nationalobserver--2020-12-28--Ontario’s endangered species changes could cause local extinctions, researchers say

The Ontario government ’ s 2019 move to weaken protections for endangered species could lead to local extinctions for some at-risk creatures , researchers have found .
The Progressive Conservatives ’ changes included lesser protections for species that also exist outside the province , and a mechanism allowing industry to pay a fee to destroy key habitats and rebuild them elsewhere .
The new rules threaten to undermine conservation of species at risk beyond Ontario , the peer-reviewed analytical essay , published this month in the scientific journal Facets , found .
“ If ( the provincial government ) decides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this can ultimately affect the overall global resilience of the species and increase the overall likelihood of extinction , ” said Nico Muñoz , a co-author of the article and a PhD candidate supervised by Simon Fraser and Western universities .
Failing to protect species in southern Ontario would leave them vulnerable to local extinction , or extirpation , in an area where their potential to eventually recover is already limited .
Over 80 per cent of the forests that once blanketed the landscape have been replaced with urban development and agriculture , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the highest densities of species at risk in the country .
The world is also in the midst of an extinction crisis .
• This Calgarian ditched the oilpatch for a career in sustainable energy • A tale of two students : How the pandemic hurts some more than others One example is the case of the spotted turtle , a creature the size of two and a half golf tees that can be recognized by its smooth black shell speckled with yellow-orange markings .
There are only about 2,000 of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scattered wetlands along Georgian Bay and the north shore of Lake Erie , but they are far more abundant to the south , in the eastern United States .
Muñoz and co-author Debora S. Obrist , a PhD candidate at Simon Fraser , analyzed the ranges of 152 species listed as endangered or threatened under Ontario ’ s Endangered Species Act and found 121 of them followed a pattern similar to that of the spotted turtle .
Even though there might be healthy populations of some species elsewhere , dwindling northern populations are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As the planet warms due to the climate crisis and human development encroaches on more southern habitats , many plants and animals are shifting north , making populations on the periphery more important to the health of the species overall .
Those northerly creatures and plants are often genetically distinct from their southern cousins , specially suited to a harsher environment .
Allowing them to go locally extinct in Ontario is likely to lessen species ’ overall chances of survival , Muñoz added .
“ In Ontario , we have so many species @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Muñoz said .
“ They ’ re on that leading edge of this northward shift .
So ensuring that species persists here , it ’ s vital for ensuring that they persist anywhere.
” The office of Ontario Environment Minister Jeff Yurek acknowledged questions from Canada ’ s National Observer but did not provide answers .
The Ontario government ’ s 2019 move to weaken protections for endangered species could lead to local extinctions for some at-risk creatures , researchers from Simon Fraser and Western universities have found .
# onpoli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planning changes to endangered species protections , it said the province hoped to find “ efficiencies for businesses.
” Later , after the changes were passed , then-environment minister Rod Phillips said Ontario was “ committed to ensuring Ontario ’ s best-in-class endangered and threatened species protections.
” “ I fully appreciate that species protections and conservation can at times be at odds with business interests and economic opportunity , and appreciate that the government has a responsibility to balance these two pursuits , ” Muñoz said .
“ But the whole reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is because that balance has been out of whack for so long , both in Ontario and more generally .
We have a lot of species that are at risk of loss here , and we have a responsibility to prevent that.
” Ontario 's Endangered Species Act is the 'last line of defense ' for species faced with extinction in Ontario .
New clauses in the Act could exclude many species from protection .
Read my and @ deboraobrist 's essay , published today by @ FACETSJournal https : //t.co/vpqcgiITKR pic.twitter.com/U52djYDqvu — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 , 2020 ‘ The nature around us is part of our identity ’ How well endangered species fare will depend on how the government implements the changes , some of which have “ ambiguous ” wording , Muñoz said .
For example , the 2019 version of the law says the province must consider the “ biologically relevant geographic range ” of a species when classifying it .
The government could choose to interpret that as the range that is relevant to subpopulations in Ontario , a perspective that would retain protections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
But if the government interprets it to mean the species as a whole , dozens of them may be delisted .
“ When you read the new clauses , the wording is very ambiguous , ” he said .
Beyond their biological importance , endangered species in Ontario are also of emotional value , Muñoz said .
They ’ re part of the forests we walk through , the creeks and lakes we splashed in as children , the stories we pass on to the next generation .
“ The nature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Muñoz said .
“ This value that species have is very much local in that it doesn ’ t matter how abundant the species may be in eastern United States .
That has value here .
I think a lot of people would agree that what ’ s around us is important , and we have a responsibility to account for the way we affect it .
”

The Ontario government’s 2019 move to weaken protections for endangered species could lead to local extinctions for some at-risk creatures, researchers have found. The Progressive Conservatives’ changes included lesser protections for species that also exist outside the province, and a mechanism allowing industry to pay a fee to destroy key habitats and rebuild them elsewhere. The new rules threaten to undermine conservation of species at risk beyond Ontario, the peer-reviewed analytical essay, published this month in the scientific journal Facets, found. “If (the provincial government) decides to not protect species in Ontario, this can ultimately affect the overall global resilience of the species and increase the overall likelihood of extinction,” said Nico Muñoz, a co-author of the article and a PhD candidate supervised by Simon Fraser and Western universities. “That’s the scientific reason I see a problem here.” Failing to protect species in southern Ontario would leave them vulnerable to local extinction, or extirpation, in an area where their potential to eventually recover is already limited. Over 80 per cent of the forests that once blanketed the landscape have been replaced with urban development and agriculture, Muñoz said, and the region has one of the highest densities of species at risk in the country. The world is also in the midst of an extinction crisis.
One example is the case of the spotted turtle, a creature the size of two and a half golf tees that can be recognized by its smooth black shell speckled with yellow-orange markings. There are only about 2,000 of them left in Ontario, mostly in scattered wetlands along Georgian Bay and the north shore of Lake Erie, but they are far more abundant to the south, in the eastern United States. Muñoz and co-author Debora S. Obrist, a PhD candidate at Simon Fraser, analyzed the ranges of 152 species listed as endangered or threatened under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act and found 121 of them followed a pattern similar to that of the spotted turtle. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Even though there might be healthy populations of some species elsewhere, dwindling northern populations are becoming more crucial, Muñoz said. As the planet warms due to the climate crisis and human development encroaches on more southern habitats, many plants and animals are shifting north, making populations on the periphery more important to the health of the species overall.
Those northerly creatures and plants are often genetically distinct from their southern cousins, specially suited to a harsher environment. Allowing them to go locally extinct in Ontario is likely to lessen species’ overall chances of survival, Muñoz added. The Ontario government’s 2019 move to weaken protections for endangered species could lead to local extinctions for some at-risk creatures, researchers from Simon Fraser and Western universities have found. #onpoli “In Ontario, we have so many species that are at their northern range limits,” Muñoz said. “They’re on that leading edge of this northward shift. So ensuring that species persists here, it’s vital for ensuring that they persist anywhere.” The office of Ontario Environment Minister Jeff Yurek acknowledged questions from Canada’s National Observer but did not provide answers. When the government first announced it was planning changes to endangered species protections, it said the province hoped to find “efficiencies for businesses.” Later, after the changes were passed, then-environment minister Rod Phillips said Ontario was “committed to ensuring Ontario’s best-in-class endangered and threatened species protections.” “I fully appreciate that species protections and conservation can at times be at odds with business interests and economic opportunity, and appreciate that the government has a responsibility to balance these two pursuits,” Muñoz said.
“But the whole reason we need this law to begin with is because that balance has been out of whack for so long, both in Ontario and more generally. We have a lot of species that are at risk of loss here, and we have a responsibility to prevent that.” https://twitter.com/uneasyNico/status/1337054145103212544


nationalobserver--2020-12-28--This Calgarian ditched the oilpatch for a career in sustainable energy

