nationalobserver--2020-07-20--Now Scheer decries Liberal 'corruption or incompetence'

The Opposition Conservatives accused the Liberal government of either corruption or ignorance Monday as they pressed for more answers around a decision to hand control over a major student grant program to an organization with longtime ties to the Trudeau family .
The House of Commons was sitting to pass a new bill to extend the wage subsidy program , send a special COVID-19 top-up to people with disabilities and to extend legal deadlines for court cases .
While those measures were expected to pass on Tuesday with the support of all opposition parties , the same collegial spirit did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the dominant line of inquiry was around the Liberal government 's decision to award WE Charity the responsibility for a $ 900 million student job program .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 's mother , in particular , has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees for participating in WE events , and Finance Minister Bill Morneau 's daughter works for an arm of the WE organization .
• ‘ We feel like we 're held hostage ’ say diesel-dependent First Nations The organization has handed the program back to the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they should have recused themselves from the decision .
But the international development and youth empowerment group is now under scrutiny for its internal practices , adding further fuel to the opposition 's charges that the decision to grant the contract to WE was suspect .
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer pointed Monday to a report by Canadaland that red flags were raised in 2018 by auditors reviewing WE 's financials , as well as the fact that their board had undergone a major shakeup earlier in the year .
`` Either the Liberals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approved the decision or they were incompetent , '' he said .
`` It 's either corruption or incompetence , which is it ? ''
It is neither , Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland replied repeatedly , nearly reading verbatim from a sheet of paper with the Liberals ' current top-line talking point on the issue : that the idea of having WE run the Canada Student Services Grant was brought forward by the non-partisan public service .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 's mother , in particular , has received hundreds of thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WE events , and Finance Minister Bill Morneau 's daughter works for an arm of the WE organization .
`` The way this unfolded was regrettable and the charity will not longer be administering the project , '' she said .
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said the government 's approach to WE raises questions about whether the program was ever about students at all .
`` There were lots of ways to help students .
This was not it , '' he said .
`` It was a billion-dollar bailout of close friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prime minister . ''
The House of Commons had been recalled to pass the latest suite of COVID-19 measures .
The Liberals want to extend the wage subsidy program to December and have its criteria loosened so more businesses can reopen and employ workers .
The original program covered 75 per cent of wages , up to a weekly maximum of $ 847 , for eligible companies and non-profits .
Companies had to show a 30 per cent drop in revenues .
The proposed changes will see the program pay on a sliding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic , with the hardest-hit businesses eligible for a 25 per cent increase to the previous maximum payment .
The disability payment measures in the bill would provide up to $ 600 in a one-time payment to some Canadians with disabilities in order to help with COVID-19 costs .
The Liberals had sought to pass that measure in a bill last month , but did not get unanimous consent due to the opposition concerns with other elements in that particular bill .
Originally , the payment was limited to those who received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new bill lays out expanded criteria to include , among others , veterans who are currently receiving disability supports .
Singh said ensuring the disability benefit went to far more Canadians was a win for his party , and why the NDP will back the new bill .
`` It 's still not enough and we will continue fighting , '' he told reporters afterwards .
The Tories said they too support the disabilities measures , but the new wage subsidy plan is too convoluted and they want the government to make it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back the bill , having won concessions of their own : to get two days of debate for it instead of one , and at the same time securing the ability for the Commons committee on Canada-China relations to sit , as well as the public safety committee .
Tuesday 's sitting also opens up an opportunity for the Conservatives to do something else they were hoping to achieve Monday , but could n't — press the prime minister himself .
Trudeau took the day off Monday , and the Tories suggested he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He is expected to attend Tuesday 's sitting , as well as for the special COVID-19 committee of MPs that is scheduled to meet Wednesday .
A lingering question is whether Trudeau will also appear at the House of Commons finance committee , where MPs want to grill him on the WE issue .
Scheer said Liberal MPs should also be asking themselves questions about supporting their boss going forward .
`` If they allow him to continue , if they do n't demand he resign , then they are telling Canadians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Scheer said .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20 , 2020 .

The Opposition Conservatives accused the Liberal government of either corruption or ignorance Monday as they pressed for more answers around a decision to hand control over a major student grant program to an organization with longtime ties to the Trudeau family. The House of Commons was sitting to pass a new bill to extend the wage subsidy program, send a special COVID-19 top-up to people with disabilities and to extend legal deadlines for court cases. While those measures were expected to pass on Tuesday with the support of all opposition parties, the same collegial spirit did not extend to question period. There, the dominant line of inquiry was around the Liberal government's decision to award WE Charity the responsibility for a $900 million student job program. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's mother, in particular, has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees for participating in WE events, and Finance Minister Bill Morneau's daughter works for an arm of the WE organization.
The organization has handed the program back to the government. Both Trudeau and Morneau have said they should have recused themselves from the decision. But the international development and youth empowerment group is now under scrutiny for its internal practices, adding further fuel to the opposition's charges that the decision to grant the contract to WE was suspect. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer pointed Monday to a report by Canadaland that red flags were raised in 2018 by auditors reviewing WE's financials, as well as the fact that their board had undergone a major shakeup earlier in the year.
"Either the Liberals were aware of these issues and still approved the decision or they were incompetent," he said. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's mother, in particular, has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees for participating in WE events, and Finance Minister Bill Morneau's daughter works for an arm of the WE organization. "It's either corruption or incompetence, which is it?" It is neither, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland replied repeatedly, nearly reading verbatim from a sheet of paper with the Liberals' current top-line talking point on the issue: that the idea of having WE run the Canada Student Services Grant was brought forward by the non-partisan public service. "The way this unfolded was regrettable and the charity will not longer be administering the project," she said. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said the government's approach to WE raises questions about whether the program was ever about students at all.
"There were lots of ways to help students. This was not it," he said. "It was a billion-dollar bailout of close friends of the Liberal party and of the prime minister." The House of Commons had been recalled to pass the latest suite of COVID-19 measures.


nationalobserver--2020-07-20--Thousands of lives on hold as immigration system stalled out

John McCall 's great-grandfather was born in southern Ontario some 200 years ago , and ever since the descendents of his seven children , some living in Canada , some in the U.S , have criss-crossed the border with ease .
John is American , his wife Donna is Canadian .
They live now in Madoc , Ont.
, and Donna 's health is fading .
Their American-born children are stuck in the U.S. , unable to visit or help care for her due to bans on travel into Canada to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watch the federal government swiftly decide whether professional athletes can come to Canada while the only answer to his pleas for compassion are an auto-response from bureaucrats and form letters from ministers .
`` I do n't have a particular problem with the NHL or Major League Baseball , other than the fact that it does hurt to see those kinds of things take precedence over a life-and-death issue , '' he said .
• ‘ We feel like we 're held hostage ’ say diesel-dependent First Nations The McCall family is one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada-U.S. border , others by oceans , due to the wide-ranging impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on Canada 's immigration system .
The border closure is the dominant element keeping so many apart , and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested Thursday restrictions wo n't lift soon .
`` I understand how difficult it is to see these travel restrictions in place but Canadians understand that keeping our cities , our municipalities , our elders , our frontline workers safe by preventing international travel is a continued thing we need to do , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how fast new immigrants will be able to get here once the borders do open .
Visa and biometrics collection offices around the world are closed , meaning would-be newcomers ca n't be interviewed or submit the materials they need for their applications .
Even applications already in the queue are on hold .
Where the Immigration Department used to post processing times , there is now just a message saying that due to COVID-19 , it ca n't .
John McCall 's great-grandfather was born in southern Ontario some 200 years ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his seven children , some living in Canada , some in the U.S , have criss-crossed the border with ease .
Noor Ul Ain Mahmood has been waiting over a year for her application to sponsor her spouse to be approved .
He is in Saudi Arabia , she in Oshawa , Ont.
, their plans for a future together on pause .
It 's not just that they are missing the chance to mark milestones together like birthdays or Eid , she said .
`` The worst thing is we are under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a pandemic , and we 're in isolation and we 've been in isolation for so long , '' she said .
`` You always need your family to be able to go through something like that . ''
The Liberals had planned to admit 341,000 new permanent residents this year .
As of the end of May , 84,275 had arrived , down from 125,870 by the same time last year .
The numbers this year compared to last are likely to drop further , as Canada typically welcomes more immigrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ramos , a sociology professor at Western University who researches immigration .
There are two plausible scenarios , he said .
The first is the government rolls over the number of people it was willing to admit this year into next year , creating a double cohort .
The other is that the flow of people slows down as potential newcomers , particularly economic immigrants , choose other countries where the novel coronavirus is less prevalent .
Given that so much of Canada 's economic growth is fuelled by migration , that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The time to have been working on this was immediately back in March , and it can not be postponed , '' Ramos said .
`` It 's going to require bold decisionmaking . ''
Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino declined an interview request .
In a statement , his office said the government is doing its best to keep applications moving but the focus must remain on public health .
`` The pandemic has resulted in unprecedented challenges at the border , and we know this has been a difficult time for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way through the immigration system , '' the statement said .
Whether Canada will make more room for immigrants next year is a pressing question for refugee resettlement .
More than 10,000 refugees were caught in limbo when the world 's borders suddenly slammed shut in March , said Sabine Lehr , the program manager for private sponsorship of refugees at the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria in British Columbia .
All were already approved to come to Canada , but the flights organized by the International Organization for Migration were cancelled .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she said .
Though urgent cases have been let in since , it 's completely unclear when the rest will be able to arrive , she said .
`` Our concern is that the processing times will get longer if people can not land , '' she said .
`` Obviously they will eventually land , but what it means is if the numbers do n't get increased for next year to account for this situation , we 'll be seeing longer processing times and that 's what nobody wants . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to existing travel restrictions .
In June , close family members of citizens or permanent residents were added to the list of those allowed into Canada , a move that came after very public pressure on the Liberals .
But the definition of close family did n't include adult children .
Mendicino 's office did not explain why .
That 's how McCall finds himself caring for his wife alone , his daughter in Wisconsin , his son in Illinois , unable to be with them .
Donna McCall has been in and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cascading series of problems that now have her on a liver-transplant list .
John 's voice breaks as he shares how his kids are ready to put their lives on hold to come to Canada at moment 's notice .
Among the arrangements : his daughter is married to a police officer and other officers ' wives have set up a system to help look after their three kids .
That so many pro sports players are being let in does n't bother him as much as the belief the government just does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` It 's un-Canadian-like , '' he said .
To let in NHL players , as well as the Toronto Blue Jays for spring training , the government had to grant them a waiver in the `` national interest , '' and if they can do that , they can figure out a better system for families , said David Poon .
The Regina doctor 's long-time partner is stuck in Ireland as they do n't qualify as common-law under the Immigration Department 's definition .
Poon has joined forces with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convince the government to adopt a special COVID-19 immigration approach that would impose specific conditions on family members not currently covered by exemptions .
`` We 're not asking for open borders , '' Poon said .
`` We 're just asking to be together . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19 , 2020 .

