nationalobserver--2020-06-23--Quebec premier replaces health minister in cabinet shift

Quebec Premier Francois Legault made major changes to his cabinet Monday , including replacing the province 's health minister in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Danielle McCann , who shepherded the Health Department of the province worst-hit by COVID-19 , will take over the higher education portfolio , which had belonged to Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge .
Treasury Board President Christian Dube will replace McCann to run the province 's biggest department .
Questioned whether he was demoting his health minister , Legault said he did n't think education was less important than health .
He did , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failure and a victory '' during the pandemic .
`` We had a failure in the long-term care homes and a victory in the community , '' referring to the fact that 64 per cent of the province 's 5,417 deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus occurred in those facilities for seniors .
• How Nova Scotia naturalists forced the province to uphold its Endangered Species Act • Americans en route to Alaska via Canada ticketed for breaking health rules • Toronto will enter stage 2 of reopening on Wednesday , Ford says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work on improving front-line care , such as increasing the responsibilities of pharmacists and nurses .
And he also praised her for preparing the province for a possible second wave of infection in the fall .
But what Quebec 's health network needs right now , the premier said , is to modernize its `` stone age '' information system and to hold regional managers accountable .
The Gazette reported in May , for example , that health authorities were contacting and tracing COVID-19 infections with a fax machine .
`` Christian Dube @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — not necessarily in the health care system — but in management , and I think it 's about time we evaluate the managers in our health care network . ''
Dube , who comes from the business world , is the first person outside the province 's health care network to run the Health Department since Legault was named to the job between 2002-03 as a member of the Parti Quebecois .
`` So , I believe that it is possible , when you are a businessman , to change things and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said , referring to his pre-politics job as the co-founder of Air Transat airline .
Quebec Premier Francois Legault made major changes to his cabinet on Monday , June 22 , 2020 , including replacing the province 's health minister in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Opposition parties said the reshuffling was an attempt to hide the government 's pandemic record .
`` A reshuffling that only has one goal : to hide the government 's negligence in preparing for the pandemic , '' Liberal leader Dominique Anglade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Quebecois leader Pascal Berube noted that Quebec accounted for nearly two-thirds of the country 's COVID-19 deaths , despite only making up 23 per cent of the population .
`` The change of minister and deputy health minister in the midst of a pandemic indicates that the government recognizes the failure of its preparations for ( long-term care homes ) , '' Berube said .
McCann 's new post means Roberge will now be responsible solely for the primary and secondary school systems .
Sonia LeBel will leave the justice portfolio to oversee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dube .
LeBel , a former chief counsel with Quebec 's corruption inquiry , known as the Charbonneau Commission , will be responsible for negotiating a massive collective bargaining agreement with the province 's 500,000 public sector workers .
But Legault said LeBel 's first task will be coming up with a replacement for Bill 61 , which sought to fast-track 202 construction projects for things such schools , seniors residences , road work and public transit .
The bill was tabled late and required the consent of the opposition parties to move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the session paused for the summer .

Quebec Premier Francois Legault made major changes to his cabinet Monday, including replacing the province's health minister in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Danielle McCann, who shepherded the Health Department of the province worst-hit by COVID-19, will take over the higher education portfolio, which had belonged to Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge. Treasury Board President Christian Dube will replace McCann to run the province's biggest department. Questioned whether he was demoting his health minister, Legault said he didn't think education was less important than health. He did, however, say Quebec "had a failure and a victory" during the pandemic. "We had a failure in the long-term care homes and a victory in the community," referring to the fact that 64 per cent of the province's 5,417 deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus occurred in those facilities for seniors.
Legault said McCann did "extraordinary" work on improving front-line care, such as increasing the responsibilities of pharmacists and nurses. And he also praised her for preparing the province for a possible second wave of infection in the fall. But what Quebec's health network needs right now, the premier said, is to modernize its "stone age" information system and to hold regional managers accountable. The Gazette reported in May, for example, that health authorities were contacting and tracing COVID-19 infections with a fax machine. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Improving information systems, Legault said, is Dube's "specialty."
"Christian Dube has a lot of experience in management — not necessarily in the health care system — but in management, and I think it's about time we evaluate the managers in our health care network." Quebec Premier Francois Legault made major changes to his cabinet on Monday, June 22, 2020, including replacing the province's health minister in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dube, who comes from the business world, is the first person outside the province's health care network to run the Health Department since Legault was named to the job between 2002-03 as a member of the Parti Quebecois. "So, I believe that it is possible, when you are a businessman, to change things and then improve things in the health network," he said, referring to his pre-politics job as the co-founder of Air Transat airline. Opposition parties said the reshuffling was an attempt to hide the government's pandemic record. "A reshuffling that only has one goal: to hide the government's negligence in preparing for the pandemic," Liberal leader Dominique Anglade said on social media.
Interim Parti Quebecois leader Pascal Berube noted that Quebec accounted for nearly two-thirds of the country's COVID-19 deaths, despite only making up 23 per cent of the population. "The change of minister and deputy health minister in the midst of a pandemic indicates that the government recognizes the failure of its preparations for (long-term care homes)," Berube said. McCann's new post means Roberge will now be responsible solely for the primary and secondary school systems.


nationalobserver--2020-06-23--Black parents talking earlier to kids to prepare them for racism

Black parents have always dealt with the added burden of talking to their children about racism but some are now struggling with whether to broach the topic sooner , says the founder of a parenting group .
Tanya Hayles of Toronto-based Black Moms Connection said some members are starting to talk to their kids as early as age four because of what they 've been called on the playground .
She said global outrage following George Floyd 's death in the United States spurred her to start being more open with her seven-year-old son , Jackson , though she 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who still believes in the tooth fairy .
He attends a school where Hayles said there may be only one other Black student , adding her son would likely be targeted even in schools with a diverse student population , such as the Toronto-area Peel District School Board , which has been accused of systemic racism .
On Monday , Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce appointed a supervisor to the board following two recent reports on widespread anti-Black racism , including one that showed a lack of action by administrators .
• How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uphold its Endangered Species Act • Americans en route to Alaska via Canada ticketed for breaking health rules • Toronto will enter stage 2 of reopening on Wednesday , Ford says The second report , by a human rights advocate , found that while Black students make up 10.2 per cent of the secondary school population , they account for about 22.5 per cent of students receiving suspensions , in some cases for wearing hoodies or hoop earrings .
Hayles said she has told her son he will be judged differently than other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long before he gets to high school , so she is preparing herself to delve deeper into what he could expect .
`` He does not get to get away with the same things that his classmates do , he has to be mindful of that .
It probably went in one ear and out the other , '' Hayles said .
`` I know that talk that Black parents have always had to have with their kids is inevitable .
I 'm not going to be able to avoid having it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fears her son and his Black friends will be followed and harassed by security in malls , so she will tell him not to loiter in them , and she has concerns about him being targeted by police when he is driving .
`` Eventually he 's going to be 16 and driving , and I 'm going to have to have a conversation with him about that , '' she said .
Black parents have always dealt with the added burden of talking to their children about racism but some are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sooner , says the founder of a parenting group .
The talk will focus heavily on the need to answer questions respectfully and know his rights , Hayles said .
Hayles said many non-Black parents might be having uncomfortable conversations about racism with their children because anti-Black racism education in their schools may be limited or non-existent .
It 's up to parents to ensure their kids are exposed to other cultures including through the types of books they read , the movies they watch or the friends they have , she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white people and their circle is only white people then of course they have no understanding of how to interact with Black people because you have not made sure their circle is as diverse as the country they live in . ''
Stephanie Okoli , 20 , of Calgary said she 'll be tasked with having the racism talk with her 12-year-old brother , Emmanuel .
`` It has n't come up because it 's a hurtful conversation but he 's getting to that age where it could happen to him and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so it 's very stressful , '' she said .
`` I got the talk from my brother , '' she said of an experience when she was in high school .
`` But even that was n't concise .
He just texted me one day and said 'Be careful .
If the police stop you just do what they say and do n't talk . '
And that was that . ''
The RCMP in British Columbia released a statement last week from Sgt .
Maj. Sebastien Lavoie , a half-Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for George Floyd when he saw the video of the officer in Minneapolis with his knee on the man 's neck `` but also for every officer that has sacrificed so much for the collective good . ''
Lavoie urged officers to `` understand that society is heartbroken , angry and unable to take the emotional step back . ''
Lavoie said in an interview that the public immediately concluded the white officer 's actions were based on racism .
`` What if this guy did that to a white guy ?
Could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he have to be racist ? ''
he asked .
He said bias against police `` is the only acceptable bias now , '' adding acts of racism by police in the United States ca n't be equated to police in Canada .
The RCMP has provided cultural sensitivity training to its officers and increased diversity among its ranks , Lavoie said .
`` For me to say the RCMP could do a better job of reinforcing cultural respect or ethnicity respect or anything like that would be completely asinine because we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' However , Lavoie said he understands anti-Black racism in schools because he was a victim of regular violence in the Montreal-area suburb of St. Jerome and got the `` the talk '' about what he may experience from his mother .
`` She was n't able to protect me from what hit me , but she certainly tried , '' he said .
`` I had a very difficult time through the school system .
There was plenty of intimidation , plenty of beatings . ''
This report by The Canadian Press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Black parents have always dealt with the added burden of talking to their children about racism but some are now struggling with whether to broach the topic sooner, says the founder of a parenting group. Tanya Hayles of Toronto-based Black Moms Connection said some members are starting to talk to their kids as early as age four because of what they've been called on the playground. She said global outrage following George Floyd's death in the United States spurred her to start being more open with her seven-year-old son, Jackson, though she's feared losing the innocence of a child who still believes in the tooth fairy. He attends a school where Hayles said there may be only one other Black student, adding her son would likely be targeted even in schools with a diverse student population, such as the Toronto-area Peel District School Board, which has been accused of systemic racism. On Monday, Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce appointed a supervisor to the board following two recent reports on widespread anti-Black racism, including one that showed a lack of action by administrators.
The second report, by a human rights advocate, found that while Black students make up 10.2 per cent of the secondary school population, they account for about 22.5 per cent of students receiving suspensions, in some cases for wearing hoodies or hoop earrings. Hayles said she has told her son he will be judged differently than other students because of his skin colour, long before he gets to high school, so she is preparing herself to delve deeper into what he could expect. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "He does not get to get away with the same things that his classmates do, he has to be mindful of that. It probably went in one ear and out the other," Hayles said.
"I know that talk that Black parents have always had to have with their kids is inevitable. I'm not going to be able to avoid having it," she said. Black parents have always dealt with the added burden of talking to their children about racism but some are now struggling with whether to broach the topic sooner, says the founder of a parenting group. Hayles said she fears her son and his Black friends will be followed and harassed by security in malls, so she will tell him not to loiter in them, and she has concerns about him being targeted by police when he is driving. "Eventually he's going to be 16 and driving, and I'm going to have to have a conversation with him about that," she said. The talk will focus heavily on the need to answer questions respectfully and know his rights, Hayles said. "Don't escalate, don't raise your voice, don't hide your hands, don't run."
Hayles said many non-Black parents might be having uncomfortable conversations about racism with their children because anti-Black racism education in their schools may be limited or non-existent. It's up to parents to ensure their kids are exposed to other cultures including through the types of books they read, the movies they watch or the friends they have, she said. "If your circle is only white people and their circle is only white people then of course they have no understanding of how to interact with Black people because you have not made sure their circle is as diverse as the country they live in."


