FX Empire
October 23, 2020, 9:25 a.m. ·6 min read
This article was originally posted on FX Empire
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Vaccin : À qui le tour?
Plusieurs citoyens contactent le journal au sujet de la manière d'obtenir un rendez-vous pour être vacciné en priorité contre la COVID-19. Parmi eux, on compte des aînés qui ne vivent pas en institution et des personnes de moins de 60 ans aux prises avec une maladie chronique, inquiètes de s'exposer au virus. Même si ces gens conçoivent que l'attente pourrait s'étendre jusqu'à l'été ou à l'automne, ils se disent craintifs d'être « oubliés » dans le processus. Hélène et son conjoint ont 82 et 78 ans. Ils vivent dans un immeuble de 18 logements qui seraient habités essentiellement par des personnes âgées. « Nous attendons toujours le vaccin (...) À quand notre tour? » Elle dit vouloir qu'elle et son conjoint soient vaccinés au plus vite, car elle estime qu'ils sont « très vulnérables ». Louise, quant à elle, craint de contracter la COVID-19, alors qu'elle est atteinte de sclérose en plaques, ce qui en fait une personne aux prises avec une maladie chronique, incluse dans le huitième groupe vulnérable ciblé. Une patiente en oncologie, suivie pour un cancer, raconte aussi qu'elle appréhende avec inquiétude l'idée de se rendre à ses rendez-vous de suivi à l'hôpital, alors qu'elle n'a pas été vaccinée au préalable. « Actuellement, nous vaccinons les travailleurs de la santé prioritaires (les personnes œuvrant en CHSLD, ressources intermédiaires, ressources de type familial et milieu hospitalier notamment) ainsi que les résidants des ressources intermédiaires et de type familial. Dès que nous serons prêts à vacciner les personnes dans la population faisant partie des groupes prioritaires, nous allons vous en informer et prendre les moyens appropriés pour informer ces clientèles », nous indique Chantal Vallée, agente d'information au CISSS de la Montérégie-Centre. Le gouvernement du Québec a indiqué d'autre part, la semaine dernière, que pour multiplier le nombre de vaccination il y aurait jusqu'à 90 jours entre la première dose et la deuxième. Chloé-Anne Touma, Initiative de journalisme local, Le Journal de Chambly
Now You Know The Rest of the Story
Recently Yorkton This Week wrote an article about political figures taking Christmas vacations outside of Saskatchewan, entitled 'Saltcoats Mayor and Municipalities of Sask. president in Hawaii'. As a result of this article, and a myriad of similar articles from other news sources, Cabinet Members have been stepping down from their position; not only in Saskatchewan but across the nation. Restrictions allow for the freedom of going on a flight, even an international one, but they also demand a strict set of protocols when passengers depart and arrive back in Canada. Thousands of Canadians have travelled to Hawaii since December 1st, according to a report cited by the Calgary Herald. A recent article by Stephanie Babych reported, "Since Dec. 1, 2,824 visitors have jetted to Hawaii from Calgary's airport, according to an online portal from the U.S. state on Sunday. More than 80 percent of these travellers cited 'pleasure/vacation' as their reason for the trip. Another 2,058 travellers departed from Vancouver International directly to Hawaii, 21 from Lester B. Pearson International and 15 from Edmonton International." Certain members of the public have voiced their concern regarding politicians travelling during a time when restrictions are heightened. While restrictions have increased, travel is allowed if strict protocols are followed. Of these nearly 5000 Canadians who travelled, most were not asked to leave their positions of employment. Gordon Barnhart, President of the Municipalities of Sask. and Mayor of Saltcoats was contacted to hear first hand his side of the story by the Four-Town Journal, to which Barnhart shared the experience of he and his and his wife, Naomi when travelling during COVID-19 and the nature of their Christmas vacation to Hawaii. Mr. Barnhart offered, "For the last nine years, Naomi and I have spent Christmas and January in Maui. This year with COVID-19, we took extra precautions to ensure that our health and the health of those around us would be safe." Explaining the precautions he had to meet in order to travel, Gordon said, " In order to enter Maui, it is required by Hawaiian state law that you have a Covid test done at pre-approved labs in Calgary. We took extra precautions to ensure we were free of Covid before flying to Calgary. We took the test with a negative result. After registering this result with the Hawaiian Ministry of Health, we received clearance to board the Air Canada flight to Maui." The Mayor of Saltcoats added, "It was reassuring to know that all 182 passengers on that flight were Covid free. We all wore masks and followed the health requirements. On arrival in Maui, with the lab test results in hand, we were welcomed and were not required to self-isolate." Now that he is safe and healthy in Hawaii, he has been able to enjoy cycling, swimming and the beautiful sunshine. "Other than a weekly visit to grocery stores, we do not have direct contact with anyone." Gordon said, "This is our usual lifestyle in Maui even before Covid. The stat on new Covid cases for the island of Maui has been in the range of 30 new cases per day. By taking the usual precautions and the low Covid count, we feel very safe here. We will again take the