As part of a series highlighting the work of young people in addressing the climate crisis , writer Patricia Lane interviews Nick Kendrick , a Calgary sustainable energy expert .
The 1990s were personally tough for me .
I spent the decade immersed in action based on climate catastrophe science , trying , and by all accounts failing , to stem the tide .
Hardest of all , death and dementia came to my family .
As my awareness deepened about the growing divide between young and old and rich and poor , grief had become a pretty constant companion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the abyss of fear and loss or choose the only thing stronger : love .
To choose love is to hope .
But I had forgotten how .
So I made a resolution — one that could last a year or even a decade if need be .
I chose to study hope .
Part of my journey is to seek out promising young people who are contending in evidence-based and impactful ways with the climate crisis and engage them in conversations about hope .
I am grateful for Canada ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalism , which provides these determined , joyful and , yes , hopeful young people a voice .
Nick Kendrick graduated from university in 2011 in Nova Scotia with significant student debt .
Like a lot of his friends , he went to work in Alberta ’ s oilsands .
Now , at 31 , he has a master of science in sustainable energy development and a LEED Green Associate certificate in sustainable building practices .
He is part of a project management team that supports a First Nations-run solar energy installation at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at his home in Calgary .
• Ontario ’ s endangered species changes could cause local extinctions , researchers say • A tale of two students : How the pandemic hurts some more than others Tell us about your work in the oil and gas industry .
I worked at a tailings pond processing plant where I improved the safety and effectiveness of the operation .
I learned on the job and worked my way up to become the senior control room operator .
It was important work that I liked a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we only worked half the year .
What caused the change in your career path ?
In 2016 , there were a lot of layoffs .
It was hard to see my friends go through that , and I could see it coming , maybe , for me .
We lived in Fort McMurray , and we had to travel to see both our families and most of our friends .
My wife is a dental hygienist , and she can work anywhere , but for me ... it was too uncertain .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a family , and I wanted my nights and weekends off and some stability .
It was time to make the shift .
Nick Kendrick on his wedding day .
Young or old , there are always opportunities to learn more , Kendrick says .
Photo from Nick Kendrick `` If you just put a toe in the water , you never know where it is going to lead .
Small opportunities can become big ones . ''
# renewableenergy # solarpower Tell us about your pathway .
I went to the University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in sustainable energy development .
My major research project was for Iron & Earth to map the places in Alberta likely to be facing economic downturns and match them with other places that had workers with skills that could be repurposed for renewable energy projects .
I also provided forecasts of the resulting energy production and emission reductions .
Nick Kendrick went to the University of Calgary because it offered a program in sustainable energy development .
Photo from Nick Kendrick The people at Iron & Earth are themselves former oil and gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to lessen our dependence on fossil fuels , we have to provide workers with good , steady jobs that pay well .
They offer training for the transition and lobby governments to provide better funding for workers interested in switching .
I am proud that my research allows them to provide good data to support their applications .
What are you proudest of at the Fort Chipewyan installation ?
This is the largest remote solar farm in Canada .
Its 5,760 solar panels will supply the remote northeast Alberta community with 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 800,000 litres of diesel every year .
It was 100 per cent driven by collaboration between Mikisew Cree First Nation , Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and the Fort Chipewyan Métis Association .
I am most excited about the projects that people can see make their lives better every day .
Three Nations Energy is pilot testing solar cabins .
Now if you want to go to your hunting or fishing cabin , you have to take in diesel as your power source .
It ’ s heavy , dirty , noisy , dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these remote cabins means people have a year-round , clean , free , safe , quiet , energy source .
Using your cabin just got a whole lot easier and more pleasant .
There is also a sustainable fresh produce farm in the first testing phase .
To have fresh leafy greens in the middle of winter in Fort Chipewyan — that is really something !
Eventually , the project will include aquaponics , which will allow for fish and aquaculture , as well as hardier fresh vegetables like tomatoes .
We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be involved in the buildout .
Adults may be intimidated by the climate justice crisis , but young people see opportunity .
These youth see energy sovereignty and a better life with renewables than they had before .
Did the way your parents raise you influence where you are today ?
My mom just had her first solar panels installed .
She has been saving for a while , and it 's a big deal for her .
She taught me to take responsibility for the water I used and to reuse and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ career in the coast guard , so taking care of the ocean is second nature .
He went back to school and got his master ’ s degree on the impacts of climate change in the Arctic oceans .
In his retirement , he is considering writing a PhD .
He taught me the importance of always learning .
Nick Kendrick as a young boy poses with his father .
Photo from Nick Kendrick Do you have advice for other young people ?
No matter where you work , I respect you for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do have to say that my life has additional meaning now .
I like that .
If you just put a toe in the water , you never know where it is going to lead .
Small opportunities can become big ones .
How can older people support you ?
The way you vote is important .
Teaching the young people in your sphere of influence that we only have one Earth , that is important .
And listen to them .
Learn what they know .
Young or old , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @

As part of a series highlighting the work of young people in addressing the climate crisis, writer Patricia Lane interviews Nick Kendrick, a Calgary sustainable energy expert. The 1990s were personally tough for me. I spent the decade immersed in action based on climate catastrophe science, trying, and by all accounts failing, to stem the tide. Hardest of all, death and dementia came to my family. As my awareness deepened about the growing divide between young and old and rich and poor, grief had become a pretty constant companion. I could choose to go further into the abyss of fear and loss or choose the only thing stronger: love. To choose love is to hope. But I had forgotten how. So I made a resolution — one that could last a year or even a decade if need be. I chose to study hope. Part of my journey is to seek out promising young people who are contending in evidence-based and impactful ways with the climate crisis and engage them in conversations about hope. I am grateful for Canada’s National Observer’s commitment to solutions journalism, which provides these determined, joyful and, yes, hopeful young people a voice. Nick Kendrick graduated from university in 2011 in Nova Scotia with significant student debt. Like a lot of his friends, he went to work in Alberta’s oilsands. Now, at 31, he has a master of science in sustainable energy development and a LEED Green Associate certificate in sustainable building practices. He is part of a project management team that supports a First Nations-run solar energy installation at Fort Chipewyan. I chatted with him at his home in Calgary.
Tell us about your work in the oil and gas industry. I worked at a tailings pond processing plant where I improved the safety and effectiveness of the operation. I learned on the job and worked my way up to become the senior control room operator. It was important work that I liked a lot. The pay was great, and we only worked half the year. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions What caused the change in your career path?
In 2016, there were a lot of layoffs. It was hard to see my friends go through that, and I could see it coming, maybe, for me. We lived in Fort McMurray, and we had to travel to see both our families and most of our friends. My wife is a dental hygienist, and she can work anywhere, but for me ... it was too uncertain. We were talking about wanting to start a family, and I wanted my nights and weekends off and some stability. It was time to make the shift. "If you just put a toe in the water, you never know where it is going to lead. Small opportunities can become big ones." #renewableenergy #solarpower Nick Kendrick on his wedding day. Young or old, there are always opportunities to learn more, Kendrick says. Photo from Nick Kendrick Tell us about your pathway. I went to the University of Calgary because it offered a program in sustainable energy development. My major research project was for Iron & Earth to map the places in Alberta likely to be facing economic downturns and match them with other places that had workers with skills that could be repurposed for renewable energy projects. I also provided forecasts of the resulting energy production and emission reductions.
Nick Kendrick went to the University of Calgary because it offered a program in sustainable energy development. Photo from Nick Kendrick The people at Iron & Earth are themselves former oil and gas workers who understand that if we are going to lessen our dependence on fossil fuels, we have to provide workers with good, steady jobs that pay well. They offer training for the transition and lobby governments to provide better funding for workers interested in switching. I am proud that my research allows them to provide good data to support their applications.


nationalobserver--2020-12-28--A tale of two students: How the pandemic hurts some more than others

