mounting #MentalHealth concerns that the government will have to address in 2021. #Covid19 Another Statistics Canada study released just before Christmas noted Canadians' measurement of "life satisfaction" had dropped to its lowest level over two decades of comparable data. The agency's studies were among several released this year about the mental health impacts from the economic and health crisis. Federally, the government responded to the pandemic with unprecedented spending that pushed the deficit to $381.6 billion, although the government's math says it could close in on $400 billion depending on the length and breadth of restrictions and lockdowns. For all that spending, Bains suggested there may be more that could be done to help sectors that don't cost money.
He noted the how companies have sped up plans to go digital as workers stayed home. That required what Bains described as a shift to focusing on "the plumbing" by updating legislative and market frameworks around privacy laws. He also announced the "50-30 challenge" just before the end of 2020 that asks organizations to have 50 per cent of women on boards and in senior management. The federal program also calls for 30 per cent of those positions to be filled by "under-represented groups" like racialized people, those living with disabilities and Indigenous people.


nationalobserver--2020-12-30--Pandemic made some Canadians more grateful for what they have, poll reports

A new poll suggests the COVID-19 pandemic has made some Canadians feel more grateful for what they have .
The poll from Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies found respondents cited that feeling 56 per cent of the time when asked about positive impacts from the pandemic .
But there was an age divide in the survey .
About two-thirds of respondents age 55 and up reported simply feeling more grateful for what they have compared to less than half of respondents 35 and under .
Younger respondents in the survey more often cited spending more time with immediate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transitioning to work in a greener economy • Poll reveals low levels of satisfaction over Prairie premiers ' handling of pandemic Association president Jack Jedwab said the results likely reflect that older generations are more threatened by the virus and have n't been able to spend as much time with close family .
`` There 's more of a life-threatening dimension for seniors that has made them , made that group disproportionately feel more grateful for what they have in this particular climate , '' he said .
More than one-third of respondents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or paying off debt faster , having more free time and spending more quality time with their immediate families as positive impacts from the pandemic .
Also high on the list was spending less time commuting .
About one-third of respondents between 18 and 44 years old reported being thankful to work or study from home during the pandemic .
`` They 're spending less time commuting , because people are working out of their homes more so than they ever have , '' Jedwab said .
`` That 's not been the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've been more confined ... and been asked to limit their mobility and their movements . ''
A new poll suggests the # COVID19 # pandemic has made some Canadians feel more grateful for what they have .
# gratitude The online survey of 1,528 Canadians was conducted Dec. 11-13 and can not be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random samples .
Previous surveys by the Association for Canadian Studies suggested that half of Canadians see 2020 as the worst year they have ever experienced , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccines as a reason to be cautiously optimistic about 2021 .
Looking ahead , more than half of respondents said they are planning to be more active , improve their eating habits and lose weight next year .
While those are perennial resolutions , Jedwab said the results may also be linked to earlier survey work that found more respondents reported exercising less than exercising more .
He noted that nearly half respondents in the new survey identified improving their mental health as a New Year 's resolution .
`` It 's not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be most common , '' Jedwab said .

A new poll suggests the COVID-19 pandemic has made some Canadians feel more grateful for what they have. The poll from Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies found respondents cited that feeling 56 per cent of the time when asked about positive impacts from the pandemic. But there was an age divide in the survey. About two-thirds of respondents age 55 and up reported simply feeling more grateful for what they have compared to less than half of respondents 35 and under. Younger respondents in the survey more often cited spending more time with immediate family.
Association president Jack Jedwab said the results likely reflect that older generations are more threatened by the virus and haven't been able to spend as much time with close family. "There's more of a life-threatening dimension for seniors that has made them, made that group disproportionately feel more grateful for what they have in this particular climate," he said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions More than one-third of respondents in the survey also cited saving money or paying off debt faster, having more free time and spending more quality time with their immediate families as positive impacts from the pandemic.
Also high on the list was spending less time commuting. About one-third of respondents between 18 and 44 years old reported being thankful to work or study from home during the pandemic. A new poll suggests the #COVID19 #pandemic has made some Canadians feel more grateful for what they have. #gratitude "They're spending less time commuting, because people are working out of their homes more so than they ever have," Jedwab said. "That's not been the case for people who are seniors who've been more confined...and been asked to limit their mobility and their movements." The online survey of 1,528 Canadians was conducted Dec. 11-13 and cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random samples. Previous surveys by the Association for Canadian Studies suggested that half of Canadians see 2020 as the worst year they have ever experienced, but a majority consider the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines as a reason to be cautiously optimistic about 2021.
Looking ahead, more than half of respondents said they are planning to be more active, improve their eating habits and lose weight next year. While those are perennial resolutions, Jedwab said the results may also be linked to earlier survey work that found more respondents reported exercising less than exercising more. He noted that nearly half respondents in the new survey identified improving their mental health as a New Year's resolution.


nationalobserver--2020-12-30--Record-breaking storm with 135 km/h winds blasts Nunavut

Pangnirtung mayor Eric Lawlor could n't see out his windows on Sunday .
That 's when a record-breaking blizzard hit the Baffin Island community of about 1,500 , shaking houses and crushing cabins .
Environment and Climate Change Canada says Sunday 's storm brought record wind gusts and heavy snow to communities across Nunavut .
In Pangnirtung , winds reached 135 km/h that day .
`` It was like an all day thing .
The wind was so strong , '' Lawlor said .
Sky Panipak , who also lives in Pangnirtung , posted a photo to Twitter of one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were torn clean from the door .
• This Calgarian supports Albertans transitioning to work in a greener economy • Poll reveals low levels of satisfaction over Prairie premiers ' handling of pandemic `` Many shacks and cabins are gone .
Many , many snowmobile windshields are gone .
Some injuries we have heard of so far , '' Panipak said , noting one resident had been medevaced to a southern hospital after being injured in the storm .
Sara Hoffman , a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada , said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ territory .
Out of 25 communities , 23 were hit by the same storm , which came up from Quebec .
Hoffman said her team is looking into whether Sunday was a record-breaking day for such a storm in the territory .
`` It 's pretty unusual for a storm like that this late in December .
We do n't typically see that , '' Hoffman said .
Lawlor said much of the storm 's damage affected Government of Nunavut housing .
Right now , he said the hamlet 's priority is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get out of their homes .
He said it 's not unusual for Pangnirtung to see high winds , but they usually hit the community in the summer and fall months when the weather is warmer .
`` We 're used to getting 70 to 90 km winds .
During the summer it 's just as bad .
A number of years ago we even had a vehicle that was flipped over because of the wind , '' Lawlor said .
Hoffman explained that open water fuels storms , mixing cold weather with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the ones Pangnirtung saw Sunday .
`` When Hudson Bay has open water , that is a major source of energy for storms ... Parts of those areas stay ice-free longer and longer now , '' she said .
Hoffman said cold weather from the northwest and warmer weather from the southeast collided to create the weekend blizzard that traveled across most of the territory , which set up the `` perfect storm '' for especially strong winds .
Pangnirtung set a new record Sunday for the highest recorded temperature in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high of 4 C. The last record of -3.5 C was set in 2000 .
Hoffman also said Pangnirtung , which is nestled in a fiord and surrounded by mountains , is the ideal place for a blizzard to brew .
`` When they get a prevailing wind direction set up just right , the surrounding terrain can actually enhance that , '' she said .
Hoffman said Coral Harbour , in the north end of Hudson Bay , was also hit hard by the same blizzard , with winds up to 115 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Kimmirut and 80 km/h in Iqaluit that day .
Two days later , there were still blizzard warnings in effect for Gjoa Haven and Grise Fiord .