John McCall's great-grandfather was born in southern Ontario some 200 years ago, and ever since the descendents of his seven children, some living in Canada, some in the U.S, have criss-crossed the border with ease. Until COVID-19. John is American, his wife Donna is Canadian. They live now in Madoc, Ont., and Donna's health is fading. Their American-born children are stuck in the U.S., unable to visit or help care for her due to bans on travel into Canada to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. So it hurts, John says, to watch the federal government swiftly decide whether professional athletes can come to Canada while the only answer to his pleas for compassion are an auto-response from bureaucrats and form letters from ministers. "I don't have a particular problem with the NHL or Major League Baseball, other than the fact that it does hurt to see those kinds of things take precedence over a life-and-death issue," he said.
The McCall family is one of thousands separated, some by the Canada-U.S. border, others by oceans, due to the wide-ranging impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on Canada's immigration system. The border closure is the dominant element keeping so many apart, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested Thursday restrictions won't lift soon. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "I understand how difficult it is to see these travel restrictions in place but Canadians understand that keeping our cities, our municipalities, our elders, our frontline workers safe by preventing international travel is a continued thing we need to do," he said.
Another question is how fast new immigrants will be able to get here once the borders do open. John McCall's great-grandfather was born in southern Ontario some 200 years ago, and ever since the descendents of his seven children, some living in Canada, some in the U.S, have criss-crossed the border with ease. Visa and biometrics collection offices around the world are closed, meaning would-be newcomers can't be interviewed or submit the materials they need for their applications. Even applications already in the queue are on hold. Where the Immigration Department used to post processing times, there is now just a message saying that due to COVID-19, it can't. Noor Ul Ain Mahmood has been waiting over a year for her application to sponsor her spouse to be approved. He is in Saudi Arabia, she in Oshawa, Ont., their plans for a future together on pause. It's not just that they are missing the chance to mark milestones together like birthdays or Eid, she said.
"The worst thing is we are under a global crisis right now, there is a pandemic, and we're in isolation and we've been in isolation for so long," she said. "You always need your family to be able to go through something like that." The Liberals had planned to admit 341,000 new permanent residents this year.


nationalobserver--2020-07-20--Most of the Greater Toronto Area will start stage 3 reopen on Friday — but not Toronto

Most of the Greater Toronto Area will be allowed to enter stage three of Ontario ’ s COVID-19 reopening this week — but not Toronto itself .
The Durham , Haldimand-Norfolk , Halton , Hamilton , Niagara , Sarnia-Lambton and York regions will be allowed to join much of the province in stage three on Friday , Premier Doug Ford announced Monday .
Toronto , Peel and Windsor-Essex , where most of the province ’ s COVID-19 cases remain clustered , will stay at stage two .
“ We ’ re on the right track , ” Ford said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of Ontario gets to stage three.
” Stage three will allow most businesses to reopen and many activities to resume .
Indoor service at restaurants and bars can begin , along with live performing arts shows , sporting events , gyms and fitness centres and movie theatres .
• ‘ We feel like we 're held hostage ’ say diesel-dependent First Nations However , physical distancing is still mandatory , and gatherings must fall within strict size limits — up to 50 people at a time can gather for indoor events , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Christine Elliott has previously said provincial officials need four weeks of data from stage two to properly assess whether regions are ready for stage three .
Toronto and Peel will mark four weeks in stage two later this week .
Windsor-Essex , which has struggled to control outbreaks among farm workers , may have to wait a while longer .
That region was allowed to enter stage two on June 25 — except for the communities of Kingsville and Leamington , which did so later on July 7 .
“ Please be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ ll get there shortly.
” The province is watching for lessons learned in other jurisdictions and is ready to take further steps if new cases begin to rise again , Ford added .
In total , Ontario reported 135 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday .
Most of the Greater Toronto Area will be allowed to enter stage three of Ontario ’ s COVID-19 reopening this week — but not Toronto itself .
Toronto Mayor John Tory has asked Ford to put additional restrictions on bars , raising concerns about spikes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Ontario Medical Association has also raised concerns about opening bars in stage three .
Elliott said the province is working with city officials to come up with a plan for Toronto .
And Ford said he wouldn ’ t disagree if local chief medical officers placed more restrictions on bars in their regions .
“ If you want to do it , you have the powers to do that , ” Ford said .

Most of the Greater Toronto Area will be allowed to enter stage three of Ontario’s COVID-19 reopening this week — but not Toronto itself.
The Durham, Haldimand-Norfolk, Halton, Hamilton, Niagara, Sarnia-Lambton and York regions will be allowed to join much of the province in stage three on Friday, Premier Doug Ford announced Monday.
Toronto, Peel and Windsor-Essex, where most of the province’s COVID-19 cases remain clustered, will stay at stage two.
“We’re on the right track,” Ford said. “We won’t rest until all of Ontario gets to stage three.”
Stage three will allow most businesses to reopen and many activities to resume. Indoor service at restaurants and bars can begin, along with live performing arts shows, sporting events, gyms and fitness centres and movie theatres.


nationalobserver--2020-07-20--Advocates create Canada-wide support list for racialized sexual assault survivors