For high school seniors Basma Berih and Celine Ho , the wrenching disruption COVID-19 forced on their lives was dramatic — and what it could mean for their future academic plans has been unsettling .
Both Berih and Ho attend Toronto ’ s oldest high school , Jarvis Collegiate , in the inner eastern zone of the city just north of Regent Park , one of its poorest neighbourhoods and a target of significant revitalization efforts .
Berih wants to study civil engineering , while Ho is leaning towards one of the top-tier U.S. universities recruiting her for a sports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ math load and at least two science classes when hybrid in-person and online high school resumed in September , and shared a first quadmester economics class .
( A quadmester involves the cramming of a semester ’ s worth of learning into half the time via longer and/or more frequent classes/online sessions on fewer subjects . )
But the pandemic has hindered Berih ’ s ambitions much more .
• This Calgarian ditched the oilpatch for a career in sustainable energy • Ontario ’ s endangered species changes could cause local extinctions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the high 80s in Grade 11 , but that achievement was thrown off course by challenges , including a “ double quarantine ” required when a school friend identified as a close contact and then a member of her six-person household tested positive .
Her math teacher did not allow Berih to do the tests and assignments during her three-and-a-half-week isolation , for which she was excused .
Her marks were sitting around 79 per cent as “ drop day ” — the deadline to withdraw before a mark is recorded on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when selecting prospective students — approached mid-way through the first quarter , she said .
Unsure she could maintain a score worth presenting in a subject that would be mandatory for some of her preferred post-secondary options , Berih dropped it and signed up to take it again .
So did some friends with once high averages who were now scoring in the mid-60s , as well as half of the 60 students in the school ’ s four math cohorts .
“ It was really hard for a lot of us , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via the iPad she received on loan from the Toronto District School Board in May .
Changes all around Berih didn ’ t want to drop and redo the math class , and tried to convince the school ’ s guidance counsellor and principal to adjust its “ find it , fix it ” help for those at risk of failing a subject to eke out a pass .
They ended up opening it to those on track for higher scores for whom the pandemic had meant they might miss minimum grade requirements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courses of choice .
Before COVID-19 hit , both Berih and Ho played on the school ’ s senior basketball team , while Ho also competed provincially in swimming and badminton and juggled a childhood-spanning dance career at Canada ’ s National Ballet School , just down from the school on Jarvis Street .
Basma Berih ( right ) and a teammate pose during a game for their high school senior basketball team on Nov 17 , 2019 .
Photo supplied by Basma Berih For Ho , the pandemic has been “ both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has had a neutral impact overall on her future options , she said .
Like Berih , she completed the first quadmester in the hybrid model before switching to online-only for the second one .
She also will redo the math class , but is not as concerned about it as Berih .
“ Personally , even though it ’ s a little bit harder for me to learn , I ’ m not too concerned about my marks because I think I ’ ve developed a great work ethic through high school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerned about whether or not I ’ ll be prepared for the material in post-secondary , ” she said .
Ho had already decided to close off a 14-year dance career and its international experiences to focus on travelling the province to compete in sports before everything changed back in March .
Celine Ho has also competed in swimming , badminton and basketball .
Photo supplied by Celine Ho When restrictions started to bite , she decided to film herself playing basketball .
Coaches and recruiters made offers , and she ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weigh her options .
Ho is considering a career involving some form of STEM ( science , technology , engineering and mathematics ) or global or public health following a trip to Peru in August 2019 where she volunteered with mostly U.S. college students on a two-week MEDLIFE Movement project .
She said the pandemic also provided her with more time to devote to social justice , and she has since established a MEDLIFE club with 60 student-members at Jarvis Collegiate and raised around $ 2,000 for the families she was working with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to spare , but not the income she used to earn pre-pandemic from 20 hours a week coaching children at MLSE LaunchPad and another eight hours at the Winners store at Yonge and Dundas .
The pandemic has also limited or eliminated her diabetic father ’ s ability to work as an Uber driver and her mother to babysit .
Discrepancies are more stark when studied geographically across the city and the Greater Toronto Area ( GTA ) , and indeed across Ontario , where evidence is mounting of the stark inequity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ educators have warned that the altered reality of remote education is hurting students ’ grades , while public health data shows Black people and people of colour are more likely to get infected .
Race and income also determine who can access the highest-quality educational support , with privileged families able to hire tutors for “ learning pods .
”

For high school seniors Basma Berih and Celine Ho, the wrenching disruption COVID-19 forced on their lives was dramatic — and what it could mean for their future academic plans has been unsettling. Both Berih and Ho attend Toronto’s oldest high school, Jarvis Collegiate, in the inner eastern zone of the city just north of Regent Park, one of its poorest neighbourhoods and a target of significant revitalization efforts. Berih wants to study civil engineering, while Ho is leaning towards one of the top-tier U.S. universities recruiting her for a sports scholarship. Both took on a full-year math load and at least two science classes when hybrid in-person and online high school resumed in September, and shared a first quadmester economics class. (A quadmester involves the cramming of a semester’s worth of learning into half the time via longer and/or more frequent classes/online sessions on fewer subjects.) But the pandemic has hindered Berih’s ambitions much more.
She was averaging math scores in the high 80s in Grade 11, but that achievement was thrown off course by challenges, including a “double quarantine” required when a school friend identified as a close contact and then a member of her six-person household tested positive. Her math teacher did not allow Berih to do the tests and assignments during her three-and-a-half-week isolation, for which she was excused. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Her marks were sitting around 79 per cent as “drop day” — the deadline to withdraw before a mark is recorded on academic transcripts that post-secondary admissions offices review when selecting prospective students — approached mid-way through the first quarter, she said.
Unsure she could maintain a score worth presenting in a subject that would be mandatory for some of her preferred post-secondary options, Berih dropped it and signed up to take it again. So did some friends with once high averages who were now scoring in the mid-60s, as well as half of the 60 students in the school’s four math cohorts. “It was really hard for a lot of us,” Berih said in a Zoom interview via the iPad she received on loan from the Toronto District School Board in May. Changes all around Berih didn’t want to drop and redo the math class, and tried to convince the school’s guidance counsellor and principal to adjust its “find it, fix it” help for those at risk of failing a subject to eke out a pass. They ended up opening it to those on track for higher scores for whom the pandemic had meant they might miss minimum grade requirements for their university and even technical college courses of choice.
Before COVID-19 hit, both Berih and Ho played on the school’s senior basketball team, while Ho also competed provincially in swimming and badminton and juggled a childhood-spanning dance career at Canada’s National Ballet School, just down from the school on Jarvis Street. Basma Berih (right) and a teammate pose during a game for their high school senior basketball team on Nov 17, 2019. Photo supplied by Basma Berih For Ho, the pandemic has been “both a blessing and a curse” and has had a neutral impact overall on her future options, she said.


nationalobserver--2020-12-28--Alberta First Nation engages youth to help spread bilingual COVID-19 message

MORLEY , Alta .
— A First Nation in Alberta is turning to its youth to help spread the message to older members about the dangers of COVID-19 .
Three reserves in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains make up the Stoney Nakoda First Nation , where there have been only a couple of outbreaks of the novel coronavirus since the pandemic began .
CEO Ryan Robb said the First Nation , including Morley about 70 kilometres west of Calgary , has faced a difficult challenge .
Stoney remains the first language for an overwhelming majority of members , regardless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an extremely high language retention , even though we 're very , very close to a major city , '' said Robb in an interview .
`` Quite quickly we realized we needed to get our information out in Stoney as well as English . ''
Robb said that included messages from chief and council played on the radio in both languages and a large digital billboard that flashes bilingual information along the road into the community .
• This Calgarian ditched the oilpatch for a career in sustainable energy • Ontario ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extinctions , researchers say • Time is now for Canada ’ s public pension giants to invest in a safe climate future Audio files have also been created that can be downloaded onto phones .
`` We made it in a very simple , small , downloadable file , '' Robb said .
`` We translated it into Stoney and I can take my phone to go see my grandmother to play it in Stoney , so she may understand . ''
Robb said a lot of messaging is being delivered in schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of harming their grandparents .
`` Make sure you 're protecting grandma and grandpa .
The value of your elders is really important for First Nations , '' he said .
`` I may not be worried about it as a 20-year-old or a 30-year-old , but guess what ?
I do n't want to give it to my grandparents . ''
Robb said as in many ethnic communities , multiple generations live together in small homes , so containing the spread of the virus is essential .
In Stoney Nakoda First Nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ played on the radio in both Stoney and English , and a large digital billboard flashes bilingual information along the road into the community to help combat the spread of COVID-19 .
`` We have 1,100 households on the three reserves .
How are we managing to keep this into four or five houses rather than just running rampant through the entire reserve ? ''
The Alberta government has recognized that many COVID-19 hot spots in the province share similar circumstances with First Nations , so outreach teams are going into communities to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` These hardest-hit neighbourhoods tend to be lower-income areas , where people naturally live in high-density housing arrangements , sometimes with multi-generational families that can make it very difficult for family members to self-isolate effectively if needed , '' Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said earlier this month .
`` Many of these families also have English language barriers , which in some cases makes it more difficult for them to obtain current and accurate health information and to access the social supports that are available to them . ''
Dr. John Conly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Medicine and an expert on infectious diseases , spent time working on the Stoney Nakoda Nation .
Conly , who has had more than 100 patients with COVID-19 , said he 's not surprised at the measures being taken to get out vital information .
`` We see that in many of our new immigrant settings as well .
We 've got Punjabi , Vietnamese , Mandarin , Cantonese and Spanish , even in Calgary , '' he said .
`` Some COVID materials they have to put in eight to 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who may have some fluency in English , but when it gets to be more sophisticated , their first tongue is always their best delivery in terms of information . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 28 , 2020 .