Pangnirtung mayor Eric Lawlor couldn't see out his windows on Sunday. That's when a record-breaking blizzard hit the Baffin Island community of about 1,500, shaking houses and crushing cabins. Environment and Climate Change Canada says Sunday's storm brought record wind gusts and heavy snow to communities across Nunavut. In Pangnirtung, winds reached 135 km/h that day. "It was like an all day thing. The wind was so strong," Lawlor said. Sky Panipak, who also lives in Pangnirtung, posted a photo to Twitter of one resident's home where the front steps were torn clean from the door.
"Many shacks and cabins are gone. Many, many snowmobile windshields are gone. Some injuries we have heard of so far," Panipak said, noting one resident had been medevaced to a southern hospital after being injured in the storm. Sara Hoffman, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said the Dec. 27 storm affected most of the territory. Out of 25 communities, 23 were hit by the same storm, which came up from Quebec. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Hoffman said her team is looking into whether Sunday was a record-breaking day for such a storm in the territory.
"It's pretty unusual for a storm like that this late in December. We don't typically see that," Hoffman said. Record-breaking #storm blasts #Nunavut, 135 km/h winds rip off stairs and crush cabins. #blizzard Lawlor said much of the storm's damage affected Government of Nunavut housing. Right now, he said the hamlet's priority is to keep the roads clear so people can get out of their homes. He said it's not unusual for Pangnirtung to see high winds, but they usually hit the community in the summer and fall months when the weather is warmer. "We're used to getting 70 to 90 km winds. During the summer it's just as bad. A number of years ago we even had a vehicle that was flipped over because of the wind," Lawlor said. Hoffman explained that open water fuels storms, mixing cold weather with warmth from the water to create winds like the ones Pangnirtung saw Sunday.
"When Hudson Bay has open water, that is a major source of energy for storms ... Parts of those areas stay ice-free longer and longer now," she said. Hoffman said cold weather from the northwest and warmer weather from the southeast collided to create the weekend blizzard that traveled across most of the territory, which set up the "perfect storm" for especially strong winds. Pangnirtung set a new record Sunday for the highest recorded temperature in the community on Dec. 27, with a high of 4 C. The last record of -3.5 C was set in 2000.


nationalobserver--2020-12-30--Quebec Liberal vacations in Barbados despite repeated warnings to stay home

Quebec Liberal member Pierre Arcand is vacationing with his wife in the Caribbean despite warnings from the federal and provincial @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
The Canadian Press has obtained a statement from Arcand , who led @ @ @ @ @ , saying he is in Barbados , a place he called `` one of the @ @ @ @ @ today . ''
Canada and Quebec have repeatedly asked Canadians not to travel abroad during @ @ @ @ @ the winter , when the country is reporting record numbers of infections and hospitals are @ @ @ @ @

Quebec Liberal member Pierre Arcand is vacationing with his wife in the Caribbean despite warnings from the federal and provincial governments to stay home during the pandemic.
The Canadian Press has obtained a statement from Arcand, who led the Quebec Liberals between 2018-20, saying he is in Barbados, a place he called "one of the safest places in the world today."
Canada and Quebec have repeatedly asked Canadians not to travel abroad during the pandemic, especially in the winter, when the country is reporting record numbers of infections and hospitals are overburdened by COVID patients.
Arcand, who represents a Montreal constituency in the national assembly, says he took two COVID-19 tests, on Dec. 22 and Dec. 27, and was negative.
He adds he will "scrupulously" respect the 14-day self-isolation period required by the federal government for travellers who return to the country from abroad.


nationalobserver--2020-12-30--Premier Blaine Higgs says New Brunswick will 'reinvent' itself in wake of pandemic

Blaine Higgs says 2020 taught him a lot about the importance of perseverance .
The New Brunswick Premier says his province held the line this year against COVID-19 , guarding Atlantic Canada from Quebec to the north and Maine to the west .
And he says his party persevered through a provincial election in September that critics said should not have been held during the pandemic .
In a year-end interview with The Canadian Press , Higgs said COVID-19 forced his government to make big decisions in early 2020 .
`` What it gave us is a renewed evaluation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
`` That can be the springboard from COVID .
`` We 're not out of challenges with the vaccine and administration of the vaccine , because we have to recover economically and we 've got to reinvent New Brunswick in the process . ''
Higgs said all of New Brunswick can take credit for how well the province limited the spread of COVID-19 .
New Brunswick has so far reported eight deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus and fewer than 600 infections .
Neighbouring Quebec by contrast , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 8,100 deaths .
• Poll reveals low levels of satisfaction over Prairie premiers ' handling of pandemic • This Calgarian supports Albertans transitioning to work in a greener economy He said New Brunswick has had the added role of being the front line to the Atlantic provinces in the fight against COVID-19 .
`` We were there guarding the border between New Brunswick and Quebec , and of course , there was a federal restriction between Maine and New Brunswick .
Our folks were diligent in minimizing the exposure to New Brunswickers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to P.E.I.
, '' he said .
Higgs said one of the high points of this year was when the four Atlantic premiers worked together ; the lowest point , he said , occurred when New Brunswick recorded its first death attributed to COVID-19 .
`` It was a very significant experience for me because we were trying so hard not to have any fatalities , '' Higgs said .
`` One is too many .
We had eight , which in the scheme of things is a low count , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't ) there for families this Christmas . ''
The fact the death count across Atlantic Canada has been so low compared to the rest of the continent is a testament to how well the region 's premiers worked together , he said .
They spoke with one voice on public health guidelines and regarding the creation of the so-called `` Atlantic bubble , '' which allowed open travel within the region .
The bubble opened in July but ended a few weeks ago , after health authorities began reporting outbreaks across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taught him a lot about the importance of perseverance .
# nbpoli # cdnpoli # COVID19 Higgs maintains that the pandemic is an opportunity for businesses to rebuild .
`` Can small businesses , if they see the opportunity , become more global ? ''
he asked .
He said he asked the province 's business development agency to evaluate how it can help companies impacted by the pandemic .
Higgs said his government is making a greater effort to buy New Brunswick goods and to ensure contracts go to New Brunswick companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year and decided to ask voters for a majority mandate during the pandemic .
He won his bet .
Higgs 's Tories and the opposition parties found new ways to campaign , using tools such as as Zoom and social media platforms to get their messages out .
Looking ahead to 2021 , Higgs said his government is focused on expediting the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines .
He also recently boasted that his province could be the first in Canada to lift pandemic-related restrictions .
But the premier says he 's worried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the pandemic and who might face a second wave of financial hardship if they have to pay taxes on that money .
`` I think it applies to when the CERB runs out , '' he said of the federal aid program .
`` It applies to when people find it is a taxable benefit and then they get hit with that .
I think about businesses that had subsidized wages too . ''
The premier said he 's also looking forward to the change in government in the United States in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a resolution of the ongoing softwood lumber dispute .
The U.S. Commerce Department imposed 20 per cent duties on most Canadian softwood exports in 2017 , although that was reduced to 8.9 per cent in November 2020 .
`` We are still actively pursuing the full annihilation of the softwood lumber tariffs , '' Higgs said .
`` We want to get back to no tariffs like the way it was for years . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 30 , 2020 .