nationalobserver--2020-06-23--Americans en route to Alaska via Canada ticketed for breaking health rules

American visitors attempting to use a loophole allowing them to travel through Canada on the way to Alaska ran into the long arm of the law in Banff National Park last week .
The RCMP issued seven tickets to individuals who were violating the Public Health Act during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Six of the $ 1,200 tickets were issued to travellers who had stopped near Lake Louise to take long hikes in the park , the RCMP said Monday .
`` They 're not criminal violations or criminal charges or anything and those are fines under the Public Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Logan .
`` Those receiving the seven tickets are all U.S .
residents . ''
• How Nova Scotia naturalists forced the province to uphold its Endangered Species Act • Toronto will enter stage 2 of reopening on Wednesday , Ford says Logan said the officers can act on complaints from the public or on their own discretion .
`` Each individual RCMP officer responding to a complaint or just maybe seeing a parked American vehicle on their own , they 're going to talk to those individuals and it 's up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issuing these fines , '' he said .
Logan said in one case , a family with small children who had made a number of stops were interviewed by police but were n't fined because travellers with young kids probably need to stop more often .
`` That discretion does exist .
For whatever reason , these members thought that there 's no chance that education was good in the other cases and that the fine was needed to get the point across . ''
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his government was looking into it .
`` We need to make sure we ’ re able to apply the rules consistently and that we ’ re doing everything necessary to keep Canadians safe at this important time , '' Trudeau said .
American visitors attempting to use a loophole allowing them to travel through Canada on the way to Alaska ran into the long arm of the law in Banff National Park last week .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22 , 2020

American visitors attempting to use a loophole allowing them to travel through Canada on the way to Alaska ran into the long arm of the law in Banff National Park last week.
The RCMP issued seven tickets to individuals who were violating the Public Health Act during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Six of the $1,200 tickets were issued to travellers who had stopped near Lake Louise to take long hikes in the park, the RCMP said Monday.
"They're not criminal violations or criminal charges or anything and those are fines under the Public Health Act," said RCMP spokesman Fraser Logan.
"Those receiving the seven tickets are all U.S. residents."


nationalobserver--2020-06-23--Walk for sobriety highlights paths to recovery

“ We already had a tremendous accident here in the community ... and it took our community by surprise and it ’ s creating such a deep wound in our community , ” Christopher Merasty , Men of the North founder , told a crowd of supporters .
A group led by Men of the North walked from the Lac La Ronge Indian Band office to the site of a former residential school on their urban territory La Ronge .
Community members are grappling with a recent death in which alcohol was a factor .
As bars begin to reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support group organized a walk to bring awareness to the community and highlight the personal benefits of sobriety .
“ With the liquor stores and the bars opening up it ’ s creating a lot of concerns here in our community… If we continue this and walk the sober path I ’ m sure that we can make a big difference here , ” Merasty said .
Merasty and his companions want to raise awareness about the toll that addiction is taking on the community and to promote healthy , sober life choices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Observer that now is an important time to talk about these issues because people are starting to come out of self-isolation and are looking for ways to connect with each other as bars reopen .
On June 14 , a pedestrian was found dead on Queen Street after an apparent hit and run by an allegedly intoxicated driver who later called the RCMP to report the incident .
In his book , Johnson looks at ways to address the “ harmful impacts of alcohol consumption ” and the “ extreme death rate directly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our northern Saskatchewan communities.
” Former Crown prosecutor Harold Johnson , author of Firewater : How Alcohol is Killing My People ( and Yours ) , spoke at the event .
He said that addictions and mental health issues that can lead to suicide go hand in hand .
“ I wanted to support the Men of the North to bring awareness about addictions , about making better choices and supporting families and loved ones , that ’ s what it ’ s all about and that ’ s why I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s National Observer .
Cumberland MLA Doyle Vermette attended the walk , too .
Recently back in La Ronge from the Saskatchewan legislature where he was pushing for a provincewide suicide prevention bill , but failed after it was voted down .
“ It ’ s made a huge difference for my family and also for the community and for us to keep being good role models to our community members.
” “ The longer you ’ re sober and the more you start to heal yourself , the easier it gets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago to quit drinking and doing drugs and that was one of the best decisions I ’ ve made in my life , ” she said .
Chief Tammy Cook-Searson also attended the sober walk .
Cook-Searson said that not drinking is about making a personal choice .
“ I want to remind you , being sober is the normal state of a human being .
Being sober and clear minded all the time is our normal state .
That is our aboriginal awareness , ” Johnson said .
Johnson has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and of being more vocal about the benefits of sobriety .
Johnson told the crowd that a big part of leading a happily sober life is understanding that sobriety is more natural than intoxication .
“ Anybody that tells me that they ’ re in recovery , I tell them no .
You ’ re not in recovery .
You ’ re normal .
You ’ re just being normal now .
You ’ ve found normality .
That ’ s all sobriety is .
Living a normal life.
” He said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a good way to lead by example and show people the positive changes that can happen in their lives once they cut out alcohol .
He said that can bring a shift in the societal narrative around intoxication .
“ Start telling sobriety stories instead of those party stories .
If we tell enough good stories about ourselves people will see this and say I want to walk like that .
Look at those people walking , they ’ re sober .
They don ’ t have a hangover .
I want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Johnson said .
Tom Roberts , a residential school survivor and a counsellor for the Lac La Ronge Indian Band ’ s prevention and recovery program , said that the legacy of the residential school system is a root cause of addiction among many people .
“ I ’ ve been sober now for three years and it was my choice .
After battling cancer I took another road , a sober road , and it ’ s beautiful , ” Roberts said .
He said that the residential school he went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for himself that is key to making the choice not to drink .
“ We ’ re always told what to do , when to do it and how to do it , and that is still in the back of our heads .
I learned that with the residential school program , ” Roberts said .
“ We weren ’ t allowed to look a superior in the eye , we ’ d get a wack over the head .
A lot of ( people dealing with addiction ) walk down the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t see too many of them with their head up and being proud of who they are.
” Roberts hopes that more residents will make the decision to drink less and by doing so help keep future generations from falling into the same trap .
“ Walk straight , walk sober and hold your head up when you ’ re proud because at the Indian Residential School we left with our heads down .
“ Being sober is a beautiful world and you can pass that onto your children and grandchildren .
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ copying that behaviour.
” The Lac La Ronge Indian Band was among several northern communities , such as La Loche , that asked the province of Saskatchewan to limit alcohol sales during the pandemic , which communities worried would lead to a spike in alcohol abuse as well as bootlegging after hours .
Those requests were initially denied because the province didn ’ t want to cause a spike in alcohol withdrawal by limiting access .
However , a successful program that limited alcohol availability in the community of La Loche has led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be enacted elsewhere .
Merasty said that he would like there to be something similar to the La Loche model for La Ronge , starting with a day where no alcohol would be sold to commemorate alcohol related deaths in the community .
Searson said it ’ s important not to judge people who do drink .
“ You know everyone needs support , we all have different walks of life , we all have our struggles , and to know that none of us are perfect.
” She said that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , treatment and recovery centre that is being built in Lac La Ronge .
“ A 24-bed , in-patient treatment centre .
That ’ s amazing and without the community ’ s support that wouldn ’ t be there , ” Cook-Searson said .
“ Keep being sober , great role models for your families .
You know it ’ s a choice ... Keep that choice up.
” Johnson said that leading by example can save lives .
“ “ If you keep walking that sobriety path and enough people see you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walking .
You don ’ t have to do anything .
You don ’ t have to preach .
You don ’ t have to tell anybody anything .
Just keep walking .
Keep your head up and keep walking and remember you ’ re the normal people , ” Johnson said .
Roberts hopes that by holding cultural gatherings , land-based healing and promoting land-based teachings , people will be able to regain the sense of self-worth that is needed to beat addiction .
“ We may not be able to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but we can sure appreciate what our parents had and we can have that , too , ” Roberts said .
Merasty said that by drinking responsibly , people can work toward breaking the cycle of alcohol abuse in the next generation .
“ We need to strive for better awareness in our community because there has been a lot of destruction over these past few days , over these past couple months , ” Merasty said .
“ ( Our children ) are going to be up next taking our places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to give them the strength and let them know… how important it is to be sober .
How important it is to ( drink responsibly ) .
” Merasty said that Men of the North members are willing to help out if anyone is in a situation where they might drink and drive .
“ Call up one of the guys from Men of the North , we ’ ll come and pick you up and take you home .
Leave your keys at home .
Please don ’ t drink and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts , help is available at all hours .
Support can be found at the Canada Suicide Prevention Service website .
If you are in immediate danger , you can call 911 .