Two Somali-Canadian advocates have created an online resource specifically for racialized survivors of sexual assault , saying a centralized guide is necessary to fill gaps in both the health-care and justice systems that leave marginalized women behind .
Habon Ali of Toronto and Edmonton 's Asmaa Ali said existing resources are either scarce in nature or scattered across the internet , making it difficult for victims to track down the help they need .
The women contend the issues persist both in the immediate aftermath of sexual violence and further down the road when victims need medical rather than legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patchwork of systems at home and the death of a Black Lives Matter activist abroad , the women compiled a 28-page document listing resources including help lines , legal services and places to obtain sexual assault kits across the country .
`` It was important for us to put together these resources because there 's a barrier in finding them and we did our best to remove them , '' said Asmaa Ali , a registered nurse and recent graduate of the University of Alberta .
She said sexual violence resources in Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often leave Black , Indigenous and other people from racialized communities out of the conversation .
• ‘ We feel like we 're held hostage ’ say diesel-dependent First Nations She and Habon Ali sought out resources that included those communities , adding their focus was on providing support to vulnerable women with intersectional experience .
The guide is also intended to provide additional help for students and immigrants , groups Habon Ali cited as particularly likely to fall through the cracks of Canada 's current systems .
She said language barriers often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find and secure the help they need .
`` Sexual violence is pervasive across all social and cultural boundaries globally and its important we acknowledge the systemic inequalities that result in racial health disparities , '' she said .
Asmaa Ali said both women felt moved to take action in Canada after reading about the suspicious death of a young activist in the United States .
Oluwatoyin Salau was a 19-year-old advocate who went missing in early June after tweeting about being sexually assaulted by a man .
She was found dead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jr. 49 , is now charged with second-degree murder , kidnapping and sexual assault in connection with her death .
Both Canadian advocates said Salau 's death highlights a stigma Black women face when they speak up against their assailants .
The fact that some pay a heavy price for self-advocacy , bolstered by a growing number of online anecdotes detailing similar treatment , is what prompted them to make sexual assault supports more readily available at home .
`` It 's sad to see the way survivors are treated when they speak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asmaa Ali said .
`` When BIPOC women online began to speak up about their experience it made it all the more real . ''
The decision to include students in the guide 's scope was welcome news for Sara Reza , who attends York University 's Schulich School of Business and founded the social media account SilencedatSchulich , where racialized sexual assault survivors can share their experiences of violence and racism .
She said the number of students of color who don ’ t know where to turn after an alleged assault @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Oftentimes , women of colour who are victims of sexual violence in this country come from marginalized communities that are underfunded and do not have the adequate resources to help them , '' Reza said .
That holds true long after the trauma of an assault , according to Siham Rayale at the University of Toronto .
The women and gender studies lecturer said systemic racism exists throughout the health-care system , citing questionable assumptions about women of colour that shape the way medical professionals have historically responded to their concerns .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ studies that show what medical professionals are taught about the tolerance that women of colour have for pain , '' Rayale said , adding such attitudes give women in need of care short-shrift when they need help the most .
She described the new online resource guide as `` necessary and lifesaving '' for those who may not know how to navigate Canada 's complex systems .

Two Somali-Canadian advocates have created an online resource specifically for racialized survivors of sexual assault, saying a centralized guide is necessary to fill gaps in both the health-care and justice systems that leave marginalized women behind. Habon Ali of Toronto and Edmonton's Asmaa Ali said existing resources are either scarce in nature or scattered across the internet, making it difficult for victims to track down the help they need. The women contend the issues persist both in the immediate aftermath of sexual violence and further down the road when victims need medical rather than legal support. Spurred on by both the patchwork of systems at home and the death of a Black Lives Matter activist abroad, the women compiled a 28-page document listing resources including help lines, legal services and places to obtain sexual assault kits across the country. "It was important for us to put together these resources because there's a barrier in finding them and we did our best to remove them," said Asmaa Ali, a registered nurse and recent graduate of the University of Alberta. She said sexual violence resources in Canada are seldom geared towards intersectional communities and often leave Black, Indigenous and other people from racialized communities out of the conversation.
She and Habon Ali sought out resources that included those communities, adding their focus was on providing support to vulnerable women with intersectional experience. The guide is also intended to provide additional help for students and immigrants, groups Habon Ali cited as particularly likely to fall through the cracks of Canada's current systems. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions She said language barriers often make it difficult for ethnic minority groups to find and secure the help they need.
"Sexual violence is pervasive across all social and cultural boundaries globally and its important we acknowledge the systemic inequalities that result in racial health disparities," she said. Asmaa Ali said both women felt moved to take action in Canada after reading about the suspicious death of a young activist in the United States. Oluwatoyin Salau was a 19-year-old advocate who went missing in early June after tweeting about being sexually assaulted by a man. She was found dead in Florida days later. Aaron Glee Jr. 49, is now charged with second-degree murder,kidnapping and sexual assault in connection with her death. Both Canadian advocates said Salau's death highlights a stigma Black women face when they speak up against their assailants. The fact that some pay a heavy price for self-advocacy, bolstered by a growing number of online anecdotes detailing similar treatment, is what prompted them to make sexual assault supports more readily available at home. "It's sad to see the way survivors are treated when they speak up about their sexual violence," Asmaa Ali said. "When BIPOC women online began to speak up about their experience it made it all the more real."
The decision to include students in the guide's scope was welcome news for Sara Reza, who attends York University's Schulich School of Business and founded the social media account SilencedatSchulich, where racialized sexual assault survivors can share their experiences of violence and racism. She said the number of students of color who don’t know where to turn after an alleged assault is "overwhelming and heartbreaking." "Oftentimes, women of colour who are victims of sexual violence in this country come from marginalized communities that are underfunded and do not have the adequate resources to help them," Reza said.


nationalobserver--2020-07-21--Inside the coronavirus data mess the Trump administration created

This story was originally published by HuffPost and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration Earlier this week , critical data about the availability of ICU and hospital beds around the country vanished from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ’ s website .
Independent researchers who rely on the data to track and forecast the toll of the virus no longer had quick access .
Members of the public who wanted more information to make decisions about their lives ― whether to travel , send kids to camp or visit elderly relatives ― couldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the problem will be fixed and has insisted the goal of the change was to get more data , not less , out to the public .
“ It will continue to be public .
It should be public , ” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said during a Thursday press conference .
There are conflicting accounts surrounding the data ’ s disappearance .
News outlets initially suggested that Trump ’ s administration had directed the CDC to wipe the figures from its website .
In interviews with Politico , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the CDC itself : “ No one came out of our conversations believing that CDC was going to stop doing analysis , ” an anonymous HHS official with direct knowledge of the situation told the outlet .
“ All it did was feed into this narrative that we were cutting off the CDC when that ’ s not what happened at all.
” Such infighting and lack of coordination among the nation ’ s top public health organizations only threatens to exacerbate the deadliest pandemic in a century , experts say .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are surging across much of the country as Trump openly blasts the CDC ’ s safety public guidelines and the White House attacks the nation ’ s leading infectious disease expert , Dr. Anthony Fauci .
Doctors were blindsided by the missing data , according to Dr .
Rob Davidson , a western Michigan emergency room physician and the executive director of the Committee to Protect Medicare .
Key data about hospital beds disappeared from the CDC website after the White House changed COVID-19 reporting rules , leaving the public in the dark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not surprised , ” said Davidson , who went viral on Twitter earlier this year for confronting Vice President Mike Pence about the Trump administration ’ s planned health care cuts .
“ It was frustrating that something as basic as data on hospitalizations and ICUs — two of the most critical metrics we use to allocate resources and [ measure demand ] — disappeared , ” he added .
“ What we ’ ve seen with this administration is that they ’ re willing to politicize anything.
” The policy change also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who use the data to track and forecast the toll of the virus across the country .
Nonprofit news site ProPublica used it for its tracker on states ’ efforts to reopen their economies .
A note on the site ’ s information about ICU beds now reads : “ Data Is No Longer Being Released By The CDC.
” Another site that relied on the data is Covid Exit Strategy , which tracks each states ’ progress toward reducing infections , as well as hospital readiness and testing capabilities .
Ryan Panchadsaram @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told HuffPost that there ’ s a misconception that everything is now back to normal — despite reassurances from Pence and other members of the Trump administration that the government is providing “ full transparency.
” Nearly a week ’ s worth of data on hospital capacity is still missing .
While the CDC restored the dashboards that had been taken down , as of Friday afternoon , they had not been updated beyond July 14 .
The result , Panchadsaram said , is that researchers are unable to provide a full picture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis .
More than 30 states are recording increases in cases , and the U.S. recorded a record 75,600 new infections on Thursday , according to a New York Times database .
It was frustrating that something as basic as data on hospitalizations and ICUs — two of the most critical metrics we use to allocate resources and [ measure demand ] — disappeared .
What we ’ ve seen with this administration is that they ’ re willing to politicize anything.Dr .
Rob Davidson , emergency room physician Friedman , along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Satcher and Richard Besser , warned of the consequences of politicizing the COVID-19 response in a sobering Washington Post op-ed earlier this week .
“ Public health experts face two opponents : covid-19 , but also political leaders and others attempting to undermine the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , ” they wrote .
“ We ’ re seeing the terrible effect of undermining the CDC play out in our population .
Willful disregard for public health guidelines is , unsurprisingly , leading to a sharp rise in infections and deaths.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it had directed the CDC to make the data public once again .
Panchadsaram said that while that ’ s promising to hear , the major question is when .
“ Every week that goes by with this indicator missing , it ’ s leaving us in the dark on a very critical measure that helps us understand truly how our health system is going to respond , ” he said .
“ It shows how severe an outbreak is within a state , from the spread to the impact to the health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what might happen in the week to come , two weeks to come .
It ’ ll help folks prepare , but more than anything it will help people take it even more seriously.
” Panchadsaram said he does not believe the shift in policy was malicious but was rather intended to streamline data and make things easier on hospitals .
The result , however , was that it kept key coronavirus data from the public .
Panchadsaram hopes that HHS uses this as an opportunity to figure out how to share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American public .
“ Don ’ t just give us back these one to two indicators , share everything you ’ re seeing , ” he said .
“ Put us on the same page as you.
” There is more the administration has opted to keep to itself as it pushes for schools and states to get back to normal .
An internal White House document obtained by the Center for Public Integrity shows that 18 states are in the “ red zone ” for COVID-19 cases , with more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It feels like there ’ s no limit to how much they will allow politics to enter public health , ” Davidson said .
“ If data is being suppressed , it ’ s obviously not in the best interest of the public .
”