Covid test and will self isolate for 14 days on returning to Saskatchewan." Mr. Barnhart understands the importance of being cautious and staying protected. "We are both supporters of taking precautions to stop the spread of Covid. With the above-mentioned testing and careful lifestyle, we believe that we have done our very best to protect ourselves and those around us." Responsibility is a priority for Barnhart, which he demonstrated by informing all members around him that needed to be privy to his flight plans. Gordon explained, "Before leaving for our vacation, I discussed with the Saltcoats Council and Administration how we could keep in contact while away. While in Maui, we both have been keeping up with work by email and phone, FaceTime and zoom. As Mayor of Saltcoats, I am in touch with Councillors and Administration on a daily basis. Arrangements have been made for me to fulfill my administrative duties by distance and I have been able to Chair Council Meetings by Zoom. I take my role as Mayor very seriously and believe I have been able to fulfill my duties to the best of my ability while still taking a holiday with my wife." The Municipalities of Saskatchewan President ended by saying, "We look forward to meeting our friends and colleagues in person on our return and after the required period of self-isolation." Even though the Barnhart family travelled, they followed all COVID protocols of pre-testing, social distancing, masking in public areas and self-isolation, Gordon was still able to conduct his responsibilities to the Municipalities of Saskatchewan as well as to the community of Saltcoats. Gary Horseman, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Four-Town Journal
RICHMOND, Va. — Two Virginia Democratic lawmakers are spearheading a push to repeal a decades-old law that allows the state to hold certain sex offenders at psychiatric facilities indefinitely after their criminal sentences if they are deemed "sexually violent predators." Critics say civil commitment laws are fundamentally unfair and violate the constitutional prohibition against punishing someone twice for the same crime. Supporters counter that the laws protect society from repeat offenders who are unable to control their behaviour. Sen. Joe Morrissey and Del. Patrick Hope, both Democrats, are co-sponsoring legislation that would end the state's authority to civilly commit sex offenders. "It is as archaic and as Neanderthal a process as I can imagine," said Morrissey, a defence attorney and lead patron of the bill that would repeal 1999's Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators Act. "We don't sentence people because of what they might do," he said. "That's abhorrent to everything that our democracy and our criminal justice system believes in." Twenty states and the federal government now have civil commitment laws, which have been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Morrissey's bill is drawing criticism from Republicans and raising eyebrows among some Democrats who believe the state should retain the ability to commit the most serious sex offenders. "The civil commitment of sexual predators appears to be well within constitutional bounds, and there is no reason to believe it's not working to make sure that dangerous people do not have access to future victims as long as they remain a threat to the public," said House Republican Leader Todd Gilbert. The process begins with an initial screening by the Department of Correction. Based on that, offenders deemed likely to reoffend are given a psychological evaluation and additional review by an interagency committee. That group then makes a recommendation on whether the state attorney general should seek civil commitment. A judge or a jury makes the ultimate decision on whether to commit or release an offender. Offenders who are committed are sent to the Virginia Center for Behavioral Rehabilitation, where about 405 people are currently housed and a 258-bed expansion is underway. Attorney General Mark Herring's office says inmates are placed in a "secure, intensive, inpatient sex offender treatment program," while critics say it's a place where sex offenders are forced to serve a second prison term. Offenders are entitled to an annual review hearing for the first five years and every two years after that, when a court decides whether the person remains sexually dangerous and needs to stay at the facility or can be released with monitoring and supervision. Since 2003 — when the law was first funded by the legislature — through October 2020, Virginia had a total of 689 civil commitments after final disposition as a sexually violent predator. During that same time period, the state granted 410 conditional releases from civil commitment. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services said the recidivism rate for people released from the centre is currently estimated at about 2%. "If you look at our discharge numbers, despite claims, people are not held here indefinitely. They receive good treatment and it results in a reduction in recidivism and safety in the community," said Facility Director Jason Wilson. Critics say the process of deciding who will be committed is rife with speculation by state-hired experts trying to predict who will commit crimes in the future. Galen Baughman has spent years trying to repeal civil commitment laws around the country. Baughman spent 6 1/2 years in prison after pleading guilty to nonviolent sexual misconduct involving offences that occurred when he was 14 and 19. As he was completing his sentence, the state moved for civil commitment, and he was held for another 2 1/2 years while awaiting a trial. The jury found he was not a "sexually violent predator" and he was released on probation. Four years later, he was arrested on a technical probation violation after he exchanged text messages with a teenage boy he met at the funeral of a mutual friend. Baughman, who is gay, said there was no sexual content in his text messages with the heterosexual boy. The state moved to revoke his probation, and a judge sentenced Baughman to 21 months in jail. When the state then tried to civilly commit Baughman for a second time, a psychologist hired by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services found that Baughman was not a "sexually violent predator." But Attorney General Mark Herring then retained another psychologist who said Baughman met the criteria to be labelled sexually dangerous. In 2019, the jury, which was not allowed to hear testimony from two defence psychiatrists or from the first expert who found that Baughman was not dangerous, found that Baughman was eligible for commitment as a sexually violent predator. Baughman has asked the Supreme Court of Virginia to hear his appeal. "This is anyone's worst nightmare — getting locked up, with no exit, with the government claiming it's 'treating' you," he said. "The state is trying to punish you for what you might do in the future. This turns the Constitution upside down." Denise Lavoie, The Associated Press
All MUN staff returning to campus Feb. 1
Memorial University is sending its staff back to campuses at the beginning of February. "Memorial's campuses are safe," reads a media release issued on behalf of Mark Abrahams, academic vice-president, and Kent Decker, administration and finance vice-president. "The university has followed all public health guidelines and implemented measures to ensure the return to campus is a positive experience." It was in November when MUN announced a phased-in return to campus for its employees that started Nov. 23. At that time, some non-academic staff returned for a minimum of two days a week. MUN says the current risk of COVID-19 in the province is low and points to the vaccine program underway. "The short spike in cases in November did not continue and has since decreased.… The health and safety of the campus community continues to lead decision-making," says the statement. As of Monday afternoon, Newfoundland and Labrador had six active cases of COVID-19. If cases increase or community spread becomes an issue, the university could revert back to staff working remotely. Tuesday's announcement relates only to staff returning, not students. Only limited exceptions The expanded return applies to all staff, but there are a few exceptions, according to the university, based on density requirements, medical accommodations, work-from-home pilot programs and business continuity planning for essential functions and services. The vast majority of employees who are heading back to campus should get in touch with their supervisor to figure out their next steps, says MUN. For example, there may be a staggered approach so not everyone is walking back into the buildings on Feb. 1. "The university has followed all public health guidelines and implemented measures to ensure the return to campus is a positive experience.… Empathy during this transition is crucial," reads Tuesday's statement. MUN's COVID-19 website has been updated with new information for staff returning. Parking, food and tunnels The St. John's campus will have some food options in the University Centre, but it will be limited. Grenfell Campus does not. The Marine Institute's cafeteria is operating 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Parking permits for the St. John's campus and Signal Hill campus were previously waived for the rest of the winter semester. Grenfell Campus and Marine Institute will issue permits, but there will be no charge, says MUN. However, meter and pay-per-use parking lots are still being enforced. All buildings, tunnels and pedways will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. Offices should be open and accessible to students, says MUN, but virtual meetings are still preferred. Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
Bank of America 4Q profit falls 18% on lower interest rates
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bank of America's fourth-quarter profits fell 18% from a year ago, as lower interest rates weighed down its results. However the bank was able to release more than $800 million from its credit reserves, a sign that it sees the U.S. economy improving in the coming months. The North Carolina-based bank said Tuesday that it earned a profit of $5.47 billion, or 59 cents a share, down from $6.99 billion, or 74 cents per share, in the same period a year earlier. Analysts were expecting BofA to earn 56 cents a share, according to Zacks Investment Research. Like its Wall Street competitors, Bank of America was able to release hundreds of millions of dollars from its loan-loss reserves — money the bank had set aside earlier in the pandemic to cover loans that might be now be unpayable. But as the economy has relatively improved, banks have been able to free up some of those reserves. In the quarter, BofA released $828 million from its