MORLEY, Alta. — A First Nation in Alberta is turning to its youth to help spread the message to older members about the dangers of COVID-19. Three reserves in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains make up the Stoney Nakoda First Nation, where there have been only a couple of outbreaks of the novel coronavirus since the pandemic began. CEO Ryan Robb said the First Nation, including Morley about 70 kilometres west of Calgary, has faced a difficult challenge. Stoney remains the first language for an overwhelming majority of members, regardless of their age. "They have an extremely high language retention, even though we're very, very close to a major city," said Robb in an interview. "Quite quickly we realized we needed to get our information out in Stoney as well as English." Robb said that included messages from chief and council played on the radio in both languages and a large digital billboard that flashes bilingual information along the road into the community.
Audio files have also been created that can be downloaded onto phones. "We made it in a very simple, small, downloadable file," Robb said. "We translated it into Stoney and I can take my phone to go see my grandmother to play it in Stoney, so she may understand." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Robb said a lot of messaging is being delivered in schools to get young people onside over fear of harming their grandparents.
"Make sure you're protecting grandma and grandpa. The value of your elders is really important for First Nations," he said. In Stoney Nakoda First Nation, messages from chief and council have played on the radio in both Stoney and English, and a large digital billboard flashes bilingual information along the road into the community to help combat the spread of COVID-19. "I may not be worried about it as a 20-year-old or a 30-year-old, but guess what? I don't want to give it to my grandparents." Robb said as in many ethnic communities, multiple generations live together in small homes, so containing the spread of the virus is essential. "We have 1,100 households on the three reserves. How are we managing to keep this into four or five houses rather than just running rampant through the entire reserve?" The Alberta government has recognized that many COVID-19 hot spots in the province share similar circumstances with First Nations, so outreach teams are going into communities to get the message and resources out.
"These hardest-hit neighbourhoods tend to be lower-income areas, where people naturally live in high-density housing arrangements, sometimes with multi-generational families that can make it very difficult for family members to self-isolate effectively if needed," Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said earlier this month. "Many of these families also have English language barriers, which in some cases makes it more difficult for them to obtain current and accurate health information and to access the social supports that are available to them." Dr. John Conly, a professor at Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine and an expert on infectious diseases, spent time working on the Stoney Nakoda Nation.


nationalobserver--2020-12-28--Time is now for Canada’s public pension giants to invest in a safe climate future

As 2020 came to a close , the federal government made laudable plans to cut carbon pollution faster and deeper @ @ @ @ @ t seen similar commitments to climate action from a massive pool of capital over which @ @ @ @ @ our pension funds .
Canada ’ s 10 largest public pension funds alone manage nearly @ @ @ @ @ amount approaching the size of the country ’ s annual GDP .
These pension giants @ @ @ @ @ real economy and hold significant shares in the world ’ s biggest companies .
How @ @ @ @ @ is a major factor in how quickly we transition to a zero-carbon economy while protecting @ @ @ @ @ as the climate crisis worsens .
Aligning our pensions with climate safety isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ do , it ’ s the smart financial move .
There is no time to @ @ @ @ @ better , and Canada ’ s public pension funds must do better .
Join us @ @ @ @ @ the climate .
Send a letter to your fund managers today at shiftyourpension.ca .

As 2020 came to a close, the federal government made laudable plans to cut carbon pollution faster and deeper. But we haven’t seen similar commitments to climate action from a massive pool of capital over which Canadians have real power: our pension funds. Canada’s 10 largest public pension funds alone manage nearly $1.8 trillion — an amount approaching the size of the country’s annual GDP. These pension giants own sizable pieces of the real economy and hold significant shares in the world’s biggest companies. How they invest our retirement savings is a major factor in how quickly we transition to a zero-carbon economy while protecting and growing our pensions, as the climate crisis worsens. Aligning our pensions with climate safety isn’t just the ethical thing to do, it’s the smart financial move. In 2020, the financial sector finally woke up to the mounting risks of climate change. Increasingly, severe and frequent carbon-fuelled weather disasters like wildfires, hurricanes and floods ravaged infrastructure, supply chains and business operations, posing growing physical risks to pension fund investments and the wider economy. The global transition away from oil, gas and coal also accelerated, driven by the plummeting costs of renewable energy and electric vehicles. The coronavirus crisis foreshadowed what bold climate action will bring. The value of clean technology investments soared, while fossil fuels, already the worst performing sector in the S&P 500 over the last 10 years, began their terminal decline. The year 2020 was marked by oil and gas companies filing for bankruptcy, slashing capital expenditures, writing off unburnable reserves, and even acknowledging that oil demand may have already peaked.
In Canada, only the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, which manages the Quebec Pension Plan, has taken the positive steps of committing to net zero by 2050, setting targets for investments in low-carbon assets, reducing portfolio carbon intensity, and aligning emissions targets with employee compensation. Canada’s other large public pension funds have made no such commitments, instead claiming without evidence that their efforts to engage fossil fuel companies is enough. The pressure for concrete action is building. In 2021, Canadians will expect their pensions to: Commit to aligning investments with the Paris Agreement goals;
Immediately put an exclusionary screen on new oil, gas and coal investments;
Phase out all current oil, gas and coal investments by 2025;
Decarbonize pension portfolios by 2030;
Establish ambitious targets for increased investments in profitable climate solutions; and
Pressure companies to refrain from lobbying activities that undermine climate policy.


Alberta looks forward

Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews says the goal in 2021 is to get vaccines out and put the COVID-19 pandemic in the rear-view mirror , then work to fix a battered and beleaguered economy .
But with a $ 21-billion deficit and Alberta ’ s wellspring oil and gas economy still in flux , there 's a red-inked elephant in the room : Where ’ s the money going to come from ?
“ We will not cut our way out of a $ 21-billion deficit , ” Toews said in a year-end interview with The Canadian Press .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again .
And economic recovery will very quickly become job No .
1 as we start to get past the pandemic.
” Roll the tape back to the start of 2020 .
Premier Jason Kenney ’ s United Conservative government was busy trying to resuscitate an already wheezing economy only to see COVID-19 blow everything apart and take with it Kenney ’ s signature election promise to balance the deficit in his first term .
• This Calgarian ditched the oilpatch for a career in sustainable energy • Ontario ’ s endangered species @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say • Time is now for Canada ’ s public pension giants to invest in a safe climate future That goal is a distant memory with a projected budget deficit this year tripling an original forecast of $ 6.8 billion .
COVID-19 has slashed demand for energy , shuttered businesses and demanded relief aid and job supports to keep people going .
Toews said the plan is to get Alberta out of the financial ditch in February with the budget .
In November , he laid out “ fiscal anchors ” for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ratio under 30 per cent , reducing public sector spending to match comparable jurisdictions and setting a timeline to get the budget back to balance .
University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe said Alberta is in the enviable position of having options .
It 's the lowest-taxed province , and oil and gas will continue to deliver billions of dollars to the treasury for the foreseeable future , though not in the same eye-popping amounts as boom times .
“ But even if ( the energy revenue ) is significant , it won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need to shift gears on how we fund public services . ''
By his number crunching , Tombe said if Toews is to meet his targets , Alberta will need to find an extra $ 7 billion a year if it wants to get the budget out of the red and start paying off a debt now projected to reach $ 97 billion in 2021 .
Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews says the goal in 2021 is to get vaccines out and put the # COVID19 # pandemic in the rear-view mirror @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and beleaguered # economy .
# AbLeg # abpoli # Vaccine Such talk raises again the spectre of a sales tax .
Alberta ’ s Social Credit government brought in a two per cent levy in 1936 and quietly dropped it a year later .
After the Second World War , Alberta ’ s oil and gas economy exploded , allowing it to eschew the stability of a tax .
Sales tax is the third rail of Alberta politics and by law can ’ t be brought in without a referendum .
Toews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cards , but he 'll strike a panel to revisit Alberta ’ s revenue generation .
Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley did not bring in a sales tax when she was premier before Kenney was elected in 2019 .
She agrees with the UCP that it would be a debilitating blow to a fragile economy .
Notley says the solution begins with further diversifying the economy and building on Alberta ’ s strengths of a young educated workforce , a burgeoning tech sector and entrepreneurial business owners .
Oil and gas are key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kenney ’ s blinkered focus on them to the exclusion of other opportunities will be the province ’ s undoing .
“ If ( Kenney ) continues to insist on operating through an ideological lens , which is squarely focused backward by about 25 years ... then we are in big trouble.
” The economy is also a political question .
The United Conservatives reach the midpoint of their mandate in 2021 and early initiatives , including a deep slash to the corporate tax rate , have yet to bear fruit .
Political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy are destined to again slam into each other in 2021 .
The government has said that after the pandemic is over it will follow through on saving money in health care including reducing or outsourcing 11,000 jobs .

Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews says the goal in 2021 is to get vaccines out and put the COVID-19 pandemic in the rear-view mirror, then work to fix a battered and beleaguered economy. But with a $21-billion deficit and Alberta’s wellspring oil and gas economy still in flux, there's a red-inked elephant in the room: Where’s the money going to come from? “We will not cut our way out of a $21-billion deficit,” Toews said in a year-end interview with The Canadian Press. “We have to get the economy growing again. And economic recovery will very quickly become job No. 1 as we start to get past the pandemic.” Roll the tape back to the start of 2020. Premier Jason Kenney’s United Conservative government was busy trying to resuscitate an already wheezing economy only to see COVID-19 blow everything apart and take with it Kenney’s signature election promise to balance the deficit in his first term.
That goal is a distant memory with a projected budget deficit this year tripling an original forecast of $6.8 billion. COVID-19 has slashed demand for energy, shuttered businesses and demanded relief aid and job supports to keep people going. Toews said the plan is to get Alberta out of the financial ditch in February with the budget. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions In November, he laid out “fiscal anchors” for the journey: keeping the net-debt to GDP ratio under 30 per cent, reducing public sector spending to match comparable jurisdictions and setting a timeline to get the budget back to balance.
University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe said Alberta is in the enviable position of having options. It's the lowest-taxed province, and oil and gas will continue to deliver billions of dollars to the treasury for the foreseeable future, though not in the same eye-popping amounts as boom times. Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews says the goal in 2021 is to get vaccines out and put the #COVID19 #pandemic in the rear-view mirror, then work to fix a battered and beleaguered #economy. #AbLeg #abpoli #Vaccine “But even if (the energy revenue) is significant, it won’t be nearly enough, so we need to shift gears on how we fund public services." By his number crunching, Tombe said if Toews is to meet his targets, Alberta will need to find an extra $7 billion a year if it wants to get the budget out of the red and start paying off a debt now projected to reach $97 billion in 2021. Such talk raises again the spectre of a sales tax. Alberta’s Social Credit government brought in a two per cent levy in 1936 and quietly dropped it a year later. After the Second World War, Alberta’s oil and gas economy exploded, allowing it to eschew the stability of a tax.
Sales tax is the third rail of Alberta politics and by law can’t be brought in without a referendum. Toews said it’s not in the cards, but he'll strike a panel to revisit Alberta’s revenue generation. Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley did not bring in a sales tax when she was premier before Kenney was elected in 2019. She agrees with the UCP that it would be a debilitating blow to a fragile economy. Notley says the solution begins with further diversifying the economy and building on Alberta’s strengths of a young educated workforce, a burgeoning tech sector and entrepreneurial business owners.