Blaine Higgs says 2020 taught him a lot about the importance of perseverance. The New Brunswick Premier says his province held the line this year against COVID-19, guarding Atlantic Canada from Quebec to the north and Maine to the west. And he says his party persevered through a provincial election in September that critics said should not have been held during the pandemic. In a year-end interview with The Canadian Press, Higgs said COVID-19 forced his government to make big decisions in early 2020. "What it gave us is a renewed evaluation of ourselves and what we're capable of," he said. "That can be the springboard from COVID. "We're not out of challenges with the vaccine and administration of the vaccine, because we have to recover economically and we've got to reinvent New Brunswick in the process." Higgs said all of New Brunswick can take credit for how well the province limited the spread of COVID-19. New Brunswick has so far reported eight deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus and fewer than 600 infections. Neighbouring Quebec by contrast, has reported almost 200,000 infections and more than 8,100 deaths.
He said New Brunswick has had the added role of being the front line to the Atlantic provinces in the fight against COVID-19. "We were there guarding the border between New Brunswick and Quebec, and of course, there was a federal restriction between Maine and New Brunswick. Our folks were diligent in minimizing the exposure to New Brunswickers, to Newfoundlanders, to Nova Scotia, to P.E.I.," he said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Higgs said one of the high points of this year was when the four Atlantic premiers worked together; the lowest point, he said, occurred when New Brunswick recorded its first death attributed to COVID-19.
"It was a very significant experience for me because we were trying so hard not to have any fatalities," Higgs said. "One is too many. We had eight, which in the scheme of things is a low count, but it's eight people who (weren't) there for families this Christmas." Blaine Higgs says 2020 taught him a lot about the importance of perseverance. #nbpoli #cdnpoli #COVID19 The fact the death count across Atlantic Canada has been so low compared to the rest of the continent is a testament to how well the region's premiers worked together, he said. They spoke with one voice on public health guidelines and regarding the creation of the so-called "Atlantic bubble," which allowed open travel within the region. The bubble opened in July but ended a few weeks ago, after health authorities began reporting outbreaks across the Atlantic region. Higgs maintains that the pandemic is an opportunity for businesses to rebuild. "Can small businesses, if they see the opportunity, become more global?" he asked. He said he asked the province's business development agency to evaluate how it can help companies impacted by the pandemic. Higgs said his government is making a greater effort to buy New Brunswick goods and to ensure contracts go to New Brunswick companies.
The premier took a chance this year and decided to ask voters for a majority mandate during the pandemic. He won his bet. Higgs's Tories and the opposition parties found new ways to campaign, using tools such as as Zoom and social media platforms to get their messages out. Looking ahead to 2021, Higgs said his government is focused on expediting the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines. He also recently boasted that his province could be the first in Canada to lift pandemic-related restrictions. But the premier says he's worried about low-income citizens who collected federal aid during the pandemic and who might face a second wave of financial hardship if they have to pay taxes on that money.


nationalobserver--2020-12-30--Quebec leaders were forced to confront systemic racism in 2020

It was a former CFL player and community activist who helped push the concept of systemic racism to the forefront in Quebec politics this year , after forcing the city of Montreal to confront the issue .
Balarama Holness used a provision in the city 's charter to trigger a public consultation that would include 7,000 participants and produce 38 recommendations , including that Montreal recognize the systemic nature of racism and discrimination against racialized groups .
Holness 's petition — signed by more than 22,000 people — was launched in 2018 , but the results were released last June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George Floyd in Minnesota , which sparked anti-racism protests in the United States , Canada and around the world .
“ The actions taken in Quebec and Montreal right now on issues of racism are directly derived from the public consultation that was forced on the city , ” Holness said during a recent interview .
And while Montreal 's mayor has said she recognized systemic racism existed and has vowed changes , the Quebec government has refused to accept the term .
Instead , Premier Francois Legault created an anti-racism task force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Montreal came out .
• This Calgarian supports Albertans transitioning to work in a greener economy • Poll reveals low levels of satisfaction over Prairie premiers ' handling of pandemic Holness said he believes the reticence toward using the term `` systemic racism '' comes from a fear among the majority of white Quebecers of seeing an erosion of their rights .
“ Their miscomprehension of the term also fuels this level of ignorance whereby systemic racism means all Quebecers are racist , which is simply not the case , '' Holness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term in Quebec is years in the making .
Three years ago , the Liberals tried to hold a public consultation on systemic racism but cancelled the event after outcry from the public and the opposition .
The government at the time said the consultation would amount to putting Quebecers on trial — an argument Legault has often repeated .
Quebec 's unwillingness to address the systemic nature of racism — those biases , policies and practices entrenched in institutions — makes it difficult to address the issues , according to Dr. Myrna @ @ @ @ @ @ @ psychiatry department .
`` How do you fix the hole in your roof if you do n't acknowledge there 's a hole in your roof ? ''
she said in a recent interview .
`` How do you think you 're fixing something that does n't exist ? ''
Part of the problem , Lashley said , is that people do n't realize the oppressions racialized people are denouncing are rooted in 17th century colonialism .
`` It has become so inherited that people subconsciously just buy into it because it 's all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` And those below the line , they 've incorporated they are below the line . ''
She dismissed the idea that white Quebecers would be put on trial if the government aknowledged the systemic nature of racism .
`` I do n't think they 've looked at it from that perspective , '' she said of white Quebecers .
`` I do n't think these are bad people , they 've never lived it , they do n't understand it .
Former CFL player and community activist Balarama Holness pushed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in # Quebec politics this year , after forcing the city of # Montreal to confront the issue .
# polqc `` It 's quite annoying when someone who has n't lived the reality tells you it does n't exist . ''
And despite the government 's attempts to move on from aknowledging the term , Legault and his cabinet have been confronted with a number of cases this year from groups urging they recognize systemic racism in Quebec .
One of those cases involved the death of Joyce Echaquan , a 37-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital in Joliette , Que.
, in September , after filming staff using derogatory slurs against her .
In the wake of her death , her family and her community produced a document called `` Joyce 's Principle , '' which called for a series of measures to assure that Indigenous people have equitable access to health services without discrimination .
The Legault government said it agreed with most aspects of the document , except the reference to systemic racism — about which it said it agreed to disagree .
Unlike other anti-racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years in the CFL and won a Grey Cup with Montreal in 2010 , said he believes Quebec does n't need to recognize systemic racism to address the problem .
He said the Legault government recognizes many underlying issues in society such as racial profiling , under-representation of racialized people in the civil service and high unemployment among some immigrant communities .
“ What they deem to be racism is what we call systemic racism — they ’ re still dealing with the issue , they ’ re just not saying the word @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can still advance these issues and move beyond the debate of the term.
” The anti-racism task force that Legault created in June produced a report at the end of 2020 with 25 recommendations , including that the province create a cabinet position to address racism and discrimination .
Whether or not there 's consensus on the term , one civil rights advocate said that sooner or later , it will be the courts that will set the record straight .

It was a former CFL player and community activist who helped push the concept of systemic racism to the forefront in Quebec politics this year, after forcing the city of Montreal to confront the issue. Balarama Holness used a provision in the city's charter to trigger a public consultation that would include 7,000 participants and produce 38 recommendations, including that Montreal recognize the systemic nature of racism and discrimination against racialized groups. Holness's petition — signed by more than 22,000 people — was launched in 2018, but the results were released last June, shortly after the police-involved killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, which sparked anti-racism protests in the United States, Canada and around the world. “The actions taken in Quebec and Montreal right now on issues of racism are directly derived from the public consultation that was forced on the city,” Holness said during a recent interview. And while Montreal's mayor has said she recognized systemic racism existed and has vowed changes, the Quebec government has refused to accept the term. Instead, Premier Francois Legault created an anti-racism task force the same day in June the report in Montreal came out.
Holness said he believes the reticence toward using the term "systemic racism" comes from a fear among the majority of white Quebecers of seeing an erosion of their rights. “Their miscomprehension of the term also fuels this level of ignorance whereby systemic racism means all Quebecers are racist, which is simply not the case," Holness said. The current debate over the term in Quebec is years in the making. Three years ago, the Liberals tried to hold a public consultation on systemic racism but cancelled the event after outcry from the public and the opposition. The government at the time said the consultation would amount to putting Quebecers on trial — an argument Legault has often repeated. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Quebec's unwillingness to address the systemic nature of racism — those biases, policies and practices entrenched in institutions — makes it difficult to address the issues, according to Dr. Myrna Lashley, assistant professor in McGill's psychiatry department.
"How do you fix the hole in your roof if you don't acknowledge there's a hole in your roof?" she said in a recent interview. "How do you think you're fixing something that doesn't exist?" Former CFL player and community activist Balarama Holness pushed the concept of #SystemicRacism to the forefront in #Quebec politics this year, after forcing the city of #Montreal to confront the issue. #polqc Part of the problem, Lashley said, is that people don't realize the oppressions racialized people are denouncing are rooted in 17th century colonialism. "It has become so inherited that people subconsciously just buy into it because it's all they've seen," Lashley said. "And those below the line, they've incorporated they are below the line." She dismissed the idea that white Quebecers would be put on trial if the government aknowledged the systemic nature of racism. "I don't think they've looked at it from that perspective," she said of white Quebecers. "I don't think these are bad people, they've never lived it, they don't understand it. "It's quite annoying when someone who hasn't lived the reality tells you it doesn't exist." And despite the government's attempts to move on from aknowledging the term, Legault and his cabinet have been confronted with a number of cases this year from groups urging they recognize systemic racism in Quebec.
One of those cases involved the death of Joyce Echaquan, a 37-year-old Atikamekw mother of seven who died in hospital in Joliette, Que., in September, after filming staff using derogatory slurs against her. In the wake of her death, her family and her community produced a document called "Joyce's Principle," which called for a series of measures to assure that Indigenous people have equitable access to health services without discrimination. The Legault government said it agreed with most aspects of the document, except the reference to systemic racism — about which it said it agreed to disagree.