This story was originally published by HuffPost and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration Earlier this week, critical data about the availability of ICU and hospital beds around the country vanished from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website. Independent researchers who rely on the data to track and forecast the toll of the virus no longer had quick access. Members of the public who wanted more information to make decisions about their lives ― whether to travel, send kids to camp or visit elderly relatives ― couldn’t find it. The Trump administration claims the problem will be fixed and has insisted the goal of the change was to get more data, not less, out to the public. “It will continue to be public. It should be public,” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said during a Thursday press conference. But in the meantime, the administration rattled the medical community and showed how easily vital data can disappear. Trump and his team insist they are laser-focused on defeating the coronavirus, which they call the “invisible enemy.” But it’s become clear in recent weeks that the administration’s real fight is against the science and data that show the devastating consequences of the government’s bungled pandemic response. On Tuesday, the Trump administration changed its coronavirus reporting rules to require hospitals to bypass the CDC and submit information directly to the Department of Health and Human Services, as The New York Times first reported. The following day, the hospital capacity maps on the CDC’s website were removed.
There are conflicting accounts surrounding the data’s disappearance. News outlets initially suggested that Trump’s administration had directed the CDC to wipe the figures from its website. In interviews with Politico, however, officials at HHS placed the blame squarely on the CDC itself: “No one came out of our conversations believing that CDC was going to stop doing analysis,” an anonymous HHS official with direct knowledge of the situation told the outlet. “All it did was feed into this narrative that we were cutting off the CDC when that’s not what happened at all.” Key data about hospital beds disappeared from the CDC website after the White House changed COVID-19 reporting rules, leaving the public in the dark. Such infighting and lack of coordination among the nation’s top public health organizations only threatens to exacerbate the deadliest pandemic in a century, experts say. It comes at a time when infections are surging across much of the country as Trump openly blasts the CDC’s safety public guidelines and the White House attacks the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci. Doctors were blindsided by the missing data, according to Dr. Rob Davidson, a western Michigan emergency room physician and the executive director of the Committee to Protect Medicare. “I was bewildered, but not surprised,” said Davidson, who went viral on Twitter earlier this year for confronting Vice President Mike Pence about the Trump administration’s planned health care cuts. “It was frustrating that something as basic as data on hospitalizations and ICUs — two of the most critical metrics we use to allocate resources and [measure demand] — disappeared,” he added. “What we’ve seen with this administration is that they’re willing to politicize anything.”
The policy change also had an immediate impact on independent researchers who use the data to track and forecast the toll of the virus across the country. Nonprofit news site ProPublica used it for its tracker on states’ efforts to reopen their economies. A note on the site’s information about ICU beds now reads: “Data Is No Longer Being Released By The CDC.” Another site that relied on the data is Covid Exit Strategy, which tracks each states’ progress toward reducing infections, as well as hospital readiness and testing capabilities. Ryan Panchadsaram, who helps run the site, told HuffPost that there’s a misconception that everything is now back to normal — despite reassurances from Pence and other members of the Trump administration that the government is providing “full transparency.” Nearly a week’s worth of data on hospital capacity is still missing. While the CDC restored the dashboards that had been taken down, as of Friday afternoon, they had not been updated beyond July 14. The result, Panchadsaram said, is that researchers are unable to provide a full picture of how hospitals are faring during the crisis. More than 30 states are recording increases in cases, and the U.S. recorded a record 75,600 new infections on Thursday, according to a New York Times database.


nationalobserver--2020-07-21--Horgan asks Trudeau to decriminalize drug possession as deaths climb

British Columbia 's premier is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take an `` enormous step '' to reduce stigma associated with illicit drug use by decriminalizing possession for personal use .
In a letter sent Monday to the prime minister , John Horgan says people in B.C .
are experiencing unprecedented rates of overdose-related harms , including deaths because of the toxic street drug supply .
The letter says criminal prohibitions are ineffective in deterring drug use and criminalization prevents people from seeking the help they need .
Horgan says he supports the recent call by Canada 's police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amounts of illicit drugs for personal use as the best way to battle addiction .
He says his ministers will reach out to their federal counterparts to take further steps .
• ‘ We feel like we 're held hostage ’ say diesel-dependent First Nations The BC Coroners Service said last week that a record 175 people died in June of illicit-drug overdoses , surpassing the previous record of 171 deaths just a month before .
A public health emergency was declared in 2016 and since then about 5,000 people in B.C .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ many caused by the powerful opioid fentanyl .
`` Behind these statistics lies a very personal tragedy , '' Horgan says .
`` We are losing our family members and our friends , our neighbours and our colleagues .
We must do more . ''
Overdose continues to be the leading cause of unnatural death in B.C .
and life expectancy at birth is declining in the province largely due to the overdose crisis , he says .
By changing the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to decriminalize possession for personal use , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enormous step to reduce the systemic stigma associated with illicit drug use and support people to access the services that they need to stay safe and start their path to recovery , '' Horgan says .
No one from the federal government was immediately available for comment on Monday .
British Columbia 's premier is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take an `` enormous step '' to reduce stigma associated with illicit drug use by decriminalizing possession for personal use .
The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police has proposed increasing access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services in order to divert people away from the criminal justice system , which would apply to those in possession of a small amount of illicit drugs for personal consumption .
It also called for the creation of a national task force to research drug policy reform that looked at the law that covers simple possession .
Association president and Vancouver Chief Const .
Adam Palmer has said that the fentanyl crisis and a poisoned drug supply have devastated communities and taken thousands of lives across Canada .
`` We recommend that enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health-focused approach that requires partnerships between police , health care and all levels of government . ''
B.C .
's provincial health officer , Dr. Bonnie Henry , has also called for the decriminalization of people who possess small amounts of drugs , saying people use substances for many reasons .
`` Nobody grows up thinking ' I want to be addicted to substances , I want to have a substance use disorder , I want to have this controlling my life , ' `` she said last week .

British Columbia's premier is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take an "enormous step" to reduce stigma associated with illicit drug use by decriminalizing possession for personal use. In a letter sent Monday to the prime minister, John Horgan says people in B.C. are experiencing unprecedented rates of overdose-related harms, including deaths because of the toxic street drug supply. The letter says criminal prohibitions are ineffective in deterring drug use and criminalization prevents people from seeking the help they need. Horgan says he supports the recent call by Canada's police chiefs to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use as the best way to battle addiction. He says his ministers will reach out to their federal counterparts to take further steps.
The BC Coroners Service said last week that a record 175 people died in June of illicit-drug overdoses, surpassing the previous record of 171 deaths just a month before. A public health emergency was declared in 2016 and since then about 5,000 people in B.C. have died from illicit-drug overdoses, with many caused by the powerful opioid fentanyl. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "Behind these statistics lies a very personal tragedy," Horgan says. "We are losing our family members and our friends, our neighbours and our colleagues. We must do more."
Overdose continues to be the leading cause of unnatural death in B.C. and life expectancy at birth is declining in the province largely due to the overdose crisis, he says. British Columbia's premier is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take an "enormous step" to reduce stigma associated with illicit drug use by decriminalizing possession for personal use. By changing the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to decriminalize possession for personal use, "the federal government would take an enormous step to reduce the systemic stigma associated with illicit drug use and support people to access the services that they need to stay safe and start their path to recovery," Horgan says. No one from the federal government was immediately available for comment on Monday. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police has proposed increasing access to health care, treatment and social services in order to divert people away from the criminal justice system, which would apply to those in possession of a small amount of illicit drugs for personal consumption. It also called for the creation of a national task force to research drug policy reform that looked at the law that covers simple possession.
Association president and Vancouver Chief Const. Adam Palmer has said that the fentanyl crisis and a poisoned drug supply have devastated communities and taken thousands of lives across Canada. "We recommend that enforcement for possession give way to an integrated health-focused approach that requires partnerships between police, health care and all levels of government.'' B.C.'s provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, has also called for the decriminalization of people who possess small amounts of drugs, saying people use substances for many reasons.


nationalobserver--2020-07-21--Don't let the pandemic erase decades of progress for girls' education