credit reserves. This type of release goes straight to a bank's bottom line, but it's largely because the money was moved out of an escrow-like account and was now free to be used again. Low interest rates were the biggest drag on BofA's results compared to last year. The Federal Reserve sharply cut rates once the pandemic hit. Bank of America's balance sheet is heavily weighted toward short-term interest rates, so it was hit harder than the rest of its competitors. Interest revenue in the quarter dropped from $12.14 billion to $10.25 billion. In a separate release, Bank of America's board of directors announced the bank would buy back $2.9 billion worth of stock in the upcoming quarter as well as pay a quarterly dividend of 18 cent per share. Share buyback had been on hold through much of last year when the Federal Reserve required all large banks to hold onto cash to brace for the economic downturn caused by the pandemic. Ken Sweet, The Associated Press
2 members of Canada's snowboard delegation test positive for COVID-19
Two members of Canada's snowboard delegation preparing to compete at an international event in Switzerland have tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the entire Canadian men's slopestyle team to miss the event. They have been put into isolation and will not be competing in the annual Laax Open — an event that has massive Olympic qualifying ramifications this year. "This is to inform you that two members of the Canadian delegation have tested positive for Covid-19 at the Laax Open, which is hosting FIS Snowboard halfpipe and slopestyle competitions this week," the governing body posted to one of its press releases. "At this point, the Canadian men's slopestyle team has been put into isolation and will not participate in the Laax Open. In agreement with the FIS Event Task Force, all competitions will proceed as scheduled." Details are limited around what restrictions and protocols were in place to ensure the safety of the athletes competing, but on the International Ski Federation website it says, "a huge amount of time, energy, and infrastructure has been put in place to ensure the riders on hand are able to get down to business in the safest and most secure way possible at this all-important Olympic qualifying event." Canada's top snowboarders were there to compete in the event —Mark McMorris, Seb Toutant and Max Parrot are all part of Canada's men's slopestyle team and are in Switzerland. They had been posting to their social media in recent days about preparing for the event. They are all now in isolation. Toutant won this event last season and was one of the favourites to win this year's event. Event still going forward While the Canadian team is out, the event is still going forward as scheduled. The men's slopestyle qualification is taking place Tuesday, followed by the men's and women's semifinals on Wednesday, and finals on Friday. The men's field includes 60 competitors from around the world — that number is now smaller due to the Canadians being out of the event. This all comes just weeks before Calgary is planned to host hundreds of international skiers and snowboarders. The 2021 freestyle ski, snowboard and freeski world championships, as well as a number of World Cup events, are provisionally being rescheduled to be held starting Feb. 24 and running until the middle of March. At this point, the Government of Alberta still has not approved the event. Canada's snowboard and freestyle organizations are working with the appropriate Canadian authorities to obtain the necessary approvals. "We continue to work in close collaboration with key partners around the potential of creating a winter sport bubble in Calgary to host multiple international FIS Freestyle, Freeski, Snowboard events this winter," the federations wrote in an email to CBC Sports at the beginning of January. There would be a number of events taking place over a month of competition including slopestyle, big air, halfpipe and freestyle ski moguls, dual moguls, aerials, and aerials team events. With freestyle and snowboard events being cancelled across the world, the Calgary World Cup races could wind up playing a major factor in qualifying for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Spy Hill Discusses Landfill
On Monday, January 11, 2021, Mayor Atkinson called the Spy Hill council meeting to order at 8:30 A.M. First, a town worker gave her a report of what has happened with public works in the village. Carrying on, the council reviewed the minutes of the last meeting. Councillor A. Perrin made a motion to accept; motion carried. With the additions added to the agenda, the council moved on to review the bank reconciliation. Councillor Jack made a motion to accept the bank reconciliation which was carried. The council reviewed the town's accounts payable prior to Councillor A. Perrin making a motion to accept; motion carried. The December financial statement was reviewed prior to Councillor A. Perrin making a motion to accept them; motion carried. The Revenue Sharing Grant was discussed next and all requirements have been met. Councillor B. Parrin made a resolution for the grant which was carried. OLD BUSINESS The council has been approved for the landfill closure. The plan was submitted five months ago and the council will meet the requirements to continue. NEW BUSINESS The position of deputy mayor was decided to be done quarterly and alphabetically with a motion by A. Perrin; motion carried. A. Perrin was appointed as council representative with the fire department. Annual Public Disclosure forms were signed and submitted. Next, the council reviewed the annual rates charged by the village, Councillor A. Perrin made a motion to increase Councillor remuneration by $25 per month; motion carried, Councillor A. Perrin made a motion to change to Plan B for insurance coverage after a discussion on the various rates being charged by the village Councillor A. Perrin made a motion to accept the annual rates which were carried. The next meeting will be held on February 19th at 8:30 A.M. Gary Horseman, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Four-Town Journal