nationalobserver--2020-12-31--Linda Solomon Wood: Why I started National Observer

As the rain pours down , it has me looking forward to 2021 , to when the days will grow longer and the light will return .
As we enter a new year , our sixth at National Observer , I 'd like to share my story with you and I hope you 'll stick with me to the end .
As I write , mist hides the mountains and a steady rain falls on the city .
For me , Vancouver 's winter weather encourages introspection .
Today , it has me reflecting on how and why I started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the things it 's required me to do that I really did n't know I had in me .
Just as lives could have been saved if the Trump administration had relied on facts and science from the start of the COVID-19 outbreak , the Bush administration could have protected public health and saved the lives of many people with the truth .
“ In 2018 , 17 years out from the Sept. 11 , 2001 terrorist attacks , nearly 10,000 first responders and others who were in the World Trade Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” USA Today reported that year , citing data from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City .
“ More than 2,000 deaths have been attributed to 9/11 illnesses.
” The fatally inaccurate information reassured hundreds of people , many of them first responders .
The story of why I came to Canada is also the story of why I founded Canada ’ s National Observer , and why I place so much value on fact-based news and investigative reporting .
Whether you ’ re a reader or a subscriber , you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re here today , and for that I ’ m deeply grateful .
I was living in New York City when , following the 9/11 attacks , the government urged New Yorkers to return to work and allowed children to go back to schools near Ground Zero .
Federal officials told us the air was safe to breathe .
It wasn ’ t .
Later , it came out that they knew it wasn ’ t true .
Profound changes have shaped society over the nearly 20 years since 9/11 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ far-right global leaders , social media dominance , the dissolution of alliances , a global pandemic and climate change , have altered the world .
Yet resilience , co-operation and hope continue to move us forward .
Anyway , now we know what the world became .
In 2009 , I founded Observer Media Group in Canada because I wanted to help ensure a positive future for my kids and because facts , science and transparency are critical to the future , to democracy and to public safety .
Since the attack , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` an endless war '' against terrorism and finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq , although the men who ’ d hijacked and crashed the planes were Saudi Arabians , as was the mastermind of the attack , Osama bin Laden .
Bush seemed to be twisting the truth to scare and confuse people so he could convince the public to go along with a war against a country that had insulted his father and was unrelated to the attacks .
Based on a lie , the Iraq war resulted in at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many as a million .
I lived 15 blocks from the World Trade Center , and it had been a couple of weeks since 9/11 had ripped our lives apart .
After the sudden rise of nationalism and Islamophobia in New York City , I remember how we parents , representing many cultures , stood watching our small children file into the school in a neat line , saying little , each of us deep in thought .
I was standing with a group of parents outside New Explorations into Science and Technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Lower East Side of Manhattan where I ’ d enrolled my son .
I imagined my son exiting the school 18 years later as a young adult .
What would the world have become by then ?
I was four and a half months pregnant with Lev , my second son .
He would eventually be born in Vancouver , a Canadian .
As we wrap up our fifth year at National Observer in the midst of a pandemic where , once again , facts can save lives , this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in reporting and how and why it all got started .
We ’ ve got even bigger plans for next year ’ s journalism .
I ’ ll tell you more about the specific plans towards the end of this letter and I hope you will be part of it .
That 's why editorially independent , well-resourced , aggressive investigative journalism is so important .
A shared set of facts can literally save lives .
Climate change is like a slow , silent , ongoing 9/11 .
It is a disaster where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people and for plants and animals that are dying at an alarming rate .
“ I just renewed my subscription to @ NatObserver .
This critically important journal is Canada 's most clear-sighted source of news and informed opinion .
If you want to stay on top of what matters , subscribe !
” — Glen Murray , former Ontario environment minister This is why , every day , we report on solutions , we hold industry to account .
It is why we look for dark money and why we write @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy and politics .
We do this on a daily basis .
We persist , even when there 's no big , dramatic story .
That 's what it takes to respond to the challenge of living on a planet threatened by global warming .
A slow , silent calamity demands a daily response .
Stories of people meeting the challenge of climate change are so important .
The man protecting endangered marmots on Vancouver Island .
The church that makes climate change mitigation part of its mission .
The business in Ontario @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by drastically cutting emissions .
The group of oilsands workers in Alberta committed to sustainable energy development .
The Nova Scotia scuba diver cleaning up fishing waste from oceans and the Montreal-developed satellite that can pinpoint carbon from space .
Everyone 's efforts matter in the effort to tackle this existential threat .
How did I get here ?
I never imagined myself in sales .
I worked my first journalism job when I was 16 years old , writing obituaries for the Greenfield Recorder .
I spent my free time watching television @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Watergate hearings put me on the path to investigative reporting .
Growing up in Chattanooga , Tenn. , the only woman I knew who worked or had power in the community was Ruth Holmberg .
She was a family friend and the publisher of the Chattanooga Times .
She must have been in her 40s when I was a kid , so impressed by seeing her at the helm of the city 's newspaper .
I would occasionally visit her in her publisher ’ s office and remarked that this wonderful woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a newspaper and played such a meaningful leadership role in the community .
No other woman I knew worked outside the home .
When I officially launched the Vancouver Observer in November 2009 , I had no business operation , no team of journalists and no printing press .
But the internet offered the opportunity to start a publication without any real capital .
I jumped into the entrepreneurial adventure full of optimism that if we did good journalism , the money would follow .
I had no idea what it would actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I thought advertising revenue would flood away from print to online journalism , but it didn ’ t flow our direction .
The lion ’ s share of those billions went to Facebook and Google .
My apartment doubled as Vancouver Observer 's offices .
From my dining room table , a reporter fresh out of UBC 's master 's program and a recent university graduate uncovered the Koch brothers ' funding of the Fraser Institute .
Another young reporter exposed spying on environmental and citizens groups by CSIS and the RCMP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the top spy oversight agency had registered as a lobbyist for Enbridge , which was trying everything during those years to get an oil pipeline through from Alberta to the West Coast .
Our investigation triggered his resignation .
We wrote dozens of stories about how Second World War brides were disenfranchised from citizenship by archaic Canadian laws , reporting that led to legislative change .
Young people just getting their start in journalism did the reporting .
As our reporting on pipelines and the oilsands grew , so did the scope of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about global warming outgrew the local brand .
So we decided to start a new national publication .
The launch of National Observer in March 2015 Over 500 people donated around $ 80,000 to help launch `` a new , progressive , national news site for Canada ” on Kickstarter .
With these funds , we turned the dream of going national into reality .
It was excruciating to ask for money .
But asking was the only option .
I pushed through my aversion and began to reach out for funding to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To my delight , I discovered how interested people were in backing a journalism project that was focused on undercovered stories in Canada about the oil industry , public health and the environment .
Our donors were kind and thoughtful and deeply engaged .
Our first three Kickstarter crowdfunding campaigns financed National Observer 's reporting on the proposed Energy East pipeline , the proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline .
Another crowdfunding campaign gave us the resources to investigate disinformation during the 2019 federal election in Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact of Canadian journalism in fighting disinformation , which I urge you to read .
You can download it here .
Everything we do is funded by subscriptions or donations made by people like you .
We don ’ t have a billionaire backer .
We are accountable to you , our subscribers .
And it ’ s these subscriptions and donations that will allow us to do so much more in 2021 .
Here ’ s what is coming in 2021 : • Guided by managing editor Adrienne Tanner , the Climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by province on an intimate look at what ’ s working and what ’ s in the way of progressive climate policy in Canada .
• Bruce Livesey leads a top-secret investigation vital to public health .
Bruce teams up with partners at the Toronto Star and the Investigative Journalism Bureau at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto on this series .
• David McKie leads another top-secret investigation working with a team of students at Carleton University on an issue haunting Canada .
• Thanks to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , Marc Fawcett-Atkinson will be reporting to you on how one industry is trying to bully Canada into doing the wrong thing .
• Online events will bring to my Conversations interview series the European Union ’ s top officials working on climate change and climate policy ; Ethel Blondin-Andrew , the first Indigenous woman ever to be elected as a member of Parliament ; and Sophie Brochu , CEO of Hydro‑Québec .
We ’ ll be announcing more interviews in the new year .
• A new newsletter will feature exclusive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sandy Garossino , Bruce Lourie , Julian Brave NoiseCat , Max Fawcett and Andrea Reimer on a regular basis , with occasional cartoons by Michael De Adder .
When people cancel their subscriptions , they often tell us it is because they do n't have time to read enough .
But even if you do n't have time to read National Observer every day , your subscription will keep us working for you .
Janel Johnson manages subscriptions and takes care of our help desk .
She puts it like this : Amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as news , we 've seen how healthy debate gets bogged down by narrow , partisan bickering .
The result is an abject failure to achieve progress on terrifying issues like climate change , social inequality and rising right-wing populism .
Good journalism exists to counter that so that there 's a shared baseline of facts .
It was critical 20 years ago , and it ’ s more urgent today .
Dick Fadden , former head of CSIS under the previous Conservative government , told me that `` democracy is not going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compromise , dialogue and talk . ''
I agree , and that dialogue can begin with a shared foundation of factual reality .
Mother Jones CEO Monika Bauerlein told me : “ There ’ s an overload that people are experiencing where they want to turn away .
As journalists , we need to respect that and help curate the information that we share.
” It ’ s more than just finding a big exclusive or uncovering a scandal or reporting on the latest weather .
Especially in these isolating times , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way forward , the dangers ahead as well as solutions .
In these fast-changing and uncertain times , we need to remain more steady and trustworthy than ever .
The past year has posed unimaginable challenges for all of us , and our families , as we dealt with the day-to-day realities of living through the largest threat to public health of our lifetimes .
But it has also shone a light on all that we have to be thankful for as Canadians , and how our government and communities have stepped up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the front-line COVID-19 health-care heroes and their untiring service .
I ’ m incredibly proud of the hard work , commitment and flexibility of National Observer ’ s team of reporters and staff across the country , and I ’ d like to acknowledge them for their superlative work during this unprecedented time .
There is good reason to be optimistic about what 2021 will bring , with the COVID vaccine on the horizon for all and National Observer continuing to expand our exceptional reporting .
The events of 2020 have made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , timely reporting is to public health and safety .
Having the right facts at the right time , as on that fateful day in New York , can leave long-lasting impacts on people ’ s lives .
Now that we face a major turning point in the pandemic with the new vaccines and an unprecedented opportunity to rebuild our economy around climate change , news reporting , communicating and sharing information through networks — and even outside our usual silos — plays such a vital role .
We ’ re all needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together .
Linda Solomon Wood is CEO and editor-in-chief of Canada 's National Observer .