COVID-19 has made access to education a unifying , global concern .
At one point , over 90 per cent of students worldwide were affected , including 743 million girls .
More than 100 million of those girls live in developing countries where accessing education was already difficult .
Given the tenuous foothold many girls had on education in the first place , this pandemic could wipe out decades of progress and set back the future of an entire generation .
Girls ’ education is one of the best investments towards ending global poverty and achieving gender equality .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ block girls from completing 12 years of education cost countries $ 15 trillion to $ 30 trillion in lost lifetime productivity and earnings .
Education is transformative for a girl : it delays marriage and pregnancy , improves her health and the health of her children if she has them , and increases her agency and decision-making power .
• ‘ We feel like we 're held hostage ’ say diesel-dependent First Nations With families shouldering new economic pressures caused by COVID-19 lockdowns , along with anxiety , isolation and hunger , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including : • Cost : Even where school is free , parents must pay for school supplies .
As families ’ incomes dwindle , the costs may become too great , exacerbated by harmful gender norms that undervalue girls ’ education as compared to boys .
• Child , early and forced marriage : Some parents marry off their young daughters believing it will protect them and reduce family economic pressures , resulting in many violations of their rights , including ending their education .
Globally , 12 million girls are married @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and UNFPA projects the COVID-19 pandemic may result in 13 million additional child marriages .
Keeping girls in school is one of the best ways of preventing early and forced marriage .
• Unequal expectations around household chores and care work , caused by harmful gender norms : This burden is largely falling on girls , taking away study time and causing girls to fall behind or drop out .
Globally , women undertake more than three quarters of unpaid care work .
• Gender-based violence and pregnancy : Girls isolated at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of violence and sexual exploitation , escalating their risk of pregnancy and making it impossible to continue their studies .
Out-of-school girls have a higher risk of pregnancy and in many parts of the world , pregnant girls are prohibited from attending school .
Following the Ebola crisis of 2014 , where schools were closed for months , there was a 65 per cent increase in adolescent pregnancy in Sierra Leone .
When schools close , children lose more than education — school meal programs , sexual and reproductive health and rights information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also lose daily contact with friends , teachers and systems designed to protect them .
The longer girls remain cut off from education , the less likely they will return to school .
From there , the setback to global poverty and gender equality goals — and most importantly , to realizing their rights — begins , deepening existing gender gaps .
To stop the setback , there must be equitable access to quality , gender-responsive education .
Governments and decision-makers must be flexible , ensuring equal rights for all children to education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account .
For example , barriers to girls ’ education must be swiftly removed , including discriminatory policies preventing pregnant girls from attending school .
`` Girls ’ education is one of the best investments towards ending global poverty and achieving gender equality . ''
Where learning goes online , the gendered digital divide must be narrowed , including providing free and low-cost mobile internet access and digital literacy training for girls .
Low-tech learning options must be provided , such as radio and television broadcasts or sending learning materials home , coupled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caregivers .
Community sensitization on girls ’ education , shared domestic responsibilities and preventing and responding to gender-based violence and child marriage is vital to protect education gains for girls .
Finally , girls and young women in all their diversity must be consulted to help shape education policy and delivery that directly affect them .
Everyone has the power to make a difference .
Governments like Canada ’ s must continue to invest in girls ’ education and champion girls ’ voices and participation .
The Canadian public can support organizations working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keeping girls in school .
I ’ ve seen the public rally behind girls ’ rights and I ’ m asking them to do this once again to stop the setback .
COVID-19 could leave the world far worse off , or it could be the catalyst to address long-ignored inequalities .
Now is the time to prioritize girls ’ education , for the benefit of their families and communities , for the benefit of reaching global goals to end poverty , and most importantly — for girls themselves , to unleash @ @ @ @

COVID-19 has made access to education a unifying, global concern. At one point, over 90 per cent of students worldwide were affected, including 743 million girls. More than 100 million of those girls live in developing countries where accessing education was already difficult. Given the tenuous foothold many girls had on education in the first place, this pandemic could wipe out decades of progress and set back the future of an entire generation. Girls’ education is one of the best investments towards ending global poverty and achieving gender equality. According to the World Bank, barriers that block girls from completing 12 years of education cost countries $15 trillion to $30 trillion in lost lifetime productivity and earnings. Education is transformative for a girl: it delays marriage and pregnancy, improves her health and the health of her children if she has them, and increases her agency and decision-making power.
With families shouldering new economic pressures caused by COVID-19 lockdowns, along with anxiety, isolation and hunger, the barriers to girls’ education have grown, including: Cost: Even where school is free, parents must pay for school supplies. As families’ incomes dwindle, the costs may become too great, exacerbated by harmful gender norms that undervalue girls’ education as compared to boys.
Even where school is free, parents must pay for school supplies. As families’ incomes dwindle, the costs may become too great, exacerbated by harmful gender norms that undervalue girls’ education as compared to boys. Child, early and forced marriage: Some parents marry off their young daughters believing it will protect them and reduce family economic pressures, resulting in many violations of their rights, including ending their education. Globally, 12 million girls are married before the age of 18 every year and UNFPA projects the COVID-19 pandemic may result in 13 million additional child marriages. Keeping girls in school is one of the best ways of preventing early and forced marriage.
Some parents marry off their young daughters believing it will protect them and reduce family economic pressures, resulting in many violations of their rights, including ending their education. Globally, 12 million girls are married before the age of 18 every year and UNFPA projects the COVID-19 pandemic may result in 13 million additional child marriages. Keeping girls in school is one of the best ways of preventing early and forced marriage. Unequal expectations around household chores and care work, caused by harmful gender norms: This burden is largely falling on girls, taking away study time and causing girls to fall behind or drop out. Globally, women undertake more than three quarters of unpaid care work.
This burden is largely falling on girls, taking away study time and causing girls to fall behind or drop out. Globally, women undertake more than three quarters of unpaid care work. Gender-based violence and pregnancy: Girls isolated at home and out of school face increased risks of violence and sexual exploitation, escalating their risk of pregnancy and making it impossible to continue their studies. Out-of-school girls have a higher risk of pregnancy and in many parts of the world, pregnant girls are prohibited from attending school. Following the Ebola crisis of 2014, where schools were closed for months, there was a 65 per cent increase in adolescent pregnancy in Sierra Leone. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions When schools close, children lose more than education — school meal programs, sexual and reproductive health and rights information, contraception and menstrual products. They also lose daily contact with friends, teachers and systems designed to protect them.
The longer girls remain cut off from education, the less likely they will return to school. From there, the setback to global poverty and gender equality goals — and most importantly, to realizing their rights — begins, deepening existing gender gaps. "Girls’ education is one of the best investments towards ending global poverty and achieving gender equality." To stop the setback, there must be equitable access to quality, gender-responsive education. Governments and decision-makers must be flexible, ensuring equal rights for all children to education, taking their unique gendered needs into account. For example, barriers to girls’ education must be swiftly removed, including discriminatory policies preventing pregnant girls from attending school. Where learning goes online, the gendered digital divide must be narrowed, including providing free and low-cost mobile internet access and digital literacy training for girls. Low-tech learning options must be provided, such as radio and television broadcasts or sending learning materials home, coupled with regular information and at-home-learning guidance for caregivers. Community sensitization on girls’ education, shared domestic responsibilities and preventing and responding to gender-based violence and child marriage is vital to protect education gains for girls.
Finally, girls and young women in all their diversity must be consulted to help shape education policy and delivery that directly affect them. Everyone has the power to make a difference. Governments like Canada’s must continue to invest in girls’ education and champion girls’ voices and participation. The Canadian public can support organizations working in girls’ education and directly contribute to keeping girls in school. I’ve seen the public rally behind girls’ rights and I’m asking them to do this once again to stop the setback.


nationalobserver--2020-07-21--Federal COVID-19 payment for people living with disabilities could reach 1.7M Canadians