JOHANNESBURG — South Africa's trailblazing Black food writer Dorah Sitole's latest cookbook was widely hailed in December as a moving chronicle of her journey from humble township cook to famous, well-travelled author. The country's new Black celebrity chefs lined up to praise her as a mentor who encouraged them to succeed by highlighting what they knew best: tasty African food. Now they are mourning Sitole's death this month from COVID-19. She was 65. In "40 Years of Iconic Food," Sitole engagingly described how she quietly battled South Africa's racist apartheid system to find appreciation, and a market, for African cuisine. Her book became a holiday bestseller, purchased by Blacks and whites alike. Sitole's career started in 1980 at the height of apartheid when she was hired by a canned foods company to promote sales of their products by giving cooking classes in Black townships. She found that she loved the work. In 1987, Sitole became the country's first Black food writer when she was appointed food editor for True Love, one of the few publications for the country's Black majority. The magazine, and its competitor Drum, were known for giving Black writers, photographers and editors the freedom to write about the Black condition and experience. With stories that were about much more than food, Sitole described how traditional African dishes brought pleasure to families and communities in troubled times. She was known for her distinctive takes on well-known recipes and tips on how to make them on a budget. She won an avid readership and became a household name, even as South Africa's townships were roiled by anti-apartheid violence. When apartheid ended and Nelson Mandela became president in 1994, Sitole found new opportunities. She trained as a Cordon Bleu chef and got a diploma in marketing. She travelled across Africa to learn about the continent's cuisine, producing the book "Cooking from Cape to Cairo." In interviews, she pointed out her East African fish dish with basmati rice that she developed while travelling through that region, and the seafood samp recipe, which is basically a paella using chopped corn kernels instead of the traditional rice. In 2008, Sitole's success was acknowledged when she was appointed True Love's editor-in-chief. Sitole's warmth and generosity is credited with opening doors for many Black chefs, food writers and influencers who are thriving in South Africa today. "Mam (mother) Dorah's approach to food was a mixture of things. First, it was something that was driven by her background, she was very true to who she was," said Siba Mtongana, one of South Africa's brightest new chefs, who started out as food editor for Drum magazine and now has a television series and cookbooks. "She would take what we grew up eating and add a twist to them, and add flavours that we would not ordinarily have thought of putting together," said Mtongana who has opened a restaurant in Cape Town, featuring food from all over Africa. She said Sitole imbued her with a passion for exposing the world to Africa's many cuisines saying she loved describing to her readers what others enjoy eating across Africa, and around the world. Another chef who credits Sitole for assisting her is Khanya Mzongwana, a contributing editor for food retailer Woolworths' Taste magazine. "Mam Dorah wore so many hats — she was a writer, a creator, a mother, a friend, a real artist. I remember just how awesome it was to see a Black woman blazing trails in food media. Nobody was doing that," said Mzongwana. "What made Mam Dorah the best was definitely how she could fill a space with pleasantness," said Mzongwana. "She was so generous with her resources and wanted to see all of us — her daughters — win. Paying it forward in meaningful ways is something I saw Mam Dorah do first," she said. "She loved and respected everybody and made what seemed like such a wild dream appear so reachable and normal. She was one of the most impactful Black women in the food world." Sitole received numerous awards for her contribution to South African culture. In one of her last interviews, Sitole said the highlight of her four-decade career was her trip across the continent. "I had always wanted to travel through Africa and I had no clue what to expect," she said on Radio 702. "It was almost like you don't know what you are going into, and then you find it. I loved every moment and every country that I went to, I loved the food and the experience." Sitole is survived by her children Nonhlanhla, Phumzile and Ayanda. Mogomotsi Magome, The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Goldman Sachs said its profits more than doubled from a year earlier thanks to a surge in both trading and advising revenue. The New York-based