nationalobserver--2020-12-28--There are more than 60 words to describe sea ice in Inuktitut

There are more than 60 words to describe sea ice in Inuktitut .
For Nunavut 's hunters , the words are critical when travelling across a frozen ocean highway by snowmobile or dog team .
In Pond Inlet , on northern Baffin Island , Andrew Arreak spends a lot of his time compiling those words and their definitions .
He says he plans to share his list with the community and with local schools to help people stay safe .
“ I 'm trying to get all these words right so they ’ ll know what to expect when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arreak heads the Nunavut operations of SmartICE , an organization based in the territory and the Nunatsiavut region in Newfoundland and Labrador .
It combines local knowledge of sea ice with modern technology , using sensors to determine ice thickness and collect data on ice conditions , for communities to use when they head out on the ice .
• This Calgarian ditched the oilpatch for a career in sustainable energy • Ontario ’ s endangered species changes could cause local extinctions , researchers say • Time is now for Canada ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe climate future Although SmartICE has continued its research throughout the COVID-19 pandemic , thanks to its Nunavut-based staff , other southern-based scientists and researchers were locked out of the territory this year .
`` SmartICE didn ’ t miss a beat during COVID , '' says Trevor Bell , a professor at Memorial University in St. John 's , NL.
, and the founder of SmartICE .
He says research was always set up to run locally .
`` We put our monitoring tools into the hands of community members from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operate and generate the sea ice information ... without any intervention from us .
`` It ’ s operated by communities for communities in the North .
The benefit of that is seen in a year like this.
” Nunavut is a hub for research year-round , but especially in the summer months .
In 2017 , for instance , the Nunavut Research Institute licensed 136 research projects involving 662 people .
There are more than 60 words to describe # SeaIce in # Inuktitut .
# Nunavut In March , Nunavut 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the territory to residents only .
Travel between communities was mostly unrestricted , apart from lockdowns in the spring and in November .
Milla Rautio , a researcher with Université du Québec , had been travelling to Nunavut every summer since 2014 to study changes in Arctic lakes around Cambridge Bay and Victoria Island .
This year , in light of the travel restrictions , Rautio turned to community members to carry out her research .
She sent sampling equipment to Cambridge Bay and supervised a small research team remotely .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and even more . ''
Rautio says having Nunavummiut collect samples meant she could also continue her research year-round .
`` Instead of me and my students going to Cambridge Bay once a year , usually in August , doing this snapshot of sampling , we now have this opportunity to understand what ’ s happening in the North throughout the whole year , '' she says .
`` I didn ’ t need to go there myself . ''
Rautio worked for years to establish connections with students and other community members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connections have been critical to her research continuing in the middle of the pandemic .
Thanks to local knowledge , Rautio 's research team also discovered something she is n't likely to have come across herself .
A once crystal-clear lake used for fishing near the community had suddenly turned turbid .

There are more than 60 words to describe sea ice in Inuktitut. For Nunavut's hunters, the words are critical when travelling across a frozen ocean highway by snowmobile or dog team. In Pond Inlet, on northern Baffin Island, Andrew Arreak spends a lot of his time compiling those words and their definitions. He says he plans to share his list with the community and with local schools to help people stay safe. “I'm trying to get all these words right so they’ll know what to expect when they’re out on the ice.” Arreak heads the Nunavut operations of SmartICE, an organization based in the territory and the Nunatsiavut region in Newfoundland and Labrador. It combines local knowledge of sea ice with modern technology, using sensors to determine ice thickness and collect data on ice conditions, for communities to use when they head out on the ice.
Although SmartICE has continued its research throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to its Nunavut-based staff, other southern-based scientists and researchers were locked out of the territory this year. "SmartICE didn’t miss a beat during COVID," says Trevor Bell, a professor at Memorial University in St. John's, NL., and the founder of SmartICE. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions He says research was always set up to run locally.
"We put our monitoring tools into the hands of community members from the beginning. They’re able to operate and generate the sea ice information ... without any intervention from us. There are more than 60 words to describe #SeaIce in #Inuktitut. #Nunavut "It’s operated by communities for communities in the North. The benefit of that is seen in a year like this.” Nunavut is a hub for research year-round, but especially in the summer months. In 2017, for instance, the Nunavut Research Institute licensed 136 research projects involving 662 people. In March, Nunavut's chief public health officer restricted travel into the territory to residents only. Travel between communities was mostly unrestricted, apart from lockdowns in the spring and in November. Milla Rautio, a researcher with Université du Québec, had been travelling to Nunavut every summer since 2014 to study changes in Arctic lakes around Cambridge Bay and Victoria Island.
This year, in light of the travel restrictions, Rautio turned to community members to carry out her research. She sent sampling equipment to Cambridge Bay and supervised a small research team remotely. “I was able to get everything I needed and even more." Rautio says having Nunavummiut collect samples meant she could also continue her research year-round.


nationalobserver--2020-12-28--Isolation and the fear of dying alone

Isolation and the fear of dying alone

A plastic barrier sits on a table between Debbie Drew and her father during their visits in the reception area of a long-term care home where the first Canadian died of COVID-19 .
Nine months later , Drew said visiting restrictions that were initially needed at facilities like the Lynn Valley Care Centre are now causing more harm than good for her dad and other residents who are mostly confined to their rooms .
That 's where she fears 96-year-old Graham Drew will die alone .
`` It 's very hard because he 's getting depressed .
He 's sad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's been a very social person all his life , '' Drew said of the man known for his sense of humour and love of singing songs like `` Take Me Out to the Ball Game . ''
The National Institute on Ageing said families in British Columbia are enduring the most restrictive visitation policies compared with long-term care homes anywhere else in the country .
The institute has issued guidelines to support the reopening of care homes to family caregivers and visitors , even during outbreaks .
• This Calgarian ditched the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Ontario ’ s endangered species changes could cause local extinctions , researchers say • Time is now for Canada ’ s public pension giants to invest in a safe climate future Drew said she and her sister and brother regularly visited their father since he moved to the care home three years ago .
They decided she would be the so-called designated visitor allowed to enter a common area once a week for 30 minutes though the Plexiglas barrier separating her from her father makes visits challenging because of his hearing loss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seniors in British Columbia , said the unintended consequences of tightened visiting policies have contributed to a spike in loneliness and depression for residents , as revealed in a survey by her office .
About 15,000 residents , families and members of the public participated in the survey this summer .
The findings released last month show a seven per cent rate of increase in antipsychotic use , and a three per cent jump in antidepressant use between March and September for residents who have struggled to cope without adequate contact with their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about is : ' I need more help .
I want somebody to help me to the toilet .
I want somebody to help me eat .
I want somebody who 's going to sit and listen to me , ' '' Mackenzie said .
The lack of an association that represents residents and their families at the 300 care homes in B.C .
means they do n't have a voice in policy discussions between the government , care-home operators and unions for staff , she said .
Mackenzie has called on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ council association , similar to one in Ontario , that would be included in future consultations on issues affecting residents of long-term care and assisted living facilities .
A plastic barrier sits on a table between Debbie Drew and her father during their visits in the reception area of a long-term care home where the first Canadian died of # COVID19 .
# seniors # LongTermCare # cdnhealth # depression The Health Ministry did not respond directly to an inquiry about whether it would consider the creation of such an association , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of family councils that exist at licensed facilities .
Not all care homes have councils , and those that do are n't part of any collective group .
Mackenzie said care home operators are arbitrarily deciding who qualifies as an essential or designated visitor , with many facilities allowing only one or the other among regular family caregivers .
Dr. Bonnie Henry , the provincial health officer for B.C.
, said she understands the ongoing challenges families are facing when trying to visit their loved ones during a pandemic that has caused a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents .
`` We 've been quite clear on what an essential visitor is and recognize the importance of essential visitors and have been working to ensure that the guidance is applied appropriately and consistently , '' she said .
Families have the right to appeal any decision to the manager of a facility and to the BC Patient Safety and Quality Council , Henry said .
Mackenzie said about 80 per cent of residents had no visits between March and June as care-home operators decided whether they met the criteria for an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we got into the summer months , we had far more restrictions in B.C .
than any of the other provinces . ''
At the very least , care homes should permit one visitor to see residents in their room , something that is not happening at most facilities , Mackenzie said .
`` I 've run a care home .
I ca n't imagine the nightmare of having to co-ordinate visits in a common area , '' she said .
Dr. Samir Sinha , director of geriatrics at Sinai Health System and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the impact of visitor restrictions on long-term care residents whose family caregivers are a big part of their lives has been lost amid the focus on daily COVID-19 case counts .
`` How many families are we putting in extreme distress and turmoil ?
How many residents are we actually making suffer even more because of overly excessive kinds of restrictions ? ''
Sinha , who is also director of health policy research at the National Institute on Ageing at Ryerson University in Toronto , said restricted access to visiting , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risks of COVID-19 infection with the risks of social isolation .
The need for that balance is one of the principles in the institute 's guideline , which says all long-term care residents should be given the same access to visitors .
That 's all the more important due to chronic staffing shortages that have been highlighted during the pandemic , Sinha said .
`` If we do it in certain ways , we should be able to facilitate a lot more visits and a lot higher level of socialization because a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of loneliness , and that 's the biggest travesty of all . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 27 , 2020 .