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Monday that the Trudeau government ’ s bill offering a one-time payment to Canadians with disabilities is broader in scope than the one that failed to pass two months ago .
During Monday 's sitting , the House of Commons debated Bill C-20 , a new proposal that would , among other things , amend the Pension Act , the Income Tax Act and other legislation dealing with veterans and children in order to provide a “ one-time payment to persons with disabilities for reasons related to COVID-19.
” Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough has said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be set at $ 600 , an amount the government expects to “ assist with additional expenses incurred during the pandemic.
” Qualtrough said it will now reach roughly 1.7 million Canadians with disabilities — and be distributed to those who receive either the Disability Tax Credit , the Canada Pension Plan disability benefit and the Quebec Pension Plan disability benefit , or disability support from Veterans Affairs .
Over a fifth of Canadians 15 years or older identify as having a disability , according to the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40 per cent of Canadians over 65 years old .
More than 1.5 million working-age Canadians with disabilities are unemployed or not in the labour market .
• ‘ We feel like we 're held hostage ’ say diesel-dependent First Nations Include Me , an organization that claims to represent more than 210 Canadian disability organizations , says many of those people have been requiring extra support during the pandemic because of either the specific nature of their disability , or because of the public health measures put in place to battle the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needing to distance themselves from the support networks they normally rely on , Include Me says , and the schools , daycares or recreational activities that they are normally a part of may have closed .
The $ 600 # COVID19 aid for ppl w disabilities is now included in Bill C-20 .
The bill would pass a lot faster if the @ CPC_HQ would stop giving speeches about everything and anything .
Here is @ AndrewScheer handle in case you want to let him know this is n't ok. — IncludeMeCa ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The legislation is the latest attempt to provide pandemic relief to Canadians with disabilities after an earlier version couldn ’ t get enough support in Parliament .
At that time , the NDP and the Green Party had said the disability benefit package being offered by the Liberals would only reach around 40 per cent of people living with disabilities .
“ We were able to push them to include more help to more Canadians living with disabilities , which gets the number over a majority , ” said Singh , the MP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s still not enough , but we ’ ll continue fighting.
” NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Monday that the Trudeau government ’ s bill offering a one-time payment to Canadians with disabilities is broader in scope than the one that failed to pass two months ago .
Include Me said thousands of people sent more than 60,500 letters through its letter-writing campaigns to “ push for financial aid.
” The House of Commons is scheduled to continue debate on the bill Tuesday .
Today our government announced its plan to move forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of $ 600 to Canadians with disabilities .
We will be proposing legislation and expanding it to support 1.7 million Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic .
# AccessibleCanada — Carla Qualtrough ( @ CQualtro ) July 17 , 2020 Qualtrough said under the bill , Canadians with disabilities will have a 60-day window to apply for the Disability Tax Credit if they are eligible , but have not applied .
As well , seniors who are eligible for the payment would get the equivalent amount , $ 600 , in “ special payments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by doubling the $ 300 seniors payment .
Bill C-20 also extends the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy ( CEWS ) through to Nov. 21 and revises the eligibility criteria , creating a new structure that would offer support depending on which employers were the hardest hit by the pandemic .
The wage subsidy changes would create a new base subsidy , available to all eligible employers , with a varying amount that depends on how much revenue the business saw decline , said Middle Class Prosperity Minister Mona Fortier .
There would also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She said businesses that were originally under a revenue decline threshold of 30 per cent would now be eligible .
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said the wage subsidy changes amounted to a “ complex web of rules and regulations that will trap businesses in paperwork and accounting fees , making it harder for them to get the help they need.
” He said the Tories supported the disability measures in the bill , but had concerns about the wage subsidy portion .
“ You need a degree in mathematics ” to understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the help the government has put on the table is not enough , and that he wants to see more help for child care and education .
He pointed to a study from the Royal Bank of Canada that showed how women 's participation in the labour force has plummeted to its lowest level in three decades .
“ Women have borne the brunt of COVID-19 and we see that in some really shocking numbers … this is a chilling stat and is something that creates great worry and great fear in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ If the response to COVID-19 has disproportionately affected women , we need a response , we need a solution that recognizes that women have been most impacted .
”

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Monday that the Trudeau government’s bill offering a one-time payment to Canadians with disabilities is broader in scope than the one that failed to pass two months ago. The House of Commons passed Bill C-20 on Tuesday, legislation which will, among other things, amend the Pension Act, the Income Tax Act and other legislation dealing with veterans and children in order to provide a “one-time payment to persons with disabilities for reasons related to COVID-19.” Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough has said the tax-free, non-reportable payment will be set at $600, an amount the government expects to “assist with additional expenses incurred during the pandemic.” Qualtrough said it will now reach roughly 1.7 million Canadians with disabilities — and be distributed to those who receive either the Disability Tax Credit, the Canada Pension Plan disability benefit and the Quebec Pension Plan disability benefit, or disability support from Veterans Affairs. Over a fifth of Canadians 15 years or older identify as having a disability, according to the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability, a figure that rises to almost 40 per cent of Canadians over 65 years old. More than 1.5 million working-age Canadians with disabilities are unemployed or not in the labour market.
Include Me, an organization that claims to represent more than 210 Canadian disability organizations, says many of those people have been requiring extra support during the pandemic because of either the specific nature of their disability, or because of the public health measures put in place to battle the virus. People with disabilities have been needing to distance themselves from the support networks they normally rely on, Include Me says, and the schools, daycares or recreational activities that they are normally a part of may have closed. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions http://twitter.com/IncludeMeCa/status/1285342150553722886
The legislation is the latest attempt to provide pandemic relief to Canadians with disabilities after an earlier version couldn’t get enough support in Parliament. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Monday that the Trudeau government’s bill offering a one-time payment to Canadians with disabilities is broader in scope than the one that failed to pass two months ago. At that time, the NDP and the Green Party had said the disability benefit package being offered by the Liberals would only reach around 40 per cent of people living with disabilities. “We were able to push them to include more help to more Canadians living with disabilities, which gets the number over a majority,” said Singh, the MP for Burnaby South. “It’s still not enough, but we’ll continue fighting.” Include Me said thousands of people sent more than 60,500 letters through its letter-writing campaigns to “push for financial aid.” http://twitter.com/CQualtro/status/1284212886034960390
Qualtrough said under the bill, Canadians with disabilities will have a 60-day window to apply for the Disability Tax Credit if they are eligible, but have not applied. As well, seniors who are eligible for the payment would get the equivalent amount, $600, in “special payments” through a top-up, for example by doubling the $300 seniors payment. Bill C-20 also extends the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) through to Nov. 21 and revises the eligibility criteria, creating a new structure that would offer support depending on which employers were the hardest hit by the pandemic.


nationalobserver--2020-07-20--Students from COVID-ravaged U.S. causing dread in Canada

Post-secondary students from the pandemic-riven United States are getting ready to go back to school in Canada — a rite of passage that 's causing more anxiety than usual for parents and front-line university workers alike in the age of COVID-19 .
At Montreal 's McGill University , some employees are growing worried the school prepares to welcome foreign students into on-campus residences , even those whose courses are entirely online .
Parents , too , are wrestling with new and unfamiliar concerns : the risk of on-campus infection , the fact border restrictions make in-person visits impossible and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One McGill employee , who spoke to The Canadian Press on condition of anonymity for fear of repercussions at work , said there is concern among the rank and file of another `` fiasco '' like the outbreak at Quebec 's long-term care homes , which accounted for 80 per cent of the highest provincial total of COVID-19 deaths in Canada .
`` I am in the office with , like , four colleagues and we 're all , 'What 's going to happen ? '
In America , it 's blowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are supposed to be coming back in seven weeks , '' said the employee , who described the group as front-line workers — many in their 50s or 60s , with elderly parents at home — who are typically in close contact with students .
• ‘ We feel like we 're held hostage ’ say diesel-dependent First Nations `` There are a lot of family concerns related to health that are connected with this .
And , you know , maybe I would n't be thinking about these things if I had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mess . ''
Others , however , have faith the institution can keep students and staff safe .
`` Part of our mandate is to not only educate but nurture and protect these young adults , '' said Franco Taddeo , who 's worked in McGill 's library system since the 1990s .
`` Honestly , as a father and Canadian , I would much rather have these students here for their safety and well-being than being in present-day America . ''
The novel coronavirus has infected more than 3.6 million people and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 109,000 cases and 8,800 deaths in Canada .
And it 's not the only thing giving U.S. parents sleepless nights .
They 're well aware of reports of Americans — accused of flouting travel restrictions — facing verbal abuse in Canada .
One mother , a dual citizen who heard tell of U.S. vehicles being vandalized , bought a looseleaf-sized magnet to attach to her car door that reads , `` We are Canadian citizens and have completed our 14-day quarantine . ''
Post-secondary students from the pandemic-riven United States are getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada — a rite of passage that 's causing more anxiety than usual for parents and front-line university workers alike in the age of COVID-19 .
Since students can complete course work online , one might wonder : why send them at all ?
`` We need to trust that she 'll make decisions to keep herself safe , either there or here , '' said one mother , whose daughter is going into her second year at McGill , and who fears for her if her name is made public .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go .
`` I kept saying to her , ' I would prefer you stay home and wait . '
And she was like , 'But my life is waiting for me there . '
So we 're letting her make the choice . ''
In a statement , McGill would say only that fall courses will be offered `` primarily through remote delivery platforms , '' but that they are developing on-campus student life and learning activities `` which will respect careful safety protocols . ''
`` We will continue to place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first by working closely with public health authorities . ''
At the University of Calgary , some international students have spent the summer in residence to avoid going back to countries where the virus is rampant or travel restrictions made going home impossible , said Susan Barker , the vice-provost in charge of student experience .
New arrivals will quarantine in residence , while some who lack living arrangements will be sequestered at local hotels , Barker said .
Students from the U.S. are not being treated any differently from those from elsewhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an institution are about fairness and equity , '' Barker said .
`` We have n't had to make decisions that give students from somewhere preferential treatment over another . ''
Some U.S. parents are taking comfort in knowing their children are escaping the U.S. , where the newly resurgent virus is shattering daily records for new cases and deaths , fuelled by partisan divisions over face masks , reopening businesses and easing physical distancing requirements .
`` It is completely bittersweet , '' said the father of a second-year McGill student @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worried his child might be targeted .
The good news , he said , is that his daughter `` has made a connection , made a life and found a place in a culture and country that has some sense of the common good . ''
At the University of Toronto , where 23,000 international students comprised nearly a quarter of the school 's 93,000-strong student body last year , a detailed and comprehensive plan is in motion to ensure the safety of all students , said Joe Wong , the school 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience .
Last year , U of T had 722 undergraduates and 514 graduate students from the U.S. , and so far 268 new American students have accepted offers of admission , he said .
`` All three levels of government are co-ordinating right now — they really are setting the bar high in terms of what is a safe and secure corridor for students and universities across the country , '' Wong said .
`` I ca n't speak for others , but I know that they 're all working very hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we put together at U of T ... goes above and beyond what most people expected . ''
Students from outside Canada will be quarantined on campus for 14 days , regardless of whether they are planning to live on campus or not , Wong said , with daily check-ins with staff , meals delivered to their rooms and `` co-curricular '' programming to take part in while they ride out the waiting period .
`` When they come out the other side of the quarantine , if they are healthy , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students who are on campus — of course , physically distanced and according to all the health authority 's regulations . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20 , 2020 .