investment bank said it earned a profit of $4.36 billion, or $12.08 per share, up from a profit of $1.72 billion, or $4.69 a share, in the same period a year earlier. The earnings were significantly better than the $7.45-per-share profit that analysts were expecting. Goldman's results reflect that Wall Street had a strong year, despite the pandemic and millions of Americans out of work. After plunging sharply in March and April, the stock market went basically straight up for seven months as investors tried to look beyond the near-term death and pain and focus on where the U.S. economy will be in a year or two years' time. Goldman's profits were driven higher by its investment bank and trading desks, the cornerstone to the bank's business models. Investment banking revenue was up 29% from a year earlier to $2.73 billion. The bank saw higher underwriting revenues — fees the bank collects to take companies public or underwrite debt they want to offer — as well as trading revenue, which rose 23% from a year earlier. The banks also saw revenue gains in its wealth management arm as well is nascent consumer banking business, which focuses on consumer loans, savings accounts as well as handling the underwriting for Apple's credit card. Like its competitors, Goldman also moved some of the money it had set aside to cover credit losses out of its reserves. However Goldman's exposure through consumer and business loans is significantly smaller than commercial banks like Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo so it wasn't a significant part of its overall results. The stellar quarter also will result in stellar bonuses for Goldman's well-compensated employees. The bank set aside $13.31 billion to pay out bonuses and payroll this year, up 8% from a year earlier. Most of Goldman's top employees make most of their money in year-end bonuses. Ken Sweet, The Associated Press
Family says late Roberta Place resident received 'wonderful' care despite outbreak pressures
Family members of a Roberta Place resident who died Friday evening say the Barrie long-term care home was clearly in need of help. "They're so woefully understaffed," said Jennifer Raedts. "It's like a ghost town in there." Her mother-in-law, Jean Raedts, passed away Friday evening at the age of 79. She had medical complications prior to being diagnosed with COVID-19 the previous Sunday. Over the weekend, the NDP called for the military to be summoned to help out at the Essa Road facility in south-end Barrie. Also over the weekend, Simcoe-Muskoka medical officer of health Dr. Charles Gardner issued an order under the Health Protection and Promotion Act to ensure Roberta Place's long-term care home gets the support necessary to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak, which was declared on Jan. 8. Staff from Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital will take a lead role. As of Sunday, nine COVID-positive Roberta Place residents have died. The health unit reported on Monday there were also 63 positive cases of the virus among residents at the home as well as 53 confirmed cases among team members. Gardner's order also directs that there be "sufficient staffing at all times to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak at the institution and ensure the development of an effective staffing recruitment plan for if/when same is necessary." Meanwhile, 71 Roberta Place residents who were not cases or ill, as well as eligible staff were vaccinated against COVID-19 on-site Saturday through the health unit's mobile immunization unit. Staff and essential caregivers of all long-term care homes in Simcoe-Muskoka have been receiving their vaccination at the COVID-19 Immunization Clinic in Barrie, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit advised. Members of the Canadian Red Cross have also been at the Essa Road facility assisting in the COVID outbreak. Additionally, staff from Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) were on-site last week and members of its infection prevention and control team are on site today. RVH's swab team is expected to return on Tuesday. On Twitter today, Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman said he was heartened to hear that a major effort is now underway to provide co-ordinated support, which also includes the Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care, the County of Simcoe and Georgian College. "While extensive support is being provided, it is an incredibly difficult time for the residents, staff and families of Roberta Place," the mayor tweeted. "I can only imagine the pain for all involved. The best thing we can do to help is do our part to stop community spread so it doesn't reach (long-term care)." Jennifer Raedts said the care her mother-in-law received at Roberta Place has been wonderful since she first arrived there following a stroke about 18 months ago. And that care continued during the last two days of the senior's life, although Raedts said she saw only one of the regular staff members she's come to know, and those who were working there were clearly quite busy. Raedts' husband, Gary, became his mom's essential caregiver in December and was the sole family member permitted to see her and help her in her room until a full lockdown was issued and visitors were prohibited. "They've been wonderful about sending emails… to keep us updated," said the daughter-in-law. As the deadly virus entered the