That's why editorially independent, well-resourced, aggressive investigative journalism is so important. A shared set of facts can literally save lives.
Just as lives could have been saved if the Trump administration had relied on facts and science from the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Bush administration could have protected public health and saved the lives of many people with the truth.
“In 2018, 17 years out from the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, nearly 10,000 first responders and others who were in the World Trade Center area have been diagnosed with cancer,” USA Today reported that year, citing data from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. “More than 2,000 deaths have been attributed to 9/11 illnesses.”
The fatally inaccurate information reassured hundreds of people, many of them first responders .
I was living in New York City when, following the 9/11 attacks, the government urged New Yorkers to return to work and allowed children to go back to schools near Ground Zero. Federal officials told us the air was safe to breathe. Later, it came out that they knew it wasn’t true.
I lived 15 blocks from the World Trade Center, and it had been a couple of weeks since 9/11 had ripped our lives apart. After the sudden rise of nationalism and Islamophobia in New York City, I remember how we parents, representing many cultures, stood watching our small children file into the school in a neat line, saying little, each of us deep in thought.
I was standing with a group of parents outside New Explorations into Science and Technology, the new Kindergarten-Grade 12 public school on the Lower East Side of Manhattan where I’d enrolled my son. I imagined my son exiting the school 18 years later as a young adult. What would the world have become by then? I was four and a half months pregnant with Lev, my second son. He would eventually be born in Vancouver, a Canadian.
“I just renewed my subscription to @NatObserver . This critically important journal is Canada's most clear-sighted source of news and informed opinion. If you want to stay on top of what matters, subscribe!” — Glen Murray , former Ontario environment minister
Profound changes have shaped society over the nearly 20 years since 9/11. A rise in nationalism and emergence of far-right global leaders, social media dominance, the dissolution of alliances, a global pandemic and climate change, have altered the world. Yet resilience, co-operation and hope continue to move us forward.
Anyway, now we know what the world became.
Since the attack, then-president George W. Bush was talking about "an endless war" against terrorism and finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, although the men who’d hijacked and crashed the planes were Saudi Arabians, as was the mastermind of the attack, Osama bin Laden. Bush seemed to be twisting the truth to scare and confuse people so he could convince the public to go along with a war against a country that had insulted his father and was unrelated to the attacks. Based on a lie, the Iraq war resulted in at least 400,000 violent deaths, possibly as many as a million.
We do this on a daily basis. We persist, even when there's no big, dramatic story.
This is why, every day, we report on solutions, we hold industry to account. It is why we look for dark money and why we write about and investigate corporate control of the economy and politics.
Climate change is like a slow, silent, ongoing 9/11. It is a disaster where information can make all the difference, for people and for plants and animals that are dying at an alarming rate.
That's what it takes to respond to the challenge of living on a planet threatened by global warming. A slow, silent calamity demands a daily response.
Stories of people meeting the challenge of climate change are so important. The man protecting endangered marmots on Vancouver Island. The church that makes climate change mitigation part of its mission. The business in Ontario that helped the environment and saved millions by drastically cutting emissions. The group of oilsands workers in Alberta committed to sustainable energy development. The Nova Scotia scuba diver cleaning up fishing waste from oceans and the Montreal-developed satellite that can pinpoint carbon from space.
Everyone's efforts matter in the effort to tackle this existential threat.
How did I get here?
I never imagined myself in fundraising or sales. I worked my first journalism job when I was 16 years old, writing obituaries for the Greenfield Recorder. I spent my free time watching television coverage of the Watergate hearings. Watching the Watergate hearings put me on the path to investigative reporting.
Growing up in Chattanooga, Tenn., the only woman I knew who worked or had power in the community was Ruth Holmberg. She was a family friend and the publisher of the Chattanooga Times. She must have been in her 40s when I was a kid, so impressed by seeing her at the helm of the city's newspaper. I would occasionally visit her in her publisher’s office and remarked that this wonderful woman I usually saw at family gatherings ran a newspaper and played such a meaningful leadership role in the community. No other woman I knew worked outside the home.
When I officially launched the Vancouver Observer in November 2009, I had no business operation, no team of journalists and no printing press. But the internet offered the opportunity to start a publication without any real capital.
I jumped into the entrepreneurial adventure full of optimism that if we did good journalism, the money would follow. I had no idea what it would actually take to finance ambitious reporting. Surely, I thought advertising revenue would flood away from print to online journalism, but it didn’t flow our direction. The lion’s share of those billions went to Facebook and Google.
My apartment doubled as Vancouver Observer's offices. From my dining room table, a reporter fresh out of UBC's master's program and a recent university graduate uncovered the Koch brothers' funding of the Fraser Institute.
Another young reporter exposed spying on environmental and citizens groups by CSIS and the RCMP. He revealed how the leader of the top spy oversight agency had registered as a lobbyist for Enbridge, which was trying everything during those years to get an oil pipeline through from Alberta to the West Coast. Our investigation triggered his resignation.
We wrote dozens of stories about how Second World War brides were disenfranchised from citizenship by archaic Canadian laws, reporting that led to legislative change. Young people just getting their start in journalism did the reporting.
As our reporting on pipelines and the oilsands grew, so did the scope of our reporting on climate change. Stories about global warming outgrew the local brand. So we decided to start a new national publication.
The launch of National Observer in March 2015
Over 500 people donated around $80,000 to help launch "a new, progressive, national news site for Canada” on Kickstarter. With these funds, we turned the dream of going national into reality.
It was excruciating to ask for money. But asking was the only option. I pushed through my aversion and began to reach out for funding to finance Reports from the Energy Battlegrounds.
To my delight, I discovered how interested people were in backing a journalism project that was focused on undercovered stories in Canada about the oil industry, public health and the environment. Our donors were kind and thoughtful and deeply engaged.
Our first three Kickstarter crowdfunding campaigns financed National Observer's reporting on the proposed Energy East pipeline, the proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline.
Another crowdfunding campaign gave us the resources to investigate disinformation during the 2019 federal election in Canada. We wrote a report about the impact of Canadian journalism in fighting disinformation, which I urge you to read. You can download it here.
Amid a storm of disinformation and propaganda masquerading as news, we've seen how healthy debate gets bogged down by narrow, partisan bickering. The result is an abject failure to achieve progress on terrifying issues like climate change, social inequality and rising right-wing populism.
Good journalism exists to counter that so that there's a shared baseline of facts. It was critical 20 years ago, and it’s more urgent today.
Dick Fadden, former head of CSIS under the previous Conservative government, told me that "democracy is not going to work unless people are able to compromise, dialogue and talk."
I agree, and that dialogue can begin with a shared foundation of factual reality.
Mother Jones CEO Monika Bauerlein told me: “There’s an overload that people are experiencing where they want to turn away. As journalists, we need to respect that and help curate the information that we share.”
That’s so true.
It’s more than just finding a big exclusive or uncovering a scandal or reporting on the latest weather. Especially in these isolating times, a newspaper is like a lighthouse showing the way forward, the dangers ahead as well as solutions.
In these fast-changing and uncertain times, we need to remain more steady and trustworthy than ever.
The past year has posed unimaginable challenges for all of us, and our families, as we dealt with the day-to-day realities of living through the largest threat to public health of our lifetimes. But it has also shone a light on all that we have to be thankful for as Canadians, and how our government and communities have stepped up to keep us all safe, such as the front-line COVID-19 health-care heroes and their untiring service.
Having the right facts at the right time, as during the confusing aftermath of 9/11, can leave long-lasting impacts on people’s lives. Now that we face a major turning point in the pandemic with the new vaccines and an unprecedented opportunity to rebuild our economy around climate change, news reporting, communicating and sharing information through networks — and even outside our usual silos — plays such a vital role.
This article was updated on September 12, 2021 at 8 AM