On June 14, a pedestrian was found dead on Queen Street after an apparent hit and run by an allegedly intoxicated driver who later called the RCMP to report the incident.
“We already had a tremendous accident here in the community... and it took our community by surprise and it’s creating such a deep wound in our community,” Christopher Merasty, Men of the North founder, told a crowd of supporters.
A group led by Men of the North walked from the Lac La Ronge Indian Band office to the site of a former residential school on their urban territory La Ronge. Community members are grappling with a recent death in which alcohol was a factor.
As bars begin to reopen in northern Saskatchewan, a men's support group organized a walk to bring awareness to the community and highlight the personal benefits of sobriety.
“With the liquor stores and the bars opening up it’s creating a lot of concerns here in our community… If we continue this and walk the sober path I’m sure that we can make a big difference here,” Merasty said.
Merasty and his companions want to raise awareness about the toll that addiction is taking on the community and to promote healthy, sober life choices.
Merasty told Canada’s National Observer that now is an important time to talk about these issues because people are starting to come out of self-isolation and are looking for ways to connect with each other as bars reopen.
Cumberland MLA Doyle Vermette attended the walk, too. Recently back in La Ronge from the Saskatchewan legislature where he was pushing for a provincewide suicide prevention bill, but failed after it was voted down.
“It’s made a huge difference for my family and also for the community and for us to keep being good role models to our community members.”
“The longer you’re sober and the more you start to heal yourself, the easier it gets. I made a choice over 30 years ago to quit drinking and doing drugs and that was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life,” she said.
Chief Tammy Cook-Searson also attended the sober walk. Cook-Searson said that not drinking is about making a personal choice.
Former Crown prosecutor Harold Johnson, author of Firewater: How Alcohol is Killing My People (and Yours), spoke at the event.
He said that addictions and mental health issues that can lead to suicide go hand in hand.
“I wanted to support the Men of the North to bring awareness about addictions, about making better choices and supporting families and loved ones, that’s what it’s all about and that’s why I’m here today,” Vermette told Canada’s National Observer.
In his book, Johnson looks at ways to address the “harmful impacts of alcohol consumption” and the “extreme death rate directly connected to the use of alcohol in our northern Saskatchewan communities.”
Cree author and former Crown prosecutor Harold Johnson said that our natural state as human beings is one of sobriety. Photograph by Michael Bramadat-Willcock.
Johnson has been a proponent of limiting access to alcohol and of being more vocal about the benefits of sobriety. Johnson told the crowd that a big part of leading a happily sober life is understanding that sobriety is more natural than intoxication.
“I want to remind you, being sober is the normal state of a human being. Being sober and clear minded all the time is our normal state. That is our aboriginal awareness,” Johnson said.
“Anybody that tells me that they’re in recovery, I tell them no. You’re not in recovery. You’re normal. You’re just being normal now. You’ve found normality. That’s all sobriety is. Living a normal life.”
He said that being actively sober and proud of it is a good way to lead by example and show people the positive changes that can happen in their lives once they cut out alcohol. He said that can bring a shift in the societal narrative around intoxication.
“Start telling sobriety stories instead of those party stories. If we tell enough good stories about ourselves people will see this and say I want to walk like that. Look at those people walking, they’re sober. They don’t have a hangover. I want my path to look like that,” Johnson said.
Tom Roberts, a residential school survivor and a counsellor for the Lac La Ronge Indian Band’s prevention and recovery program, said that the legacy of the residential school system is a root cause of addiction among many people.
“I’ve been sober now for three years and it was my choice. After battling cancer I took another road, a sober road, and it’s beautiful,” Roberts said.
He said that the residential school he went to took away the agency to act for himself that is key to making the choice not to drink.
Tom Roberts is a residential school survivor and a counsellor for the Lac La Ronge Indian Band’s prevention and recovery program. He has been sober for three years now, since winning his fight against cancer. Roberts said that the residential school system robbed Indigenous people of their agency to make decisions for themselves as individuals. Photograph by Michael Bramadat-Willcock.
“We’re always told what to do, when to do it and how to do it, and that is still in the back of our heads. I learned that with the residential school program,” Roberts said.
“We weren’t allowed to look a superior in the eye, we’d get a wack over the head. A lot of (people dealing with addiction) walk down the road like this. You don’t see too many of them with their head up and being proud of who they are.”
Roberts hopes that more residents will make the decision to drink less and by doing so help keep future generations from falling into the same trap.
“Walk straight, walk sober and hold your head up when you’re proud because at the Indian Residential School we left with our heads down.
“Being sober is a beautiful world and you can pass that onto your children and grandchildren. Not seeing you drunk or drinking. Not copying that behaviour.”
The Lac La Ronge Indian Band was among several northern communities, such as La Loche, that asked the province of Saskatchewan to limit alcohol sales during the pandemic, which communities worried would lead to a spike in alcohol abuse as well as bootlegging after hours.
Those requests were initially denied because the province didn’t want to cause a spike in alcohol withdrawal by limiting access. However, a successful program that limited alcohol availability in the community of La Loche has led to renewed calls for such a policy to be enacted elsewhere.
In his book Firewater: How Alcohol is Killing My People (and Yours), (University of Regina Press, 2016) Cree author and former prosecutor Harold Johnson calls alcohol abuse on Treaty 6 Territory a "crime against humanity." Photograph by Michael Bramadat-Willcock,.
Merasty said that he would like there to be something similar to the La Loche model for La Ronge, starting with a day where no alcohol would be sold to commemorate alcohol related deaths in the community.
Searson said it’s important not to judge people who do drink. “You know everyone needs support, we all have different walks of life, we all have our struggles, and to know that none of us are perfect.”
She said that’s the reason for the new wellness, treatment and recovery centre that is being built in Lac La Ronge.
“A 24-bed, in-patient treatment centre. That’s amazing and without the community’s support that wouldn’t be there,” Cook-Searson said.
“Keep being sober, great role models for your families. You know it’s a choice... Keep that choice up.”
Architectural rendering of the new multimillion-dollar Indigenous wellness centre facility now under construction on the Fairchild reserve south of La Ronge. Graphic courtesy of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band.
Johnson said that leading by example can save lives.
““If you keep walking that sobriety path and enough people see you, you will save lives just by walking. You don’t have to do anything. You don’t have to preach. You don’t have to tell anybody anything. Just keep walking. Keep your head up and keep walking and remember you’re the normal people,” Johnson said.
Roberts hopes that by holding cultural gatherings, land-based healing and promoting land-based teachings, people will be able to regain the sense of self-worth that is needed to beat addiction.
“We may not be able to go back to the way it was before, but we can sure appreciate what our parents had and we can have that, too,” Roberts said.
Merasty said that by drinking responsibly, people can work toward breaking the cycle of alcohol abuse in the next generation.
Men of the North is a men's support group based in La Ronge, Saskatchewan. They organized a walk to bring awareness to the community and highlight the benefits of sobriety. Photograph by Michael Bramadat-Willcock.
“We need to strive for better awareness in our community because there has been a lot of destruction over these past few days, over these past couple months,” Merasty said.
“(Our children) are going to be up next taking our places here in the community. And we need to give them the strength and let them know… how important it is to be sober. How important it is to (drink responsibly).”
Merasty said that Men of the North members are willing to help out if anyone is in a situation where they might drink and drive.
“Call up one of the guys from Men of the North, we’ll come and pick you up and take you home. Leave your keys at home. Please don’t drink and drive.”
Michael Bramadat-Willcock/Local Journalism Initiative/Canada's National Observer
If you are or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, help is available at all hours. Support can be found at the Canada Suicide Prevention Service website. If you are in immediate danger, you can call 911.