facility, family members were notified and visitations stopped on Jan. 8. The Raedts were also asked if they could once again test Jean for COVID-19. The following Sunday, they received a call that Jean had tested positive for the virus and she was placed in isolation. She had a low-grade fever, but it was gone the next day and there were no obvious symptoms. On Thursday, however, Jean took a turn for the worse. Roberta Place staff reported to the family that her health was declining and they were permitted to spend her last moments with her, providing her with comfort care. Four of her five sons, along with Jennifer Raedts, were permitted to go into her room two at a time, "which was very nice, for all of us to say goodbye and spend some time with her," she said. "And the staff was amazing." When family members entered the facility Thursday and Friday, they had to undergo COVID screening accompanied by a questionnaire and had their temperatures taken. They were instructed to sanitize their hands and phones and then given masks, shields, gowns and gloves and instructed to go directly to Jean's room. Over the course of those two days, they followed the strict protocol every time they entered and exited the facility, leaving only to go to their car to wait while the other family members went inside to spend time with Jean. "Someone was always with her the last two days," said Raedts. Jean Raedts, born Georgina Kinsella, had spent her entire life in Barrie. Her husband, Harry, came here from Holland during his teens and passed away 37 years ago, leaving Jean — as she was known — to raise the boys on her own. "She was a pretty amazing lady," said her daughter-in-law. Jean met Harry when they were both teenagers working at the General Electric plant in Barrie, but Jean spent most of her career as a receptionist in a local real estate office. "She was the quintessential mother," said her daughter-in-law. "She loved her children and her grandchildren and would have done anything for them." Raedts said her own family was blessed to have Jean living with them for 18 years before she moved into Roberta Place where she was comfortable and well cared for. Marg. Bruineman, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, barrietoday.com
Gay and Grey in Montreal: How one group helps older LGBTQ+ crowd find community
Gil Hymer was sixteen years old when he came out of the closet. When he left home, he met his partner through a consciousness-raising group in the gay community. They became fast friends, and bonded easily over their mutual love for music. They were together for 40 years. "We sort of became very entrenched in our own relationship, and didn't make a lot of friends outside," he explains. When his partner died and he entered his golden years, Hymer found himself longing for community. For many people who are over 50 years old and LGBTQ+, it can be difficult to make new friends. While bars in the Gay Village are an option for younger people, the older generation are often left without a space to connect with others their own age. Hymer, however, found support through a group called Gay and Grey Montreal, a social group for people 50 and over who are LGBTQ+. They meet for barbecues, go out for walks, and offer a safe space for people to be themselves. For now though, because of the pandemic, the group meets primarily through video calls. Gil recalls a special moment he had with the group. "[They] came to one of the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas I was singing in," he says. "It really touched me that they would go all the way out to the West Island to do that." Bruce Cameron founded Gay and Grey in 2018 . The goal was to counteract the homophobia that some seniors might experience as they get older, and to allow them to interact comfortably with people of the same orientation, gender identity, or who share similar experiences. As Cameron explains, many seniors go back into the closet when they enter residential care. "They have to be concerned again about people being homophobic," he says. "They can't really be free, and this is one of the last places where they're going to live." Through Gay and Grey, Cameron also hopes to fight ageism that exists within the LGBTQ+ community. "Whether you're 40, 50, 60, or 70, you still have needs, you still have wants, you still have desires," he said. "And people should be open and accepting of that." By connecting older members to younger people in the LGBTQ+ community, Bruce hopes to bridge the divide between members of the community. "The older generation, they lived through gay liberation. They remember a time when being themselves was actually illegal," Nikki Machin, an outreach co-ordinator for Gay and Grey, explains. "That's an experience that not many of us today, who are millennials or younger, have any experience with." One of the group's members, K. David Brody, was involved in a court case fighting for the right to a widower's pension after his partner died. At the time, the province of Quebec did not recognize gay couples' rights to the pension. The members of Gay and Grey have a message for young people who may be struggling to come out of the closet. As Cameron puts it: "Be proud of who you are. The people who aren't accepting, that's their issue. Live with who you are, and be proud of that." WATCH | Bruce Cameron discusses what it's like to age as part of the LGBTQ+ community with the CBC's Catherine Verdon Diamond.