A plastic barrier sits on a table between Debbie Drew and her father during their visits in the reception area of a long-term care home where the first Canadian died of COVID-19. Nine months later, Drew said visiting restrictions that were initially needed at facilities like the Lynn Valley Care Centre are now causing more harm than good for her dad and other residents who are mostly confined to their rooms. That's where she fears 96-year-old Graham Drew will die alone. "It's very hard because he's getting depressed. He's sad. He needs the socialization because he's been a very social person all his life," Drew said of the man known for his sense of humour and love of singing songs like "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." The National Institute on Ageing said families in British Columbia are enduring the most restrictive visitation policies compared with long-term care homes anywhere else in the country. The institute has issued guidelines to support the reopening of care homes to family caregivers and visitors, even during outbreaks.
Drew said she and her sister and brother regularly visited their father since he moved to the care home three years ago. They decided she would be the so-called designated visitor allowed to enter a common area once a week for 30 minutes though the Plexiglas barrier separating her from her father makes visits challenging because of his hearing loss. Isobel Mackenzie, the advocate for seniors in British Columbia, said the unintended consequences of tightened visiting policies have contributed to a spike in loneliness and depression for residents, as revealed in a survey by her office. About 15,000 residents, families and members of the public participated in the survey this summer. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The findings released last month show a seven per cent rate of increase in antipsychotic use, and a three per cent jump in antidepressant use between March and September for residents who have struggled to cope without adequate contact with their family caregivers.
"What they talked about is: 'I need more help. I want somebody to help me to the toilet. I want somebody to help me eat. I want somebody who's going to sit and listen to me,'" Mackenzie said. A plastic barrier sits on a table between Debbie Drew and her father during their visits in the reception area of a long-term care home where the first Canadian died of #COVID19. #seniors #LongTermCare #cdnhealth #depression The lack of an association that represents residents and their families at the 300 care homes in B.C. means they don't have a voice in policy discussions between the government, care-home operators and unions for staff, she said. Mackenzie has called on the B.C. government to establish a family council association, similar to one in Ontario, that would be included in future consultations on issues affecting residents of long-term care and assisted living facilities. The Health Ministry did not respond directly to an inquiry about whether it would consider the creation of such an association, saying only that it recognizes the important role of family councils that exist at licensed facilities. Not all care homes have councils, and those that do aren't part of any collective group.
Mackenzie said care home operators are arbitrarily deciding who qualifies as an essential or designated visitor, with many facilities allowing only one or the other among regular family caregivers. Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer for B.C., said she understands the ongoing challenges families are facing when trying to visit their loved ones during a pandemic that has caused a disproportionate number of deaths among long-term care residents. "We've been quite clear on what an essential visitor is and recognize the importance of essential visitors and have been working to ensure that the guidance is applied appropriately and consistently," she said.


nationalobserver--2020-12-28--Contagious new COVID-19 comes to Canada

Contagious new COVID-19 comes to Canada

A contagious new strain of the virus that causes COVID-19 has infiltrated two more regions of Canada , health officials said Sunday , a day after announcing the country 's first cases of the variant had been detected .
The strain of the novel coronavirus has now been found in Ottawa and the Vancouver Island area of B.C.
, public health authorities said .
Both patients had recently returned from the U.K. , where the variant was first detected .
`` This further reinforces the need for Ontarians to stay home as much as possible and continue to follow all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shutdown measures , '' said Dr. Barbara Yaffe , Ontario 's associate chief medical officer of health .
Ontario reported Canada 's first two known cases of the virus on Saturday in a couple from Durham Region , just east of Toronto .
• This Calgarian ditched the oilpatch for a career in sustainable energy • Ontario ’ s endangered species changes could cause local extinctions , researchers say • Time is now for Canada ’ s public pension giants to invest in a safe climate future Public Health Ontario announced Sunday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple had been in contact with someone who recently returned from the U.K .
The agency had initially said the couple had no known history of travel or contact with people who had recently travelled .
Public Health Ontario said it is screening large volumes of positive COVID-19 samples to investigate how prevalent the U.K. variant is in the province .
But health officials are not planning to report the different strains out separately in provincial summary reports .
The Public Health Agency of Canada said while early data suggests the new variant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no evidence the variant causes more severe symptoms or impacts vaccine effectiveness .
The Ontario government noted on Saturday that the discovery of the variant was “ not unexpected ” due to international travel .
The provincial government said it is prepared to start a COVID-19 testing program in airports but is calling for support from the federal government .
More cases of # UK # COVID19 variant found in # Canada .
News of the new cases came as Ontario and Quebec both recorded more than 2,000 diagnoses of the virus Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 18 new deaths , while Quebec announced 2,291 new infections and 12 more deaths .
They said 6,783 new cases of COVID-19 and 110 additional deaths linked to the novel coronavirus have been reported since Thursday .
The three-day total came after the province did not publish data on the number of new infections or deaths on Friday or Saturday .
Meanwhile , Alberta 's chief medical officer said there were an estimated 500 new COVID-19 cases recorded on Boxing Day , but she cautioned the low number is a result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dr. Deena Hinshaw has been tweeting short COVID-19 updates over the last few days which contain estimated numbers of new cases .
She reported Alberta saw an estimated 1,200 new cases on Dec. 24 and about 900 on Christmas Day .
Health officials in Manitoba reported 524 new COVID-19 cases and 28 new deaths because of the virus .
The province said one of the deaths was a woman in her 30s from the Winnipeg health region while the rest were in their 60s or older .
In Atlantic Canada , New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases in the Moncton region .

A contagious new strain of the virus that causes COVID-19 has infiltrated two more regions of Canada, health officials said Sunday, a day after announcing the country's first cases of the variant had been detected. The strain of the novel coronavirus has now been found in Ottawa and the Vancouver Island area of B.C., public health authorities said. Both patients had recently returned from the U.K., where the variant was first detected. "This further reinforces the need for Ontarians to stay home as much as possible and continue to follow all public health advice, including the provincewide shutdown measures," said Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Ontario's associate chief medical officer of health. Ontario reported Canada's first two known cases of the virus on Saturday in a couple from Durham Region, just east of Toronto.
Public Health Ontario announced Sunday that after further investigation, they found the couple had been in contact with someone who recently returned from the U.K. The agency had initially said the couple had no known history of travel or contact with people who had recently travelled. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Public Health Ontario said it is screening large volumes of positive COVID-19 samples to investigate how prevalent the U.K. variant is in the province. But health officials are not planning to report the different strains out separately in provincial summary reports.
The Public Health Agency of Canada said while early data suggests the new variant may be more transmissible, there is no evidence the variant causes more severe symptoms or impacts vaccine effectiveness. More cases of #UK #COVID19 variant found in #Canada. The Ontario government noted on Saturday that the discovery of the variant was “not unexpected” due to international travel. The provincial government said it is prepared to start a COVID-19 testing program in airports but is calling for support from the federal government. News of the new cases came as Ontario and Quebec both recorded more than 2,000 diagnoses of the virus Sunday. Ontario reported 2,005 cases of COVID-19 and 18 new deaths, while Quebec announced 2,291 new infections and 12 more deaths.
They said 6,783 new cases of COVID-19 and 110 additional deaths linked to the novel coronavirus have been reported since Thursday. The three-day total came after the province did not publish data on the number of new infections or deaths on Friday or Saturday. Meanwhile, Alberta's chief medical officer said there were an estimated 500 new COVID-19 cases recorded on Boxing Day, but she cautioned the low number is a result of fewer tests being performed on Christmas Day.