Post-secondary students from the pandemic-riven United States are getting ready to go back to school in Canada — a rite of passage that's causing more anxiety than usual for parents and front-line university workers alike in the age of COVID-19. At Montreal's McGill University, some employees are growing worried the school prepares to welcome foreign students into on-campus residences, even those whose courses are entirely online. Parents, too, are wrestling with new and unfamiliar concerns: the risk of on-campus infection, the fact border restrictions make in-person visits impossible and the prospect of their kids facing anti-American backlash. One McGill employee, who spoke to The Canadian Press on condition of anonymity for fear of repercussions at work, said there is concern among the rank and file of another "fiasco" like the outbreak at Quebec's long-term care homes, which accounted for 80 per cent of the highest provincial total of COVID-19 deaths in Canada. "I am in the office with, like, four colleagues and we're all, 'What's going to happen?' In America, it's blowing up there like crazy, and people are supposed to be coming back in seven weeks," said the employee, who described the group as front-line workers — many in their 50s or 60s, with elderly parents at home — who are typically in close contact with students.
"There are a lot of family concerns related to health that are connected with this. And, you know, maybe I wouldn't be thinking about these things if I hadn't seen America erupt into such a mess." Others, however, have faith the institution can keep students and staff safe. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "Part of our mandate is to not only educate but nurture and protect these young adults," said Franco Taddeo, who's worked in McGill's library system since the 1990s. "Honestly, as a father and Canadian, I would much rather have these students here for their safety and well-being than being in present-day America."
The novel coronavirus has infected more than 3.6 million people and killed 140,000 in the U.S., compared with 109,000 cases and 8,800 deaths in Canada. And it's not the only thing giving U.S. parents sleepless nights. Post-secondary students from the pandemic-riven United States are getting ready to go back to school in Canada — a rite of passage that's causing more anxiety than usual for parents and front-line university workers alike in the age of COVID-19. They're well aware of reports of Americans — accused of flouting travel restrictions — facing verbal abuse in Canada. One mother, a dual citizen who heard tell of U.S. vehicles being vandalized, bought a looseleaf-sized magnet to attach to her car door that reads, "We are Canadian citizens and have completed our 14-day quarantine." Since students can complete course work online, one might wonder: why send them at all? "We need to trust that she'll make decisions to keep herself safe, either there or here," said one mother, whose daughter is going into her second year at McGill, and who fears for her if her name is made public. The parents wrestled with whether to let her go.
"I kept saying to her, 'I would prefer you stay home and wait.' And she was like, 'But my life is waiting for me there.' So we're letting her make the choice." In a statement, McGill would say only that fall courses will be offered "primarily through remote delivery platforms," but that they are developing on-campus student life and learning activities "which will respect careful safety protocols." "We will continue to place the health and safety of our community first by working closely with public health authorities."


nationalobserver--2020-07-20--Chevron buys Noble for $5 billion

Chevron buys Noble for $5 billion

Chevron will take over Noble Energy for $ 5 billion in the first big deal announced since the coronavirus pandemic shook the energy sector .
Chevron has been shopping for assets since last year and with crude prices down more than 30 % this year , it jumped Monday with its all-stock offering for the independent Houston oil and gas driller .
Based on Chevron ’ s closing price on Friday , Noble Energy shareholders will receive 0.1191 shares of Chevron for each Noble Energy share .
But with the list price comes a lot of debt .
Energy companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the pandemic and energy prices have bouncing all over the place .
Noble is no exception .
The total enterprise value of the deal is $ 13 billion , with Chevron assuming Noble 's debt .
• ‘ We feel like we 're held hostage ’ say diesel-dependent First Nations Last year , as it pursued potential buyout targets , Chevron lost out when Occidental Petroleum made a $ 38 billion deal for one of them , Anadarko , even though Chevron is five times the size of Occidental .
While Occidental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of west Texas and New Mexico appeared to be a good match , Chevron said at the time that it favoured discipline over “ winning at any cost.
” It 's found another match in Noble Energy .
The acquisition brings to Chevron low-cost , proven reserves in addition to cash-generating offshore assets in Israel , strengthening the company 's position in the Mediterranean .
Noble 's portfolio will also add to Chevron ’ s U.S. acreage in the Permian Basin and in Colorado ’ s DJ Basin .
“ Noble Energy ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ geographic diversity , increase capital flexibility , and improve our ability to generate strong cash flow , '' said Chevron Chairman and CEO Michael Wirth .
`` These assets play to Chevron ’ s operational strengths , and the transaction underscores our commitment to capital discipline.
” That discipline is mandatory for any company in the energy sector this year .
Chevron will take over Noble Energy for $ 5 billion in the first big deal announced since the coronavirus pandemic shook the energy sector .
On Monday , energy services company Halliburton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.7 billion , and that was better than industry analysts had expected .
The 57 % plunge in revenue was not .
Energy demand has bounced back as economies reopen globally .
U.S. crude prices that fell for first four months of the year are gaining ground , and have been positive since May .
It appears prices may remain positive for July , but prices are seesawing and the longest positive streak this month has been two days .
Surging cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. , the world 's largest economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already hit hard by layoffs .
Chesapeake Energy , a shale drilling pioneer that was once one of the largest natural gas producers in the world , filed for bankruptcy protection last month .
Shares in Noble jumped almost 12 % before the opening bell Monday , while crude prices are giving ground and may fall below $ 40 per barrel again .

Chevron will take over Noble Energy for $5 billion in the first big deal announced since the coronavirus pandemic shook the energy sector.
Chevron has been shopping for assets since last year and with crude prices down more than 30% this year, it jumped Monday with its all-stock offering for the independent Houston oil and gas driller.
Based on Chevron’s closing price on Friday, Noble Energy shareholders will receive 0.1191 shares of Chevron for each Noble Energy share. But with the list price comes a lot of debt.
Energy companies had been taking on enormous debt even before the pandemic and energy prices have bouncing all over the place. Noble is no exception.
The total enterprise value of the deal is $13 billion, with Chevron assuming Noble's debt.


nationalobserver--2020-07-21--Will Trump ever go?

Will Trump ever go?