nationalobserver--2020-12-31--How about less patronizing, more positive reinforcement in COVID-19 messaging in 2021?

Time and again , we hear politicians condemning irresponsible behaviour around COVID-19 guidelines .
We can “ throw billions at the problem , ” Premier Doug Ford tells Ontarians , but it will not make a difference unless we follow public health guidelines .
The implication , of course , is that we are not following those rules .
But the fact is that many , if not most Canadians , are following the guidelines .
And so , I am increasingly concerned when I hear politicians scolding citizens , as if they are irresponsible children who simply are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press news item even goes so far as to call the Ontario leader “ Premier Dad ” — a label I find less endearing than intended .
Without a doubt , we are in the throes of the most serious public health crisis of our times .
Health experts remind us of the need to socially distance , wear masks and limit ourselves to essential contacts only .
The young are reprimanded for careless , large gatherings , while protesting crowds of anti-maskers continue to recklessly put their families and the broader community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we encourage positive behaviour , even as the situation becomes more dire ?
Environmental psychologists point to a number of proven strategies that help to reframe the climate message and promote more positive conduct .
People “ hate rising costs , ” Stoknes writes in his book , What We Think About When We Try Not to Think About Global Warming .
So , he urges the environmental community to shift conversations from rising environmental costs to minimizing risks ( through insurance , for instance ) .
Rather than focusing on destruction , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and well-being .
Rather than fixating on uncertainties , emphasize the importance of preparedness and behaving in an ethical manner .
Instead of talking about sacrifice and guilt , prioritize opportunities , empathy and collaboration .
The point is to collectively inspire and empathize , rather than admonish .
`` Perhaps as we move into 2021 , politicians will realize that our health and well-being consist of more than enduring a virus but surviving as a respectful , collegial , kind-hearted society , '' writes author and consultant Ingrid Stefanovic .
When it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern are a case in point .
“ She ’ s very good at reading public mood , ” writes right-wing ACT Party leader David Seymour , “ and putting out unifying messages.
” Indeed .
Jacqueline and Milton Mayfield point out in their book , Motivating Language Theory , that there are three dimensions to leadership communication : direction-giving , meaning-making and empathetic language .
While most politicians rely on “ direction-giving , ” Ardern realized that meaning-making and communicating with empathy could be greater inspiration for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead of simply expressing outrage with rule-breakers , the mayor of Toronto praised the people who are trying their best to act safely ?
Why not highlight the success stories rather than simply “ blasting ” the scofflaws ?
I ’ m reminded of the fable about the wind and the sun arguing over who could more effectively remove a man ’ s coat .
The wind ’ s violence simply caused the man to hold his coat more tightly , but the heat of the sun inspired him to voluntarily remove it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , politicians will realize that our health and well-being consist of more than enduring a virus but surviving as a respectful , collegial , kind-hearted society .
Wouldn ’ t that be an amazing way to distinguish the new year from the year of the pandemic ?
Ingrid Stefanovic is an author and consultant in environmental and institutional change management .