nationalobserver--2020-06-23--Green Party leadership hopeful says fellow debater made racist remarks

Green Party leadership candidate Meryam Haddad said fellow contender Dylan Perceval-Maxwell proposed a “ racist ” and “ offensive ” policy during the party ’ s first official debate , when he said police should “ give $ 20 to every person of colour they stop.
” The exchange happened near the end of a debate that was live-streamed Tuesday afternoon , moderated by Steve Paikin , host of the TVO show The Agenda .
Paikin asked all the candidates what they thought of the call to “ defund the police ” that has been resonating in protests and vigils @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police killings and racial profiling of Black and Indigenous people .
Perceval-Maxwell , a Montreal environmental activist , said he thought “ defund the police ” was a good idea , and argued law enforcement needs to be “ trained better , ” although he also said the issue in Canada was not as bad as it was in the United States .
“ You have to look at what is working in other places and come up with new ideas , and one of my ideas is for the police to give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they stop , ” he said .
• How Nova Scotia naturalists forced the province to uphold its Endangered Species Act • Americans en route to Alaska via Canada ticketed for breaking health rules • Toronto will enter stage 2 of reopening on Wednesday , Ford says “ This would compensate , a little bit , the trauma and inconvenience of being stopped , and it would make the police think twice before they stop them.
” Paikin then turned to other candidates to make their own points about defunding police .
Several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the debate , Paikin said he was giving the last word to Haddad , as the person with the least speaking time so far .
“ Mr .
Perceval-Maxwell , I got ta admit , your $ 20 solution was super racist , and as a person of colour I find it very , very offensive , ” said Haddad , a Montreal refugee lawyer .
“ You want to pay people to address systemic racism ?
It does nothing .
What would be the next step — if the person gets beaten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
” “ No , ” Perceval-Maxwell started to object , but debate time had run out , and Paikin moved to wrap things up .
Perceval-Maxwell ’ s website makes no mention of the police-fee policy in its “ Our Vision ” platform page .
National Observer asked Perceval-Maxwell whether he stood behind his remarks .
He did not immediately return an email query before publication .
Green Party leadership candidate Meryam Haddad said fellow contender Dylan Perceval-Maxwell proposed a “ racist ” and “ offensive ” policy during the party ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said police should “ give $ 20 to every person of colour they stop .
Tuesday ’ s debate also featured Courtney Howard , Dimitri Lascaris and Andrew West — all part of the second portion of a two-part debate format .
Earlier on Tuesday , Paikin hosted Judy Green , Amita Kuttner , David Merner , Glen Murray and Annamie Paul .
All 10 candidates hope to succeed Green Party parliamentary Leader Elizabeth May , who stepped down after 13 years as national leader last November , triggering a leadership race that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leadership vote will begin on Sept. 26 , and end at 3:30 p.m. ( all times Pacific Time ) on Oct. 3 .
The results of the vote will be announced later that day .

Green Party leadership candidate Meryam Haddad said fellow contender Dylan Perceval-Maxwell proposed a “racist” and “offensive” policy during the party’s first official debate, when he said police should “give $20 to every person of colour they stop.”
The exchange happened near the end of a debate that was live-streamed Tuesday afternoon, moderated by Steve Paikin, host of the TVO show The Agenda.
Paikin asked all the candidates what they thought of the call to “defund the police” that has been resonating in protests and vigils around the world, in response to police killings and racial profiling of Black and Indigenous people.
Perceval-Maxwell, a Montreal environmental activist, said he thought “defund the police” was a good idea, and argued law enforcement needs to be “trained better,” although he also said the issue in Canada was not as bad as it was in the United States.
“You have to look at what is working in other places and come up with new ideas, and one of my ideas is for the police to give $20 to every person of colour they stop,” he said.


nationalobserver--2020-06-23--No U.S. cross-border reunions allowed at B.C.'s Peace Arch Park — for now

Inside the Peace Arch that marks the international border between British Columbia and Washington is the inscription “ may these gates never be closed.
” These days , the reality is a bit more complicated .
The gates to the Canada-U.S. land border , at least metaphorically , have been closed to all non-essential traffic since March 21 , due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Essential workers and commercial traffic have been allowed to cross , but no recreation or tourism is permitted .
Last week , those rules were extended again until July 21 .
Friends , family and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared park that surrounds the Peace Arch between Blaine , Wash. , and Surrey , B.C.
, where visitors had been free to roam as long as they did n't cross the border .
For roughly a month between May 14 , when the Canadian side of the park reopened , and June 18 , when BC Parks decided to close it again , parking lots and local access roads became “ overwhelmed ” with vehicle traffic , and a “ dramatic increase in visitation , ” the agency said .
There were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
BC Parks said attendance doubled compared to the same period last year .
Inside the Peace Arch that marks the international border between British Columbia and Washington is the inscription “ may these gates never be closed.
” These days , the reality is a bit more complicated .
Earlier this month , however , the Trudeau government eased up a bit on border restrictions , allowing foreigners who are immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents , and who don ’ t have COVID-19 symptoms , to be allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , quarantine for 14 days upon arrival , which means their stay in Canada has to be at least 15 days long .
But BC Parks is still facing pressure to reopen the park .
Abbotsford woman Megan Ferguson ’ s petition , which asks for a reopening with some safety precautions , had garnered about 1,300 signatures by Tuesday afternoon .
On the petition are dozens of people describing how the park was their only way to see loved ones .
National Observer asked B.C .
's Ministry of Environment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considering a reopening using COVID-19 precautions such as temperature checks .
The ministry responded that it understands the importance of family and friends reuniting , but the visitor increase had become “ unmanageable.
” “ BC Parks consulted with local communities , the RCMP and our counterparts in Washington State and had taken a series of measures to manage visitor growth , but those measures did not address the risk associated with the significant increase in visitation , ” a spokesperson said .
“ It ’ s important to remember that the closure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen as soon as it is safe to do so.
” Border park nuptials are not the only quirk about the Canada-U.S. land border that has come about from COVID-19 restrictions .
The Canada Border Services Agency has said 7,639 foreign nationals were turned away from Canada between March 22 and June 16 , a number that included 6,615 U.S. citizens .
Some Americans are still permitted to drive across the border , if they 're headed to Alaska to go home or to go to work , which would make those essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they handed out seven tickets to Americans in Banff National Park .
The police say Americans travelling in Canada to Alaska must take a direct route and stay away from people when they stop for food or rest .
RCMP Cpl .
Deanna Fontaine told CBC News that six of the seven tickets of $ 1,200 each were connected to Americans who had gone hiking .
The police force says it has received other complaints about U.S. licence plates in the area , although some of these vehicles could have already been @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Inside the Peace Arch that marks the international border between British Columbia and Washington is the inscription “may these gates never be closed.” These days, the reality is a bit more complicated. The gates to the Canada-U.S. land border, at least metaphorically, have been closed to all non-essential traffic since March 21, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Essential workers and commercial traffic have been allowed to cross, but no recreation or tourism is permitted. Last week, those rules were extended again until July 21. Despite the frustration felt by sectors such as tourism and companies such as airlines, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday that the health of Canadians must remain everyone’s primary concern. “We know that reopening too quickly or carelessly would lead us to a resurgence (of the virus) that might well force us to go back into lockdown,” he said during his daily address.
Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam has also sounded a note of caution, as COVID-19 cases continue to climb in the U.S. The country has recently been reporting about 20,000 new cases per day nationwide, compared to 284 new cases in Canada on Monday. “If the numbers keep going up that’s going to definitely inform what might happen next at the border,” Tam said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Even so, the spirit of that Peace Arch inscription has stayed alive.
Friends, family and couples had reportedly been gathering in the shared park that surrounds the Peace Arch between Blaine, Wash., and Surrey, B.C., where visitors had been free to roam as long as they didn't cross the border. Inside the Peace Arch that marks the international border between British Columbia and Washington is the inscription “may these gates never be closed.” These days, the reality is a bit more complicated. For roughly a month between May 14, when the Canadian side of the park reopened, and June 18, when BC Parks decided to close it again, parking lots and local access roads became “overwhelmed” with vehicle traffic, and a “dramatic increase in visitation,” the agency said. There were reports of multiple couples tying the knot. BC Parks said attendance doubled compared to the same period last year. Earlier this month, however, the Trudeau government eased up a bit on border restrictions, allowing foreigners who are immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents, and who don’t have COVID-19 symptoms, to be allowed to enter the country. They must, however, quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, which means their stay in Canada has to be at least 15 days long.
But BC Parks is still facing pressure to reopen the park. Abbotsford woman Megan Ferguson’s petition, which asks for a reopening with some safety precautions, had garnered about 1,300 signatures by Tuesday afternoon. On the petition are dozens of people describing how the park was their only way to see loved ones. National Observer asked B.C.'s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy if it was considering a reopening using COVID-19 precautions such as temperature checks.