Because it 's 2020 , anyone anxious about this year 's presidential election has a new problem to worry about : the possibility that a defeated Donald Trump wo n't be willing to leave the West Wing .
Almost since his inauguration in 2017 , the U.S. president 's detractors have speculated that Trump might simply refuse to emerge from behind the Resolute Desk should he lose the support of American voters , who head to the polls in November after a head-spinning 45 months .
On Sunday , Trump himself joined their ranks .
`` I have to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said when `` Fox News Sunday '' host Chris Wallace asked point-blank if he would accept the election results .
`` I 'm not going to just say yes , I 'm not going to say no . ''
The spectacle of a commander-in-chief refusing to publicly promise to abide by the will of the American people `` fundamentally threatens the peaceful transfer of power , '' said Joe Goldman , president of the public-policy-oriented Democracy Fund , a non-partisan centre-left foundation in Washington , D.C. , created by eBay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payment for people living with disabilities could reach 1.7M Canadians • Thousands of lives on hold as immigration system stalled out • ‘ We feel like we 're held hostage ’ say diesel-dependent First Nations `` For it to take place at a time when we are rushing to implement pretty substantial changes to how our election system is going to work , and the president 's out there undermining faith in that process , these things come together in a way that 's pretty alarming . ''
As U.S. states , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths , prepare to stage a federal election in the midst of a pandemic , Trump has repeatedly claimed that mail-in ballots are a vector for electoral fraud , without citing any evidence .
Because a strong ballot-box turnout is seen as favouring liberals , conservatives have been known to make it harder to vote — including in Canada , where the previous Conservative government 's 2014 Fair Elections Act , which banished voter identification cards as acceptable ID and banned vouching for another voter , was largely undone in 2016 .
Experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appears aimed not only at limiting turnout , but also at establishing a plausible narrative with which to proclaim the results are fraudulent , which he did again Tuesday on Twitter by claiming they would lead to a `` rigged election . ''
Fold in a deeply divided and motivated U.S. electorate , seized with the significance of the 2020 vote , and chaos could ensue , Goldman said .
`` Both sides believe this election represents an existential threat to the country , that if the other side wins , it threatens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Because it 's 2020 , anyone anxious about this year 's presidential election has a new problem to worry about : the possibility that a defeated Donald Trump wo n't be willing to leave the West Wing .
Democracy Group 's latest focus-group research , conducted late in 2019 and released last month , found overwhelming support for America 's democratic values .
But it also found deep dissatisfaction with how democracy is working in the U.S. — nearly half the survey 's 5,900 respondents expressed dissatisfaction , eight percentage points more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The research also found that one in 10 participants , Democrat and Republican alike , said there would be `` a lot '' or `` a great deal '' of justification for violence if their party loses in November .
`` We are living through the worst health crisis in recent memory , the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and some of the worst social conflict since the '60s and '70s , '' Goldman said .
`` Put all of that in combination with a very close election in which neither @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , informational environments in which misinformation spreads very , very quickly , and at least some political leaders who are willing to play fast and loose with the truth — that , to me , represents kindling . ''
The actual chance of Trump refusing to vacate the White House likely only becomes a danger if the election produces a close result and legitimate doubt can be cast on the result , said Peverill Squire , a political-science professor at the University of Missouri .
To remain in office , he would need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — support that polls suggest is now steadily bleeding away as the president 's response to the pandemic continues to drive down his support , both outside his party and within , causing some measure of panic in the Republican-controlled Senate .
`` If the result seems clear , both in the popular vote and in the electoral college , I doubt many people will rally to the president 's cause , no matter how much he might complain , '' Squire said .
`` President Trump may be shocked to find how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
That said , U.S. history provides little guidance for what happens when a president refuses to leave office .
Contested elections in 1800 , 1824 , 1876 and 2000 were all resolved when `` the losing candidate conceded without calling his supporters to the streets , '' he said .
Lara Brown , a politics professor at George Washington University in D.C. , said if a disagreement were to persist into January , when a joint session of Congress gathers to formally count electoral college votes , a central character could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As president of the Senate , it falls to the vice-president to oversee the count and decide on the validity of the votes .
`` It could well come down to Pence , '' Brown said .
`` And it 's hard to imagine any sort of more traditional politician like Pence would adhere to something that he would understand would break the American system . ''
Former vice-president Al Gore had the chance to do just that in 2001 , after a protracted court battle that went all the way to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the count that sent his rival George W. Bush to the White House .
But he knew it would be pointless and destructive to do so , Brown said .
`` It would be seen as essentially upsetting the tradition of a peaceful transfer of power , and it would also show him to be wildly ambitious and willing to kind of burn the field in order to try to claim it , '' she said .
`` President Trump has not shown that level of statesmanship in any of his actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Canadian Press was first published July 21 , 2020 .

Because it's 2020, anyone anxious about this year's presidential election has a new problem to worry about: the possibility that a defeated Donald Trump won't be willing to leave the West Wing. Almost since his inauguration in 2017, the U.S. president's detractors have speculated that Trump might simply refuse to emerge from behind the Resolute Desk should he lose the support of American voters, who head to the polls in November after a head-spinning 45 months. On Sunday, Trump himself joined their ranks. "I have to see. Look, I have to see," he said when "Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace asked point-blank if he would accept the election results. "I'm not going to just say yes, I'm not going to say no." The spectacle of a commander-in-chief refusing to publicly promise to abide by the will of the American people "fundamentally threatens the peaceful transfer of power," said Joe Goldman, president of the public-policy-oriented Democracy Fund, a non-partisan centre-left foundation in Washington, D.C., created by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar.
"For it to take place at a time when we are rushing to implement pretty substantial changes to how our election system is going to work, and the president's out there undermining faith in that process, these things come together in a way that's pretty alarming." As U.S. states, many confronting dramatic increases in COVID-19 cases and deaths, prepare to stage a federal election in the midst of a pandemic, Trump has repeatedly claimed that mail-in ballots are a vector for electoral fraud, without citing any evidence. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Because a strong ballot-box turnout is seen as favouring liberals, conservatives have been known to make it harder to vote — including in Canada, where the previous Conservative government's 2014 Fair Elections Act, which banished voter identification cards as acceptable ID and banned vouching for another voter, was largely undone in 2016.
Experts say Trump's campaign against mail-in ballots appears aimed not only at limiting turnout, but also at establishing a plausible narrative with which to proclaim the results are fraudulent, which he did again Tuesday on Twitter by claiming they would lead to a "rigged election." Because it's 2020, anyone anxious about this year's presidential election has a new problem to worry about: the possibility that a defeated Donald Trump won't be willing to leave the West Wing. Fold in a deeply divided and motivated U.S. electorate, seized with the significance of the 2020 vote, and chaos could ensue, Goldman said. "Both sides believe this election represents an existential threat to the country, that if the other side wins, it threatens the republic at its core." Democracy Group's latest focus-group research, conducted late in 2019 and released last month, found overwhelming support for America's democratic values. But it also found deep dissatisfaction with how democracy is working in the U.S. — nearly half the survey's 5,900 respondents expressed dissatisfaction, eight percentage points more than the same survey found in 2018. The research also found that one in 10 participants, Democrat and Republican alike, said there would be "a lot" or "a great deal" of justification for violence if their party loses in November.
"We are living through the worst health crisis in recent memory, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and some of the worst social conflict since the '60s and '70s," Goldman said. "Put all of that in combination with a very close election in which neither side trusts the other or the institutions, informational environments in which misinformation spreads very, very quickly, and at least some political leaders who are willing to play fast and loose with the truth — that, to me, represents kindling." The actual chance of Trump refusing to vacate the White House likely only becomes a danger if the election produces a close result and legitimate doubt can be cast on the result, said Peverill Squire, a political-science professor at the University of Missouri.


nationalobserver--2020-07-21--The state of autism services funding in Ontario

27,600 — the number of children and youth in Ontario waiting to access public autism services in 2019/20 .
That ’ s up from 24,900 in 2018-19 .
Here ’ s a breakdown of some more of the numbers from the Financial Accountability Office ( FAO ) report .
An Ontario budget watchdog says the Ford government could eliminate autism service waiting lists — but to do so it would either have to more than double its $ 600 million annual budget , or cut in half the amount of support provided to each child and youth requiring it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ government would need to spend annually ( current budget : $ 600 million ) to maintain 2018 service levels and eliminate the waitlist .
25,100 — the number of children with autism in Ontario who did not receive one-time funding to bridge the Ford government ’ s autism policy flip-flop by the end of the fiscal year on March 31 .
That ’ s $ 174 million of unspent funds compared to $ 97 million that was spent on 8,100 children .
$ 8,100 — the average amount the Ford government spent on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 and 2020 , compared to $ 29,900 the previous Wynne government spent under the Ontario Autism Program in 2018 and 2019 , and the $ 19,800 ( in today ’ s dollars ) spent on a different program in place from 2011 to 2017 .
$ 95,000 — the upper end of annual costs that families pay to get behavioural therapy to build language , communication and social skills .
17,860 — the number of youth with autism who could be provided with 2018 levels of support with a $ 600 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than in 2019-20 and bring the waitlist down to 22,900 .

An Ontario budget watchdog says the Ford government could eliminate autism service waiting lists — but to do so it would either have to more than double its $600 million annual budget, or cut in half the amount of support provided to each child and youth requiring it.
Here’s a breakdown of some more of the numbers from the Financial Accountability Office (FAO) report.
27,600 — the number of children and youth in Ontario waiting to access public autism services in 2019/20. That’s up from 24,900 in 2018-19.
$1.4 billion — how much the government would need to spend annually (current budget: $600 million) to maintain 2018 service levels and eliminate the waitlist.
25,100 — the number of children with autism in Ontario who did not receive one-time funding to bridge the Ford government’s autism policy flip-flop by the end of the fiscal year on March 31. That’s $174 million of unspent funds compared to $97 million that was spent on 8,100 children.