nationalobserver--2020-12-28--Cheating a 'free-for-all' at virtual high schools

It took less than a month for students attending virtual school to devise new ways to cheat .
From texting friends on the sly to downloading apps that spit out answers , educators say the pandemic-induced move to an online classroom has offered up a wealth of tech-driven workarounds to actually doing the work .
Olivia Meleta , a high school math teacher in Thornhill , Ont.
, said she realized something was amiss in late September when several students learning virtually submitted tests with matching solutions — using a method she and her colleagues do n't teach .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing things , '' she said .
`` Their solution was about 20 steps ...
The process in class would have been around five or six . ''
A colleague explained what was likely going on , she said .
The students had apparently downloaded an app called Photomath , ostensibly meant to be a teaching tool .
• This Calgarian ditched the oilpatch for a career in sustainable energy • Ontario ’ s endangered species changes could cause local extinctions , researchers say • Time is now for Canada ’ s public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate future The app — one of several — scans a photo of a math problem and offers a step-by-step guide on how to solve it .
Photomath , which was founded in Croatia in 2014 , claims to have more than 150 million downloads globally , at least a million of them from teachers .
The company has created a `` best practices '' guide in collaboration with teachers to show how it can be incorporated into the classroom , a company spokeswoman said .
`` The guide focuses on three core @ @ @ @ @ @ @ classroom , providing a way to check homework assignments , and accelerating individual learning , '' Jennifer Lui said .
Mathway , a similar app , also boasts about `` millions of users and billions of problems solved . ''
Its purpose , it says , is to `` make quality on-demand math assistance accessible to all students . ''
And while experts say the software can be a legitimate teaching tool for students doing homework , teachers have had to find ways to safeguard tests against it .
It took less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ # school to devise new ways to cheat .
# COVID19 # Cheating # online Meleta , for instance , has downloaded Photomath and runs all of her test questions through it .
`` If it solved it exactly as I would — in other words , if I would n't be able to tell the difference — then I would not include that question , '' she said .
She 's also come up with ways to prevent some of the more conventional cheating methods , which have gotten a high-tech twist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There 's the new take on an old classic : copying answers from friends , now sent over text message rather than passed via paper note .
To mitigate this , Meleta writes four or five versions of the same test so students realize that sharing answers takes more time than it 's worth .
The drawback , of course , is that it takes up more of her time .
`` All my weekends , all my weekday evenings , were kind of eaten up , '' she said .
And Meleta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far .
There are some factors — like getting real-time answers from a tutor or math savant sibling — that ca n't be helped .
Anecdotally , she said , she 's seen an uptick in cheating since students started attending school remotely , though she noted it 's still a minority of students who partake .
`` It 's much easier , of course , when you 're not being monitored , '' she said .
`` Before , it was like , 'OK , if I try to look off of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to see me .
And I know that is wrong . '
'' Cheryl Costigan , who also teaches high school math in Thornhill , said her students are `` cheating a lot more than they ever have in the past . ''
`` It 's just a free-for-all .
Everybody 's cheating all the time , '' she said .
`` The very first test that we had , you could hear the cameras clicking , '' she said .
`` So they then smartened up and turned off the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell that the tests were all a group effort . ''
She , too , has noticed students using Photomath .
But it 's not just that .
She 's realized she ca n't use questions from old math textbooks on tests , because the answers are just a Google search away .
Costigan said she feels for the students , who are facing an unprecedented amount of stress .
The changes wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic are one aspect , she said , but the weight of parents ' expectations can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ putting stress that they want to get into university , '' she said .
`` So they kind of feel like they 've got to get that mark , and they really do n't care about the cheating anymore .
It 's just become second nature . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 27 , 2020 .

It took less than a month for students attending virtual school to devise new ways to cheat. From texting friends on the sly to downloading apps that spit out answers, educators say the pandemic-induced move to an online classroom has offered up a wealth of tech-driven workarounds to actually doing the work. Olivia Meleta, a high school math teacher in Thornhill, Ont., said she realized something was amiss in late September when several students learning virtually submitted tests with matching solutions — using a method she and her colleagues don't teach. "It was a very convoluted way of doing things," she said. "Their solution was about 20 steps ... The process in class would have been around five or six." A colleague explained what was likely going on, she said. The students had apparently downloaded an app called Photomath, ostensibly meant to be a teaching tool.
The app — one of several — scans a photo of a math problem and offers a step-by-step guide on how to solve it. Photomath, which was founded in Croatia in 2014, claims to have more than 150 million downloads globally, at least a million of them from teachers. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The company has created a "best practices" guide in collaboration with teachers to show how it can be incorporated into the classroom, a company spokeswoman said.
"The guide focuses on three core principles: reinforcing concepts learned in the classroom, providing a way to check homework assignments, and accelerating individual learning," Jennifer Lui said. It took less than a month for students attending #virtual #school to devise new ways to cheat. #COVID19 #Cheating #online Mathway, a similar app, also boasts about "millions of users and billions of problems solved." Its purpose, it says, is to "make quality on-demand math assistance accessible to all students." And while experts say the software can be a legitimate teaching tool for students doing homework, teachers have had to find ways to safeguard tests against it. Meleta, for instance, has downloaded Photomath and runs all of her test questions through it. "If it solved it exactly as I would — in other words, if I wouldn't be able to tell the difference — then I would not include that question," she said.
She's also come up with ways to prevent some of the more conventional cheating methods, which have gotten a high-tech twist in the era of Zoom school. There's the new take on an old classic: copying answers from friends, now sent over text message rather than passed via paper note. To mitigate this, Meleta writes four or five versions of the same test so students realize that sharing answers takes more time than it's worth.


nationalobserver--2020-12-24--Prisoner advocates say inmates are at 'grave risk' and need speedy access to COVID-19 vaccine

Advocates say inmates should have speedy access to the COVID-19 vaccine , given how susceptible prisons and jails have been to outbreaks and how prevalent chronic disease is in that population .
`` I do n't think they should go to the front of the line , but I certainly do n't think they should be denied their rightful place in the priority line simply because they 're prisoners , '' said Catherine Latimer , executive director of the John Howard Society of Canada .
The Correctional Service of Canada said that , as of Monday , there were a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal prisons .
The bulk were at Joyceville Institution near Kingston , Ont.
, Stony Mountain Institution near Winnipeg and the Saskatchewan Penitentiary near Prince Albert .
There have also been several outbreaks in provincially run jails .
Martha Paynter , a registered nurse in Halifax who provides reproductive care to inmates , said hygiene and ventilation in correctional institutions are issues at the best of times .
• This Calgarian ditched the oilpatch for a career in sustainable energy • Ontario ’ s endangered species changes could cause local extinctions , researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s public pension giants to invest in a safe climate future There is also high turnover in remand centres and staff are constantly coming and going , she added .
Inmates are `` living in this incredibly restrictive experience , but also facing very grave risk of illness transmission , '' said Paynter , a doctoral candidate at Dalhousie University .
Inmates 50 and older account for one-quarter of the federal prison population .
Advocates note people age faster behind bars and are in poorer health than the general public .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quick access to the vaccines , '' said Paynter , who added that some might not trust the shots due to bad experiences with health care behind bars .
She said the bigger issue is why there are so many people incarcerated in the first place .
`` What are we choosing to police ?
What are we choosing to criminalize ? ''
Advocates say # inmates are at grave risk and need speedy access to the # COVID19 # vaccine .
# prisons # jails Anita Ho , associate professor in bioethics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of British Columbia , noted Indigenous people are disproportionately represented in the corrections system .
`` In general , health among Indigenous peoples in Canada , because of various social determinants of health , are poorer to start with , '' she said .
The National Advisory Committee on Immunizations recommends adult Indigenous communities be included in Stage 1 of vaccine delivery .
It recommends congregate settings , including correctional facilities , be included in Stage 2 .
Priority groups such as long-term care residents and health-care workers began receiving doses earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officer for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority , said criteria for who gets the vaccine in Manitoba in the new year will be expanded to include “ correctional facilities , '' but did not specify whether that would be inmates , staff or both .
Other provinces have not detailed their plans .
Ontario 's Ministry of the Solicitor General said it will be looking at the availability of doses and would carry out immunizations `` based on the latest medical advice and scientific evidence . ''
Saskatchewan Health Minister Paul Merriman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on what the needs are at that specific time and ... the amount of vaccines that we have flowing into the province . ''
In Alberta , chief medical health officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw said , `` We 'll have a clear ethical dimension that we need to make sure we 're considering . ''
The Correctional Service of Canada was to provide comment later Thursday .
University of Toronto bioethicist Kerry Bowman said there was a consensus about who would receive the first batch of vaccines , but determining who should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's not clear whether the goal of the second phase will be to boost the economy or to reach more vulnerable people .
In the United States , there has been some pushback against inmates getting dibs earlier .
`` There ’ s no way it ’ s going to go to prisoners before it goes to the people who haven ’ t committed any crime , '' Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis said after the state 's vaccination rollout plan was criticized .
Bowman said that kind of argument is neither scientifically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very dangerous precedent in any society when you start saying these lives are more valuable than those lives . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 24 , 2020 .
— With files from Fakiha Baig in Edmonton and Shawn Jeffords in Toronto