nationalobserver--2020-06-23--Alberta will reinstate environmental monitoring suspended amid COVID-19

In July , the Alberta oilpatch will have to resume environmental monitoring that was suspended during COVID-19 , the provincial government said Tuesday .
The government and the Alberta Energy Regulator relaxed vast sections of environmental rules in the early stages of COVID-19 , allowing industry and oil and gas companies to temporarily halt monitoring programs the government said were “ low risk.
” The changes were widely criticized by First Nations , environmental groups and scientists .
“ The unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic required us to operate under an abundance of caution during the height of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sonya Savage said in a statement Tuesday .
“ While this pause was of low risk , it is also important that we maintain full confidence in the rigour of our regulatory system and return to all regular reporting activities as soon as it is safe to do so.
” The monitoring will resume on July 15 .
Until it is reinstated , companies do not need to conduct monitoring in a variety of areas , including groundwater , soil , industrial fumes , wildlife , tailings ponds and more .
Much of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permission to operate .
Industry has roughly three weeks to resume the work — a week more notice than the two weeks restaurants and retailers in Alberta received before they were allowed to reopen .
Spokespeople for Savage and Environment Minister Jason Nixon did n't immediately respond to questions about why the longer runway was necessary .
• How Nova Scotia naturalists forced the province to uphold its Endangered Species Act • Americans en route to Alaska via Canada ticketed for breaking health rules • Toronto will enter stage 2 of reopening on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the green nonprofit Environmental Defence , said the government should release a plan for how it will measure and remediate any environmental impacts from the monitoring suspension .
“ I ’ m obviously happy that they ’ re lifting the suspension , ” he said .
“ It ’ s still not clear why it was necessary .
And will we ever know what the impact of that was ?
” The Alberta government first suspended some environmental monitoring with a March 31 order , from Nixon , that said it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to comply during COVID-19 .
The Alberta Energy Regulator added environmental monitoring exemptions for the oilsands in May , then broadened them to include the entire oil and gas industry , even as the province started lifting COVID-19 restrictions .
Alberta previously said it would have been dangerous to have people going in and out of areas to do the work , possibly bringing the virus with them — a conclusion contested by scientists .
Meanwhile , the province did n't place any restrictions on fly-in , fly-out work in the oilsands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak that spread to four other provinces .
Alberta ended its COVID-19 state of emergency last week , prompting calls for the monitoring to be reinstated .
“ Now that the public health emergency is no longer in effect and Alberta is reopening as part of our phase two relaunch , industry can resume business while keeping communities and employees safe , ” Nixon said in a statement Tuesday .
Alberta suspended environmental monitoring for industry and the oilpatch in the early stages of COVID-19 .
That monitoring will now resume on July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ableg # cdnpoli The Mikisew Cree , Fort McKay and Athabasca Chipewyan First Nations appealed the suspensions to the regulator ’ s internal review body , calling the decision “ shocking.
” It was done without consultation , they said , and wasn ’ t explicitly linked to COVID-19 .
Alberta ’ s chief scientist has also said he wasn ’ t consulted on the decision .
The Alberta NDP called for the head of the AER to resign over the suspension , and a dozen environmental groups and Indigenous organizations asked federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Editor 's Note : This story was updated at 5:20 p.m. eastern to include comments from Environmental Defence .

In July, the Alberta oilpatch will have to resume environmental monitoring that was suspended during COVID-19, the provincial government said Tuesday.
The government and the Alberta Energy Regulator relaxed vast sections of environmental rules in the early stages of COVID-19, allowing industry and oil and gas companies to temporarily halt monitoring programs the government said were “low risk.” The changes were widely criticized by First Nations, environmental groups and scientists.
“The unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic required us to operate under an abundance of caution during the height of the health emergency,” Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage said in a statement Tuesday. “While this pause was of low risk, it is also important that we maintain full confidence in the rigour of our regulatory system and return to all regular reporting activities as soon as it is safe to do so.”
The monitoring will resume on July 15. Until it is reinstated, companies do not need to conduct monitoring in a variety of areas, including groundwater, soil, industrial fumes, wildlife, tailings ponds and more. Much of the monitoring is included in companies' permission to operate.
Industry has roughly three weeks to resume the work — a week more notice than the two weeks restaurants and retailers in Alberta received before they were allowed to reopen. Spokespeople for Savage and Environment Minister Jason Nixon didn't immediately respond to questions about why the longer runway was necessary.


nationalobserver--2020-06-24--Hundreds of Canadians could be affected by Trump's decision to extend work visa ban

Hundreds of Canadians working for technology companies or multinational corporations in the United States could be affected by a new ban that freezes the issuance of temporary work visas until the end of the year .
The Trump administration on Monday extended a ban on green cards issued outside the U.S. and added many temporary work visas to the freeze .
The ban on new visas , which takes effect Wednesday , applies to four categories including H-1B , H-2B , J-1 , and L-1 .
Scotty Greenwood , the CEO of the Canadian American Business Council , said her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the move , and she 's already heard from members of her organization unhappy with the ban .
`` I have to believe that the executive order was n't intended to target Canada but nevertheless it impacts Canada-U.S. commerce and that 's unfortunate and I hope can be rectified in some way , '' Greenwood said .
According to documents provided by the U.S. State Department , more than 400 Canadians were issued the affected visas in 2019 .
• Americans en route to Alaska via Canada ticketed for breaking health rules • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to uphold its Endangered Species Act • Trudeau says China 'made clear ' arrest of Michaels related to Meng The H-1B , which is widely used by American and Indian technology companies , was issued to 101 Canadians in the 2019 fiscal year .
The J-1 , for `` cultural exchange , '' was issued to 156 Canadians .
The L-1 , which applies to managers and other key employees of multinational corporations , was issued to 161 Canadians , and the H-2B , for non-agricultural seasonal workers , was issued to five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Department of Homeland Security put the numbers much higher .
That department says more than 4,600 Canadians were issued new or renewed visas last year in the H-1B class alone .
The Trump administration cast the effort as a way to free up jobs in an American economy reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic .
A senior official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity predicted it will open up to 525,000 jobs for Americans .
Greenwood said the executive order is ill-suited to opening up jobs for Americans since the visas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She gave the example of a Canadian engineer travelling into the U.S. to repair a specialized piece of equipment on an urgent basis for a week or two before returning home .
`` That does n't jeopardize a U.S. job , it 's just part of the normal flow of business , '' said Greenwood .
Hundreds of Canadians working for technology companies or multinational corporations in the United States could be affected by a new ban that freezes the issuance of temporary work visas until the end of the year .
Two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general manager Kaz Nejatian , as well as founder and CEO Tobi Lutke .
Both criticized the executive order on Twitter and offered people the opportunity to apply to work for the Canadian tech firm .
`` We believe commerce needs more voices , not fewer .
And that means pursuing , not hindering , highly skilled people from all corners of the world , '' Nejatian said in a statement .
The ban , while temporary , represents a cut to legal immigration on a scale that had eluded the administration before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent many asylum seekers from getting work permits and would allocate high-tech worker visas differently are also being sought .
Business groups pressed hard to limit the changes but got little of what they wanted , marking a victory for immigration hardliners as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to further solidify their support ahead of the November election .
There will be exemptions for food processing workers , which make up about 15 per cent of H-2B visas , an official told The Associated Press .
Health-care workers assisting with the coronavirus fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ green-card freeze , though their exemption will be narrower .
Trump imposed a 60-day ban on green cards issued abroad in April , which was set to expire Monday .
That announcement , which largely targeted family members , drew a surprisingly chilly reception from immigration hardliners , who said the president did n't go far enough .
The freezes on visas issued abroad are designed to take effect immediately .
Other changes , including restrictions on work permits for asylum seekers , will go through a formal rule-making process that takes months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigration law in Los Angeles , said that although he expected there would be an extension on the ban , he was surprised by the breadth of it and that it would be in place until Dec. 31 .
`` We 're waiting on a lot of guidance from the government agencies to figure out exactly how they 're going to interpret this , '' said Revich .
`` But I would say that any Canadians who are worried about this should definitely keep track of what 's happening and make sure to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do any travelling . ''