Time and again, we hear politicians condemning irresponsible behaviour around COVID-19 guidelines. We can “throw billions at the problem,” Premier Doug Ford tells Ontarians, but it will not make a difference unless we follow public health guidelines. The implication, of course, is that we are not following those rules. But the fact is that many, if not most Canadians, are following the guidelines. And so, I am increasingly concerned when I hear politicians scolding citizens, as if they are irresponsible children who simply are not listening to their teachers. A Canadian Press news item even goes so far as to call the Ontario leader “Premier Dad” — a label I find less endearing than intended. Without a doubt, we are in the throes of the most serious public health crisis of our times. Health experts remind us of the need to socially distance, wear masks and limit ourselves to essential contacts only. The young are reprimanded for careless, large gatherings, while protesting crowds of anti-maskers continue to recklessly put their families and the broader community at risk of infection. But I wonder about the techniques of persuasion that our politicians are using. For instance, using militaristic language, Ford threatened some weeks ago that “we’re staring down the barrel of another lockdown.” With another lockdown now in place for much of the province and case numbers still rising, one cannot help but feel that the gunfight is hardly being won. How effective is this kind of messaging when it comes to inspiring positive behavioural change?
How do we encourage positive behaviour, even as the situation becomes more dire? Environmental psychologists point to a number of proven strategies that help to reframe the climate message and promote more positive conduct. "Perhaps as we move into 2021, politicians will realize that our health and well-being consist of more than enduring a virus but surviving as a respectful, collegial, kind-hearted society," writes author and consultant Ingrid Stefanovic. People “hate rising costs,” Stoknes writes in his book, What We Think About When We Try Not to Think About Global Warming. So, he urges the environmental community to shift conversations from rising environmental costs to minimizing risks (through insurance, for instance). Rather than focusing on destruction, focus on how to improve our health and well-being. Rather than fixating on uncertainties, emphasize the importance of preparedness and behaving in an ethical manner. Instead of talking about sacrifice and guilt, prioritize opportunities, empathy and collaboration. The point is to collectively inspire and empathize, rather than admonish. When it comes to COVID-19, the actions of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern are a case in point. “She’s very good at reading public mood,” writes right-wing ACT Party leader David Seymour, “and putting out unifying messages.” Indeed. Jacqueline and Milton Mayfield point out in their book, Motivating Language Theory, that there are three dimensions to leadership communication: direction-giving, meaning-making and empathetic language. While most politicians rely on “direction-giving,” Ardern realized that meaning-making and communicating with empathy could be greater inspiration for positive behaviour change.
What if, instead of simply expressing outrage with rule-breakers, the mayor of Toronto praised the people who are trying their best to act safely? Why not highlight the success stories rather than simply “blasting” the scofflaws? I’m reminded of the fable about the wind and the sun arguing over who could more effectively remove a man’s coat. The wind’s violence simply caused the man to hold his coat more tightly, but the heat of the sun inspired him to voluntarily remove it. Perhaps as we move into 2021, politicians will realize that our health and well-being consist of more than enduring a virus but surviving as a respectful, collegial, kind-hearted society. Wouldn’t that be an amazing way to distinguish the new year from the year of the pandemic?


nationalobserver--2020-12-31--U.S. city slapping climate change warnings on gas pumps

This article was originally published by the Guardian and appears here as part of Canada 's National Observer 's collaboration with Climate Desk .
Cambridge , Mass.
, has become the first U.S. city to mandate the placing of stickers on fuel pumps to warn drivers of the resulting dangers posed by the climate crisis .
The final design of the bright yellow stickers , shared with the Guardian , includes text that warns drivers the burning of gasoline , diesel and ethanol has “ major consequences on human health and the environment including contributing to climate change.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pumps in Cambridge , which is situated near Boston and is home to Harvard University , “ fairly soon ” once they are received from printers , a city spokesman confirmed .
“ The City of Cambridge is working hard with our community to fight climate change , ” the spokesman added .
“ The gas pump stickers will remind drivers to think about climate change and hopefully consider non-polluting options.
” • This Calgarian supports Albertans transitioning to work in a greener economy • Sacred Journey : An artistic look at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ placement of the stickers follows an ordinance passed by Cambridge in January .
The city has a target of slashing planet-heating emissions by 80 per cent and offsetting the remainder by 2050 , making it carbon neutral .
Transportation , primarily the use of cars and trucks , is responsible for more than a quarter of U.S. emissions but there has been scant success in weaning Americans off their predilection for large , energy-intensive vehicles .
Indeed , a boom in SUV sales in the U.S. threatens to cause a surge in emissions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tightened further .
Warning labels similar to Cambridge ’ s are already found in Sweden , although an effort to do likewise in Berkeley , Calif. , was unsuccessful .
The simple text of the warning stickers is relatively staid compared to versions envisioned by climate campaigners .
In a legal complaint lodged against oil giant BP , the environmental non-profit ClientEarth included mockups that showed a forest on fire with a stark list of the disastrous impacts caused by global heating .
More graphic , visceral warnings would influence people in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and heart failure on cigarette packets forced many to acknowledge the harm to health caused tobacco , advocates say .
Jamie Brooks of the campaign group Beyond the Pump said he pushed for warning text that read : “ Continuing to burn gasoline ( or diesel ) worsens the climate emergency , with major projected impacts on your health increasing over time.
” Cambridge , Mass.
, has a target of slashing planet-heating emissions by 80 per cent and offsetting the remainder by 2050 , making it carbon neutral .
# climatechange # @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a feeling like someone has broken a rule or violated a law , ” Brooks said .
“ This feeling , along with increased social pressure , like smoking labels , can translate to a collapse in trust for the current system , thereby increasing the public appetite for alternatives .
”

This article was originally published by the Guardian and appears here as part of Canada's National Observer's collaboration with Climate Desk.
Cambridge, Mass., has become the first U.S. city to mandate the placing of stickers on fuel pumps to warn drivers of the resulting dangers posed by the climate crisis.
The final design of the bright yellow stickers, shared with the Guardian, includes text that warns drivers the burning of gasoline, diesel and ethanol has “major consequences on human health and the environment including contributing to climate change.”
The stickers will be placed on all fuel pumps in Cambridge, which is situated near Boston and is home to Harvard University, “fairly soon” once they are received from printers, a city spokesman confirmed.
“The City of Cambridge is working hard with our community to fight climate change,” the spokesman added. “The gas pump stickers will remind drivers to think about climate change and hopefully consider non-polluting options.”