Advocates say inmates should have speedy access to the COVID-19 vaccine, given how susceptible prisons and jails have been to outbreaks and how prevalent chronic disease is in that population. "I don't think they should go to the front of the line, but I certainly don't think they should be denied their rightful place in the priority line simply because they're prisoners," said Catherine Latimer, executive director of the John Howard Society of Canada. The Correctional Service of Canada said that, as of Monday, there were a total of 201 active COVID-19 cases in federal prisons. The bulk were at Joyceville Institution near Kingston, Ont., Stony Mountain Institution near Winnipeg and the Saskatchewan Penitentiary near Prince Albert. There have also been several outbreaks in provincially run jails. Martha Paynter, a registered nurse in Halifax who provides reproductive care to inmates, said hygiene and ventilation in correctional institutions are issues at the best of times.
There is also high turnover in remand centres and staff are constantly coming and going, she added. Inmates are "living in this incredibly restrictive experience, but also facing very grave risk of illness transmission," said Paynter, a doctoral candidate at Dalhousie University. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Inmates 50 and older account for one-quarter of the federal prison population. Advocates note people age faster behind bars and are in poorer health than the general public.
"Of course this population should have very quick access to the vaccines," said Paynter, who added that some might not trust the shots due to bad experiences with health care behind bars. Advocates say #inmates are at grave risk and need speedy access to the #COVID19 #vaccine. #prisons #jails She said the bigger issue is why there are so many people incarcerated in the first place. "What are we choosing to police? What are we choosing to criminalize?" Anita Ho, associate professor in bioethics and health services research at the University of British Columbia, noted Indigenous people are disproportionately represented in the corrections system. "In general, health among Indigenous peoples in Canada, because of various social determinants of health, are poorer to start with," she said.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunizations recommends adult Indigenous communities be included in Stage 1 of vaccine delivery. It recommends congregate settings, including correctional facilities, be included in Stage 2. Priority groups such as long-term care residents and health-care workers began receiving doses earlier this month. Dr. Joss Reimer, medical health officer for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, said criteria for who gets the vaccine in Manitoba in the new year will be expanded to include “correctional facilities," but did not specify whether that would be inmates, staff or both.


nationalobserver--2020-12-29--Regina's Mosaic Stadium's football field flooded for free, pandemic friendly skating

The operators of Regina 's Mosaic Stadium have come up with a novel way to give people who want to skate plenty of space for social distancing .
On Monday , out of the blue , the Regina Exhibition Association announced it had flooded the surface of the field where football is normally played , and was taking reservations for free public skating sessions that will begin on New Year 's Eve .
The field , which is home turf for the Saskatchewan Roughriders , had a hockey rink on it in October 2019 for the NHL Heritage Classic game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is six times larger and covers the entire field .
President and CEO Tim Reid said workers have been setting up the outdoor rink , dubbed `` Iceville , '' all December , but the organization did n't publicly announce they were doing it .
`` We kept it relatively quiet because we were n't entirely sure we could do it , '' Reid said in an interview Monday , noting that it was n't all that hard to keep a secret .
• This Calgarian ditched the oilpatch for a career in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t hardwired to respond well to crises `` Not many people want to go check out a CFL football stadium in the heart of winter . ''
Reservations are required for the 45-minute sessions , and a maximum of 30 people can be on the ice at any single time .
Sports such as figure skating , hockey and ringette are not allowed .
Neither are personal listening devices , because skaters ca n't hear others skating near them or respond to emergencies .
Groups of six are allowed , but skaters are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups .
Masks are n't required because it 's outdoors , but the Exhibition Association still recommends them .
Reid said the organization has worked closely with Saskatchewan health officials .
`` They really like this idea because it actually could be controlled , '' he said .
The operators of # Regina 's Mosaic Stadium have come up with a novel way to give people who want to skate plenty of space for # SocialDistancing .
# Covid19 # skating After only a couple of hours of taking reservations on Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Jan. 5 .
It 's anticipated the ice will be open until Feb. 28 .
`` I think having the opportunity to go for a skate at Mosaic Stadium is a little bit of positive that many of us could use right now , '' Reid said .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 28 , 2020 .

The operators of Regina's Mosaic Stadium have come up with a novel way to give people who want to skate plenty of space for social distancing.
On Monday, out of the blue, the Regina Exhibition Association announced it had flooded the surface of the field where football is normally played, and was taking reservations for free public skating sessions that will begin on New Year's Eve.
The field, which is home turf for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, had a hockey rink on it in October 2019 for the NHL Heritage Classic game. But this time the ice surface is six times larger and covers the entire field.
President and CEO Tim Reid said workers have been setting up the outdoor rink, dubbed "Iceville," all December, but the organization didn't publicly announce they were doing it.
"We kept it relatively quiet because we weren't entirely sure we could do it," Reid said in an interview Monday, noting that it wasn't all that hard to keep a secret.


nationalobserver--2020-12-29--Poll reveals low levels of satisfaction over Prairie premiers handling of pandemic

A new poll suggests the premiers of Canada ’ s three Prairie provinces are lagging counterparts from the rest of the country when it comes to how local residents feel they are managing the COVID-19 pandemic .
The poll from Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies found 30 per cent of respondents in Alberta were satisfied with the job Premier Jason Kenney was doing when it comes to COVID-19 – the lowest level of satisfaction for Canada 's 10 provincial leaders .
Kenney has faced criticism in recent weeks for resisting calls to impose lockdowns even as Alberta contended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which at one point saw it have more active cases than Ontario .
Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister , whose province has also been battered by new infections during the second wave of COVID-19 , fared slightly better than Kenney with 31 per cent of provincial respondents approving of his management of the pandemic .
Pallister ’ s government faced heavy criticism after testing capacity and contact tracing initially failed to keep up with demand as case numbers spiked .
For much of the fall , Manitoba led all other provinces in new infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the oilpatch for a career in sustainable energy • Why humans aren ’ t hardwired to respond well to crises The only other premier with less than 50 per cent satisfaction was Saskatchewan 's Scott Moe at 39 per cent .
Moe 's government has also been criticized for not responding sooner to a steady increase in infections in the province .
Meanwhile , just over half of respondents from Ontario approved of the job that Premier Doug Ford was doing .
In neighbouring Quebec , 55 per cent of respondents in that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In .
British Columbia , Premier John Horgan 's handling of the pandemic garnered a thumbs-up from 59 per cent of respondents .
Premiers in the Atlantic provinces , which have seen relatively few COVID-19 cases since March , fared the best , with Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil coming out on top with 78 per cent of local respondents approving of his management of the pandemic .
The online poll of 3,801 Canadians was conducted Dec. 4 to Dec. 20 , but can not be assigned a margin of error because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Poll suggests low levels of satisfaction over # Prairie premiers handling of # pandemic .
# COVID19 Poll participants were also asked how they felt about their provincial leaders ' record in several other areas , including their approach to the environment , support to vulnerable people and management of provincial finances .
Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King fared the best across nearly all of those categories , while Kenney and Pallister were at the bottom .
Leaders were also assessed on their trustworthiness , transparency , decisiveness , communication , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the numbers compiled to create what Leger describes as a `` leadership score . ''
King once again came out on top by that measurement with a score of eight out of 10 followed by Legault at 7.1 and McNeil with 6.9 .
Kenney and Pallister brought up the rear with 5.2 and 5.3 , respectively .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 29 , 2020 .

A new poll suggests the premiers of Canada’s three Prairie provinces are lagging counterparts from the rest of the country when it comes to how local residents feel they are managing the COVID-19 pandemic.
The poll from Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies found 30 per cent of respondents in Alberta were satisfied with the job Premier Jason Kenney was doing when it comes to COVID-19 – the lowest level of satisfaction for Canada's 10 provincial leaders.
Kenney has faced criticism in recent weeks for resisting calls to impose lockdowns even as Alberta contended with a surge of new infections, which at one point saw it have more active cases than Ontario.
Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister, whose province has also been battered by new infections during the second wave of COVID-19, fared slightly better than Kenney with 31 per cent of provincial respondents approving of his management of the pandemic.
Pallister’s government faced heavy criticism after testing capacity and contact tracing initially failed to keep up with demand as case numbers spiked. For much of the fall, Manitoba led all other provinces in new infections per capita.