Hundreds of Canadians working for technology companies or multinational corporations in the United States could be affected by a new ban that freezes the issuance of temporary work visas until the end of the year. The Trump administration on Monday extended a ban on green cards issued outside the U.S. and added many temporary work visas to the freeze. The ban on new visas, which takes effect Wednesday, applies to four categories including H-1B, H-2B, J-1, and L-1. Scotty Greenwood, the CEO of the Canadian American Business Council, said her group is "extremely concerned" about the move, and she's already heard from members of her organization unhappy with the ban. "I have to believe that the executive order wasn't intended to target Canada but nevertheless it impacts Canada-U.S. commerce and that's unfortunate and I hope can be rectified in some way," Greenwood said. According to documents provided by the U.S. State Department, more than 400 Canadians were issued the affected visas in 2019.
The H-1B, which is widely used by American and Indian technology companies, was issued to 101 Canadians in the 2019 fiscal year. The J-1, for "cultural exchange," was issued to 156 Canadians. The L-1, which applies to managers and other key employees of multinational corporations, was issued to 161 Canadians, and the H-2B, for non-agricultural seasonal workers, was issued to five Canadians. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions But conflicting figures reported by the Department of Homeland Security put the numbers much higher. That department says more than 4,600 Canadians were issued new or renewed visas last year in the H-1B class alone.
The Trump administration cast the effort as a way to free up jobs in an American economy reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. A senior official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity predicted it will open up to 525,000 jobs for Americans. Hundreds of Canadians working for technology companies or multinational corporations in the United States could be affected by a new ban that freezes the issuance of temporary work visas until the end of the year. Greenwood said the executive order is ill-suited to opening up jobs for Americans since the visas were often used for limited jobs. She gave the example of a Canadian engineer travelling into the U.S. to repair a specialized piece of equipment on an urgent basis for a week or two before returning home. "That doesn't jeopardize a U.S. job, it's just part of the normal flow of business," said Greenwood. Two other vocal critics were Shopify vice-president and general manager Kaz Nejatian, as well as founder and CEO Tobi Lutke. Both criticized the executive order on Twitter and offered people the opportunity to apply to work for the Canadian tech firm. "We believe commerce needs more voices, not fewer. And that means pursuing, not hindering, highly skilled people from all corners of the world," Nejatian said in a statement.
The ban, while temporary, represents a cut to legal immigration on a scale that had eluded the administration before the pandemic. Long-term changes that would prevent many asylum seekers from getting work permits and would allocate high-tech worker visas differently are also being sought. Business groups pressed hard to limit the changes but got little of what they wanted, marking a victory for immigration hardliners as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to further solidify their support ahead of the November election. There will be exemptions for food processing workers, which make up about 15 per cent of H-2B visas, an official told The Associated Press. Health-care workers assisting with the coronavirus fight will continue to be spared from the green-card freeze, though their exemption will be narrower.


nationalobserver--2020-06-24--Feds will push back against any new U.S. tariffs on aluminum, Duclos says

Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos said Tuesday federal officials will push back against any new protectionist effort by Donald Trump to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum , making the case that Canadian aluminum is no threat to the American market .
Duclos was responding to a report from Bloomberg saying the Trump administration is planning to impose a 10 per cent tariff on aluminum imports from Canada .
Duclos would not say whether the government is aware of a new round of tariffs impending , but said the threat of protectionism still exists and the risk becomes bigger in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We all are aware of the protectionist attitudes and actions of the last few years in the context of our relationship with the United States , '' Duclos said during a midday briefing Tuesday .
He said the Canadian government had worked hard to secure a new North American free trade agreement — and end the previous round of tariffs against imports of aluminum and steel from Canada — but warned of the need to remain vigilant .
• Americans en route to Alaska via Canada ticketed for breaking health rules • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to uphold its Endangered Species Act • Trudeau says China 'made clear ' arrest of Michaels related to Meng `` We need , as Canadians , to be mindful of the fact that protectionism still exists and in fact runs the risk of being even bigger and being an even greater threat as we emerge from the COVID health and economic crisis , '' Duclos said .
`` This being said , we use every opportunity to make our neighbours and our friends and trade partners understand that it is to the joint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of goods and services open and strong , because we all gain from that . ''
The last time the Americans imposed such tariffs , the federal government imposed reciprocal tariffs on a slew of U.S. products crossing into Canada before both sides backed down .
Duclos said the Canadian government has fulfilled its end of the trade detente by ensuring Canada is n't a conduit to the U.S. for cheaper overseas metal .
Canada 's ambassador to the U.S. , Kirsten Hillman , delivered a similar message Tuesday .
`` We firmly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. are n't hurting the U.S. market in any way , '' she said during a virtual event , adding the two countries have been having `` constant dialogues '' on the issue .
Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos said Tuesday federal officials will push back against any new protectionist effort by Donald Trump to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum , making the case that Canadian aluminum is no threat to the American `` We 're emphasizing with our American friends the fact that we have this deep , mutually supportive industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American aluminum sector , our aluminum exports are indeed a great help and benefit . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23 , 2020 .

Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos said Tuesday federal officials will push back against any new protectionist effort by Donald Trump to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum, making the case that Canadian aluminum is no threat to the American market.
Duclos was responding to a report from Bloomberg saying the Trump administration is planning to impose a 10 per cent tariff on aluminum imports from Canada.
Duclos would not say whether the government is aware of a new round of tariffs impending, but said the threat of protectionism still exists and the risk becomes bigger in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We all are aware of the protectionist attitudes and actions of the last few years in the context of our relationship with the United States," Duclos said during a midday briefing Tuesday.
He said the Canadian government had worked hard to secure a new North American free trade agreement — and end the previous round of tariffs against imports of aluminum and steel from Canada — but warned of the need to remain vigilant.


nationalobserver--2020-06-24--Eight extra weeks of CERB to cost $17.9 billion, budget officer says

A Liberal pledge to provide eight extra weeks of payments through the cornerstone benefit for people who 've lost all or nearly all their work due to the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to cost the government $ 17.9 billion , the parliamentary budget officer says .
The report from budget officer Yves Giroux released Tuesday said that would bring the net cost of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit to $ 71.3 billion .
The CERB , now budgeted at $ 60 billion , has paid out $ 52.14 billion to over eight million people as of Sunday , as demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first cohort of CERB applicants set to hit the 16-week limit on the payments early next month , the Liberals have promised to increase it to 24 weeks to provide help through the summer for those who need it .
Giroux 's report says the additional cost to the program depends heavily on the outlook for the economy and jobs , as well as the course of the pandemic .
• Americans en route to Alaska via Canada ticketed for breaking health rules • How Nova Scotia naturalists forced the province to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says China 'made clear ' arrest of Michaels related to Meng The report says further uncertainty over the final cost of the program rests on the actual takeup of the separate federal wage subsidy program , which the Liberals plan to retool .
A report from a group of experts convened by the C.D .
Howe Institute urged the Liberals to take the extra time bought by extending the CERB to rework the program itself and put in a program to help recipients retrain for other or better jobs .
Employment Minister Carla @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Bank of Canada , issued separate warnings Monday that not everyone will have a job to go back to as restrictions ease and businesses reopen .
It 's why the C.D .
Howe paper also called for an update to the employment insurance system to handle a possible surge in applicants come September , and for clearer language around a newly imposed requirement on CERB recipients to look or take work when it is `` reasonable to do so . ''
The Liberals ' latest estimated cost of the total package @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion , but Giroux 's running tally now estimates the cost at $ 169.2 billion .
Finance Minister Bill Morneau said next month 's fiscal snapshot will provide a comprehensive accounting of government spending , and a look at the potential deficit for the year and the debt — figures Giroux estimated at $ 256 billion and $ 962 billion , respectively .
The report from budget officer Yves Giroux released on Tuesday , June 23 , 2020 , said that would bring the net cost of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that his spending estimates do n't account for additional stimulus the Liberals may have to use to get the economy going again once the recovery period rolls around .
Morneau did n't say what kind of stimulus measures the Liberals may have to use , particularly if companies reopen and consumers do n't return to normal spending levels , leaving a dearth of demand expected by the Bank of Canada .
`` We 're in an economic challenge that is unlike any we have seen before , so the notion of how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is likely to be different than what we 've seen before , '' he said during an appearance before the Senate on spending estimates .
`` We so far have put money into the economy , both in terms of supporting people and in supporting businesses — and through them , people — that have to a great extent filled up some of the economic challenges that we 've seen , '' Morneau said .
`` That may mean that that kind of measure could hold promise for what we might need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we might need to go back towards more traditional measures . ''
When the Liberals unveiled the wage subsidy and CERB , it was the subsidy program that carried the heftier price tag of over $ 70 billion .
The government styled it the largest social support program in the country 's history .
But fewer companies than envisioned have used the subsidy , which now is budgeted to cost $ 45 billion .
As of Monday , the government had approved $ 15.77 billion in payroll help to 236,360 companies .
Morneau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ final decisions on changes to the program 's eligibility rules to improve takeup after consulting with business and labour groups .
Fuelling demand for the CERB has been a steep drop in employment , with three million job losses in March and April as non-essential businesses were ordered closed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus .

A Liberal pledge to provide eight extra weeks of payments through the cornerstone benefit for people who've lost all or nearly all their work due to the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to cost the government $17.9 billion, the parliamentary budget officer says. The report from budget officer Yves Giroux released Tuesday said that would bring the net cost of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit to $71.3 billion. The CERB, now budgeted at $60 billion, has paid out $52.14 billion to over eight million people as of Sunday, as demand surges past original federal expectations. With the first cohort of CERB applicants set to hit the 16-week limit on the payments early next month, the Liberals have promised to increase it to 24 weeks to provide help through the summer for those who need it. Giroux's report says the additional cost to the program depends heavily on the outlook for the economy and jobs, as well as the course of the pandemic.
The report says further uncertainty over the final cost of the program rests on the actual takeup of the separate federal wage subsidy program, which the Liberals plan to retool. A report from a group of experts convened by the C.D. Howe Institute urged the Liberals to take the extra time bought by extending the CERB to rework the program itself and put in a program to help recipients retrain for other or better jobs. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough and Tiff Macklem, the governor of the Bank of Canada, issued separate warnings Monday that not everyone will have a job to go back to as restrictions ease and businesses reopen.
It's why the C.D. Howe paper also called for an update to the employment insurance system to handle a possible surge in applicants come September, and for clearer language around a newly imposed requirement on CERB recipients to look or take work when it is "reasonable to do so." The report from budget officer Yves Giroux released on Tuesday, June 23, 2020, said that would bring the net cost of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit to $71.3 billion. The Liberals' latest estimated cost of the total package of pandemic-related aid was about $153.7 billion, but Giroux's running tally now estimates the cost at $169.2 billion. Finance Minister Bill Morneau said next month's fiscal snapshot will provide a comprehensive accounting of government spending, and a look at the potential deficit for the year and the debt — figures Giroux estimated at $256 billion and $962 billion, respectively. Giroux has also said that his spending estimates don't account for additional stimulus the Liberals may have to use to get the economy going again once the recovery period rolls around. Morneau didn't say what kind of stimulus measures the Liberals may have to use, particularly if companies reopen and consumers don't return to normal spending levels, leaving a dearth of demand expected by the Bank of Canada.
"We're in an economic challenge that is unlike any we have seen before, so the notion of how we might come out of this challenge is likely to be different than what we've seen before," he said during an appearance before the Senate on spending estimates. "We so far have put money into the economy, both in terms of supporting people and in supporting businesses — and through them, people — that have to a great extent filled up some of the economic challenges that we've seen," Morneau said. "That may mean that that kind of measure could hold promise for what we might need to do in the next stage, or we might need to go back towards more traditional measures."


nationalobserver--2020-06-24--Alberta government no longer closing 17 provincial parks due to COVID-19

The Alberta government has quietly halted the closure of 17 provincial parks and recreation sites this year because of COVID-19 .
The province had initially planned to fully or partially close 20 provincial parks and hand off another 164 to third-party managers , but officials quietly updated the COVID-19 response page on the Alberta Parks website .
`` We will operate the 17 parks sites previously identified for closure this season because we want to give Albertans more opportunities to camp and connect with nature over the summer as we all recover from the COVID-19 pandemic , '' says a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a temporary measure for this camping season . ''
Some of the parks and recreation areas staying open this summer include : Twin Lakes , Sheep Creek , Chain Lakes and Dry Island Buffalo Jump .
• Americans en route to Alaska via Canada ticketed for breaking health rules • How Nova Scotia naturalists forced the province to uphold its Endangered Species Act • Trudeau says China 'made clear ' arrest of Michaels related to Meng The plan to close some sites and hand over others has raised concerns among many , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 52,000 signatures .
The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society said the move to keep some parks open this season is an important step in the right direction that shows the voices of Albertans are making a difference .
`` We are relieved to see this update , but emphasize that these sites need to be available to Albertans not just this summer , but also in the future , '' the organization said in a statement .
It noted that the website does n't address what is happening with the 164 sites that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ managers .
No one from Alberta Environment was immediately available for comment .
Environment Minister Jason Nixon has previously said the sites for which no manager can be found will lose park status and revert to general Crown land , which can be sold .
The Alberta government has quietly halted the closure of 17 provincial parks and recreation sites this year because of COVID-19 .
Prior to the changes for this year , the plan would have seen the loss of about 16,000 hectares of parks and recreation area — small compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but one-third of the number of sites the province manages .
Budget documents suggest the move would have saved about $ 5 million .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23 , 2020

The Alberta government has quietly halted the closure of 17 provincial parks and recreation sites this year because of COVID-19. The province had initially planned to fully or partially close 20 provincial parks and hand off another 164 to third-party managers, but officials quietly updated the COVID-19 response page on the Alberta Parks website. "We will operate the 17 parks sites previously identified for closure this season because we want to give Albertans more opportunities to camp and connect with nature over the summer as we all recover from the COVID-19 pandemic," says a note on the website. "This is a temporary measure for this camping season." Some of the parks and recreation areas staying open this summer include: Twin Lakes, Sheep Creek, Chain Lakes and Dry Island Buffalo Jump.
The plan to close some sites and hand over others has raised concerns among many, with one online petition getting more than 52,000 signatures. The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society said the move to keep some parks open this season is an important step in the right direction that shows the voices of Albertans are making a difference. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "We are relieved to see this update, but emphasize that these sites need to be available to Albertans not just this summer, but also in the future," the organization said in a statement.
It noted that the website doesn't address what is happening with the 164 sites that were to be handed off to third-party managers. The Alberta government has quietly halted the closure of 17 provincial parks and recreation sites this year because of COVID-19. No one from Alberta Environment was immediately available for comment. Environment Minister Jason Nixon has previously said the sites for which no manager can be found will lose park status and revert to general Crown land, which can be sold. Prior to the changes for this year, the plan would have seen the loss of about 16,000 hectares of parks and recreation area — small compared with the province's total park system, but one-third of the number of sites the province manages. Budget documents suggest the move would have saved about $5 million.


nationalobserver--2020-06-24--Feds will make First Nations policing an essential service

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says First Nations policing must be made an essential service — something Indigenous leaders have been pressing the federal government to do .
The government will work with Indigenous communities to come up with a legislative framework that ensures First Nations have the policing services they need and deserve , Blair told the House of Commons public safety committee Tuesday .
`` It has never been acknowledged or recognized as an essential service , '' said Blair , a former Toronto police chief , as the committee began a study of systemic racism in policing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canadian Academies said these communities are stuck with a colonial policing model that overlooks Indigenous cultural traditions and fails to create the necessary bonds of trust .
It found the federal First Nations Policing Program has been a source of frustration for many Indigenous communities , partly due to inadequate funding .
Perry Bellegarde , grand chief of the Assembly of First Nations , recently said the federal government should immediately declare First Nations policing an essential service , rather than just a program , to ensure proper resources and a legislative base @ @ @ @ @ @ @ First Nations policing must be made an essential service — something Indigenous leaders have been pressing the federal government to do .
Blair said funding is important , but he stressed the need for a legislative framework for Indigenous law enforcement .
`` In my experience good policing requires good governance , '' he told the committee .
Blair also said the federal government would support the adoption of body-worn cameras for officers across the RCMP in a bid to increase transparency of police actions .
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki said earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of systemic racism in the national police force , only to acknowledge its existence days later .
Lucki told the committee Tuesday the last couple of weeks have strengthened the RCMP 's resolve .
`` We are not a perfect organization but we will continue to learn , grow and evolve , '' Lucki said .
`` I have been listening and the calls for action have been heard . ''
Lucki talked about the many efforts underway to try to make the national police force more diverse and to better meet the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the RCMP is working with the federal privacy commissioner to see how it can collect and use race-based statistics to address disparities , something forces have often shied away from due to concerns such data might be misused .
A national group representing Indigenous women is urging the RCMP to quickly take steps — including equipping Mounties with body cameras — to end what it calls needless killing and assaults by police .
In a letter to Lucki , made public Tuesday , the Native Women 's Association of Canada also calls on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imperative when a suspect has no gun and to ensure social workers , health professionals or elders be called when an Indigenous person is suffering a mental health crisis .
Association president Lorraine Whitman invites the commissioner to take `` the first steps to end the needless deaths and assaults of Indigenous women and men at the hands of Canadian police . ''
`` We , as Indigenous women , did not need to read the recent spate of tragic news to understand the tragic outcomes that can occur when our people have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Whitman writes .
`` But we ask that you use this moment to begin taking the steps necessary to prevent further lives from being lost . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23 , 2020 .