nationalobserver--2020-12-31--One new film and my choices for the best of 2020

Don ’ t count .
I think I ’ ve got more than 10 .
That ’ s because even though the theatres went dark during the pandemic , the flow of movies didn ’ t slow down .
It just came differently .
And many of the films were good .
As usual , I had a tough time choosing for such a short list .
First , though , there ’ s this … SING ME A SONG : This is the only new film I know of arriving today , and it looks at a theme that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What exactly does the flood of technology in our lives do to society ?
Thomas Balmès , the French documentary maker , explores it in the tiny Himalayan country of Bhutan .
He was there 10 years ago filming a young boy ’ s journey to become a Buddhist monk .
That was when the country finally brought in television and the internet ( the last country in the world to do so ) .
The boy , named Peyangki , was suddenly exposed to the outside world .
“ I want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
The mood in the film was wary , but optimistic .
Now , a decade later , he ’ s a monk all right , but his world has changed .
The older ones chant and intone their prayers as you expect , but the young ones are staring at their smartphones .
Peyangki plays violent video games depicting war .
He ’ s neglecting his school work and his religious obligations .
“ I ’ m too far from Buddha now , ” he says .
Further , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service called WeChat and connects with a woman ( Ugyen Pelden ) in the country ’ s capital who sings for him .
He asks for love songs .
With money earned from mushroom harvesting , he travels to go see her , and I won ’ t tell it all , but there are surprises .
And disappointments .
They land with a jolt in this unusual case study about progress .
( streaming here starting Friday ) 3½ out of 5 • This Calgarian supports Albertans transitioning to work in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ artistic look at the Pacific Northwest ’ s canoe culture THE 10 ( PLUS ONE ) BEST MOVIES OF THE YEAR Making this list is always hard for me .
Many , many contenders , even this year as the pandemic pushed some of the big ones off into the future .
Smaller independents got far more attention than usual , and originals on Netflix and other streamers came along with no slowdown at all .
My list reflects both trends .
It does not include films that haven ’ t played here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for instance .
I ’ d love to put it up there high , but it won ’ t be out until February .
The same thing happened last year to 1917 , which didn ’ t arrive until mid-January .
It seems so long ago now to call it a 2020 film .
I didn ’ t include Tenet , the last film I saw in a theatre , Wonder Woman 1984 or Soul because for all their size and craft , they have story problems .
Serious themes were big this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened to America ?
No surprise , I guess , but it does show up in a variety of ways in several films , and not just documentaries .
Also : economic inequality , racism and , here in Canada , Indigenous issues .
BACURAU : Obscure ?
Maybe , and not at Cannes , where it won a big award .
It ’ s from Brazil and is both very clever and very odd .
The title refers to a tiny village where Sônia Braga , as a local doctor , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside ( the town ’ s name is disappearing from official maps ) , and then an attack by mercenaries .
Watch it as a critique of right-wing politics or as an action film .
BEANPOLE : The lingering effects of war are rarely portrayed with as much emotion and humanity as in this film from Russia .
It focuses on the impact it has on women by contrasting two friends shortly after the Second World War .
One is suffering trauma , works with patients in a hospital and cares for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go out dancing .
You ’ ll remember them for a long time so raw is the depiction of their life , but at the same time , so strong is their drive to maintain hope .
COLLECTIVE : One of the best movies about journalism , and it ’ s from Romania , of all places .
A nightclub accident twigs one investigative reporter to look a little deeper , and he finds a huge vat of corruption .
It reaches high , in and out of the country , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of even needing to do wrong .
It ’ s a gripping documentary .
DAVID BYRNE ’ S AMERICAN UTOPIA : This vibrant concert film , which doesn ’ t feel like only that , is also from Spike Lee .
It is the show that the former Talking Heads frontman presented on Broadway .
He performs 23 songs , all but three written by him , while a troupe of players ( mostly percussionists ) march , dance and pose as they accompany him and fabulous camera work makes it all visually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Once in a Lifetime and Burning Down the House , but the whole show is wonderful .
David Byrne has short observations about America and a lengthy nod to 15 Black people who died in police violence .
( streaming on Crave ) FIRST COW : Subtly sitting in the background of this pioneer-era story is a critique of American business .
Two friends get to the Oregon territory and start a small business baking and selling pastries .
To do that , they steal milk from the only cow in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jones ) brought it there as a status symbol , and is not happy when it seems not to be producing .
Two ideas of capitalism clash in this beautiful but leisurely film by Kelly Reichardt .
KUESSIPAN : This is my favourite Canadian film this year .
It ’ s from Quebec and is a moving exploration of the lives of two Indigenous women .
Friends forever , they declare , but as they grow up , that ’ s severely tested .
One wants to leave the reserve ; the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s an emotional confrontation coming , told with power and authenticity .
Since the National Film Board has shelved its best Indigenous film , Inconvenient Indian , watch for this one .
Moving and beautifully made .
MANK : This Netflix film is not just about the writing of the classic film Citizen Kane .
It ’ s more than that .
While Herman J. Mankiewicz was writing the screenplay , he was laid up in bed with an injury , and in between dictation sessions , he had flashbacks to everything he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it with a cynical bent : right-wing politics , going soft on Hitler for economic reasons , exploitation of workers and a great deal of personal pretension .
Also included : great performances by Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried .
NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS : This one is quiet but potent .
Two young women travel the stultifying corridors of reproductive health ( one needs an abortion ) .
She can ’ t get it in her small Pennsylvania town , so they take a bus to New York , deal with Planned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and find hard impediments .
Eliza Hittman has made an eloquent , extremely sympathetic film about what they go through .
NEWS OF THE WORLD : The Old West was just as divided after the Civil War as the U.S. is these days .
That comes through in this beautiful film by Paul Greengrass starring Tom Hanks and a German wonder-child actor , 12-year-old Helena Zengel .
She has been raised by Kiowa people , and he finds her after an attack by whites and agrees to deliver her to relatives .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the depiction of the rough people they encounter is authentic .
Some find the film slow .
I find it evocative .
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 : Actually that ’ s eight , and another film has 10 .
Whatever number you like , this is a compelling recounting of the court proceedings that followed the rioting outside the Democratic Convention in 1968 .
Vietnam War protesters were beaten and teargassed in what was later termed a police riot .
Leaders were charged with conspiracy , and the court became a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hoffman versus Frank Langella as Judge Julius Hoffman , plus all the others , make great drama and often great comedy in this Netflix film created by Aaron Sorkin .
RUNNERS-UP : Totally Under Control ( Trump bungles COVID-19 ) ; Portrait of a Lady on Fire ( a sumptuous 18th-century lesbian romance ) ; Sound of Metal ( hearing loss movingly depicted and accepted ) ; and Ma Rainey ’ s Black Bottom ( Black self-respect portrayed by Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman ) .

Don’t count. I think I’ve got more than 10. That’s because even though the theatres went dark during the pandemic, the flow of movies didn’t slow down. It just came differently. And many of the films were good. As usual, I had a tough time choosing for such a short list. First, though, there’s this … SING ME A SONG: This is the only new film I know of arriving today, and it looks at a theme that’s on our minds quite often. What exactly does the flood of technology in our lives do to society? Thomas Balmès, the French documentary maker, explores it in the tiny Himalayan country of Bhutan. He was there 10 years ago filming a young boy’s journey to become a Buddhist monk. That was when the country finally brought in television and the internet (the last country in the world to do so). The boy, named Peyangki, was suddenly exposed to the outside world. “I want to see airplanes and tall buildings,” he said. The mood in the film was wary, but optimistic. Courtesy of Route 504 PR Now, a decade later, he’s a monk all right, but his world has changed. The older ones chant and intone their prayers as you expect, but the young ones are staring at their smartphones. Peyangki plays violent video games depicting war. He’s neglecting his school work and his religious obligations. “I’m too far from Buddha now,” he says. Further, he’s on a social media service called WeChat and connects with a woman (Ugyen Pelden) in the country’s capital who sings for him. He asks for love songs. With money earned from mushroom harvesting, he travels to go see her, and I won’t tell it all, but there are surprises. And disappointments. They land with a jolt in this unusual case study about progress. (streaming here starting Friday) 3½ out of 5
THE 10 (PLUS ONE) BEST MOVIES OF THE YEAR Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Making this list is always hard for me. Many, many contenders, even this year as the pandemic pushed some of the big ones off into the future. Smaller independents got far more attention than usual, and originals on Netflix and other streamers came along with no slowdown at all. My list reflects both trends.
It does not include films that haven’t played here yet. Nomadland starring Frances McDormand, for instance. I’d love to put it up there high, but it won’t be out until February. The same thing happened last year to 1917, which didn’t arrive until mid-January. It seems so long ago now to call it a 2020 film. I didn’t include Tenet, the last film I saw in a theatre, Wonder Woman 1984 or Soul because for all their size and craft, they have story problems. Serious themes were big this year. Among them: What has happened to America? No surprise, I guess, but it does show up in a variety of ways in several films, and not just documentaries. Also: economic inequality, racism and, here in Canada, Indigenous issues. The list is alphabetical. BACURAU: Obscure? Maybe, and not at Cannes, where it won a big award. It’s from Brazil and is both very clever and very odd. The title refers to a tiny village where Sônia Braga, as a local doctor, is under political pressure from corrupt government types outside (the town’s name is disappearing from official maps), and then an attack by mercenaries. Watch it as a critique of right-wing politics or as an action film.
BEANPOLE: The lingering effects of war are rarely portrayed with as much emotion and humanity as in this film from Russia. It focuses on the impact it has on women by contrasting two friends shortly after the Second World War. One is suffering trauma, works with patients in a hospital and cares for the three-year-old son of her friend who likes to go out dancing. You’ll remember them for a long time so raw is the depiction of their life, but at the same time, so strong is their drive to maintain hope. COLLECTIVE: One of the best movies about journalism, and it’s from Romania, of all places. Courtesy of Mongrel Media