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says First Nations policing must be made an essential service — something Indigenous leaders have been pressing the federal government to do. The government will work with Indigenous communities to come up with a legislative framework that ensures First Nations have the policing services they need and deserve, Blair told the House of Commons public safety committee Tuesday. "It has never been acknowledged or recognized as an essential service," said Blair, a former Toronto police chief, as the committee began a study of systemic racism in policing. Blair said he has begun contacting Indigenous leaders across the country to figure out how to best transform policing in their communities. "We need to include Indigenous leadership in that discussion."
Concerns about police brutality and discrimination have sparked rallies and cries for change around the world since the killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by Minnesota police. In Canada, there have been outcries over the recent police killings of Chantel Moore and Rodney Levi in New Brunswick and the battering of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam by RCMP in Alberta. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions A federally commissioned report released last year said many Indigenous communities lack policing services that meet their safety and security needs despite long-standing improvement efforts.
The report by the Council of Canadian Academies said these communities are stuck with a colonial policing model that overlooks Indigenous cultural traditions and fails to create the necessary bonds of trust. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says First Nations policing must be made an essential service — something Indigenous leaders have been pressing the federal government to do. It found the federal First Nations Policing Program has been a source of frustration for many Indigenous communities, partly due to inadequate funding. Perry Bellegarde, grand chief of the Assembly of First Nations, recently said the federal government should immediately declare First Nations policing an essential service, rather than just a program, to ensure proper resources and a legislative base. Blair said funding is important, but he stressed the need for a legislative framework for Indigenous law enforcement. "In my experience good policing requires good governance," he told the committee.
Blair also said the federal government would support the adoption of body-worn cameras for officers across the RCMP in a bid to increase transparency of police actions. RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki said earlier this month she was struggling with the notion of systemic racism in the national police force, only to acknowledge its existence days later. Lucki told the committee Tuesday the last couple of weeks have strengthened the RCMP's resolve.


nationalobserver--2020-06-24--Tory MP fires student after allegation of theft from O'Toole campaign

A Conservative MP from Calgary has fired a summer student working in his office following allegations that someone stole campaign data from party leadership contender Erin O'Toole .
Greg McLean — one of dozens of MPs who have endorsed O'Toole — made the announcement in a terse statement circulated Tuesday .
`` Upon learning of a breach of trust involving a summer student in my office , I immediately took action and the individual was terminated , '' McLean said .
`` This matter is entirely regrettable . ''
McLean 's office confirmed Tuesday the firing was in connection with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surfaced publicly late Friday night : that rival Peter MacKay 's campaign hacked into a trove of confidential campaign information and broke the law .
• Americans en route to Alaska via Canada ticketed for breaking health rules • How Nova Scotia naturalists forced the province to uphold its Endangered Species Act • Trudeau says China 'made clear ' arrest of Michaels related to Meng The MacKay campaign has denied the allegations and said Tuesday the fact that an MP 's summer student was involved raises new questions about whether O'Toole 's campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his leadership bid .
O'Toole had previously been scrutinized for using his parliamentary email address to facilitate campaign endorsements , as has one of his supporters , Sen. Leo Housakos .
`` Given Mr. McLean 's statement today , this is looking more like a story of the O'Toole campaign 's negligence rather than the sinister attack on their internal information they are trying to allege , '' MacKay campaign spokesman Jordan Paquet said in an email .
`` The only leaks seem to be from inside the O'Toole campaign so , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be better off talking to their volunteers and staff rather than using police resources for their campaign 's benefit . ''
None of the allegations have been proven in court .
The RCMP and the Toronto Police have acknowledged receipt of a complaint from the O'Toole team .
A Conservative MP from Calgary has fired a summer student working in his office following allegations that someone stole campaign data from party leadership contender Erin O'Toole .
`` An investigation into mischief in relation to data is ongoing and we are working with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police Const .
Michelle Flannery said in an email Tuesday .
A copy of the June 19 letter sent by the O'Toole campaign to police was obtained by The Canadian Press .
The letter was partially redacted , with the covered-up portions including the detail that the original source of the alleged hack was traced to a student working in an MP 's office .
After McLean issued his statement Tuesday , the O'Toole campaign confirmed a student had been involved but had no comment on McLean 's decision to let a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegations Thursday night , his office said Tuesday , and began the process of ending the student 's employment the next day .
The O'Toole campaign alleges the student got access to the log-in data for the O'Toole campaign 's Zoom account , the digital conferencing platform in widespread use due to the physical distancing requirements of COVID-19 .
The student allegedly downloaded campaign information , passed some of that along to the MacKay campaign and then shared the log-in information itself with that team .
Though O'Toole 's campaign redacted the identity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they did name one of the senior MacKay people they allege was on the receiving end of the information : Alberta organizer Jamie Lall .
After news broke of the allegations , Lall posted a message on Twitter saying not a word of it was true .
He did not return a request for comment on Tuesday .
The MacKay campaign says he remains a volunteer .
O'Toole 's campaign would not say on the record why they named Lall but not the student .
MacKay could also face sanctions from the Conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Each candidate must pay a $ 100,000 compliance deposit to enter the race , and the party reserves the right to subtract fines if they take any actions deemed in conflict with the leadership race rules .
A spokesman for the party said they had no comment , given the matter was reportedly in the hands of the police .
The O'Toole campaign said while it had provided a summary of the issue to the leadership organizing committee , the issue is far more serious than an internal party matter .
`` In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our campaign office exists online .
Our boardroom is Zoom .
So many of our internal meetings , strategy sessions , etc.
, take place in that boardroom '' said Melanie Paradis , a spokesperson for the campaign .
`` This is the 2020 equivalent of breaking into the campaign office and bugging the boardroom . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23 , 2020 .

A Conservative MP from Calgary has fired a summer student working in his office following allegations that someone stole campaign data from party leadership contender Erin O'Toole. Greg McLean — one of dozens of MPs who have endorsed O'Toole — made the announcement in a terse statement circulated Tuesday. "Upon learning of a breach of trust involving a summer student in my office, I immediately took action and the individual was terminated," McLean said. "This matter is entirely regrettable." McLean's office confirmed Tuesday the firing was in connection with allegations by the O'Toole campaign that first surfaced publicly late Friday night: that rival Peter MacKay's campaign hacked into a trove of confidential campaign information and broke the law.
The MacKay campaign has denied the allegations and said Tuesday the fact that an MP's summer student was involved raises new questions about whether O'Toole's campaign is improperly using House of Commons resources on his leadership bid. O'Toole had previously been scrutinized for using his parliamentary email address to facilitate campaign endorsements, as has one of his supporters, Sen. Leo Housakos. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "Given Mr. McLean's statement today, this is looking more like a story of the O'Toole campaign's negligence rather than the sinister attack on their internal information they are trying to allege," MacKay campaign spokesman Jordan Paquet said in an email.
"The only leaks seem to be from inside the O'Toole campaign so, as we've said before, they might be better off talking to their volunteers and staff rather than using police resources for their campaign's benefit." A Conservative MP from Calgary has fired a summer student working in his office following allegations that someone stole campaign data from party leadership contender Erin O'Toole. None of the allegations have been proven in court. The RCMP and the Toronto Police have acknowledged receipt of a complaint from the O'Toole team. "An investigation into mischief in relation to data is ongoing and we are working with colleagues from the RCMP," Toronto police Const. Michelle Flannery said in an email Tuesday. A copy of the June 19 letter sent by the O'Toole campaign to police was obtained by The Canadian Press.
The letter was partially redacted, with the covered-up portions including the detail that the original source of the alleged hack was traced to a student working in an MP's office. After McLean issued his statement Tuesday, the O'Toole campaign confirmed a student had been involved but had no comment on McLean's decision to let a person go. McLean first learned of the allegations Thursday night, his office said Tuesday, and began the process of ending the student's employment the next day.