Doctors support use of vaccine
Ninety per cent of physicians would feel comfortable getting immunized against COVID-19 today, if they could. That's according to Doctors Manitoba vaccination survey, which saw 507 physicians respond — 75 per cent of whom are in the Winnipeg region. Some physicians indicated they would wait to allow those "more at risk" to get immunized first, according to the survey. "I would say no to the vaccine today, because I think there's others who need it first. But I do want it when there's enough to go around," stated one physician. Overall, physicians are supportive of the vaccine and are eager to participate in its delivery, said Dr. Cory Baillie, president of Doctors Manitoba and a rheumatologist who works at the Manitoba Clinic. Conversations with the province have begun, he said. Included in the survey results shared with media is a public poll which found that 90 per cent of people would be willing to go to their physician's office to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Baillie said that's because doctors know their patients' histories and patients trust them. Baillie also said vaccine hesitancy does exist, and the main concerns relate to how quickly vaccines have been developed, as well as there not being a lot of resources and educational material related to them. Social media hasn't helped in that regard. "There's no end to different theories that are available on different social media sites. Talk to your physician. Talk to a health-care provider who you can trust to get appropriate information," he said. "These vaccines were studied and are safe and our future out of the pandemic is going to be essential on getting enough Manitobans immunized." According to the survey, doctors want more information about vaccines regarding safety and effectiveness. "In the survey, and one of the things I found particularly helpful about it, was that they outlined what types of tools physicians would find most useful when it comes to vaccine information," Dr. Joss Reimer said at Monday's provincial news conference. Reimer is a member of Manitoba's vaccination task force. "We're going to take the information that they provided and take that back to the task force, to start looking at how we might be able to develop, in partnership, some of those tools, because we absolutely want our physicians, our nurses, our pharmacists, and all of our other immunizers to have every tool that they need to provide accurate information to their patients, to their clients, and to help inform Manitobans about this vaccine to demonstrate how safe and effective it is," she said. Tools include fact sheets and brochures, frequently asked questions, posters, webinars, videos and podcasts. Reimer also noted that for those few patients where there might be some risks that need to be considered, it's important physicians have the tools to be able to have that conversation with them. The Doctors Manitoba survey results can be read at bit.ly/3sDHXSU Michèle LeTourneau, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Brandon Sun
Tiny council approves a 1% blended tax rate
Tiny Township residents can expect a 1% blended tax rate increase for this year. The decision was forwarded to the next meeting after hours of deliberation at Monday's budget meeting. Where a majority easily agreed on the option, one council member expressed some concerns. A blended tax rate is achieved after incorporating the county and education tax rates. "I'm not comfortable with 1%," said Coun. Tony Mintoff, adding he also wasn't comfortable sacrificing important projects to find the $400,000 to keep the township's tax rate increase at zero per cent. "Based on that, I will reluctantly agree to a 1% blended rate increase." Council approved $70,000 in salary for a full-time human resource person. Staff pointed out that there may yet be savings in this line item once recommendations from the North Simcoe services operations review comes forward in March. Further, even if the township hires an independent HR staff member, the $70,000 annual salary will not be realized in full for this year. Then council found $30,000 in savings by directing staff to take out the extra ask for arena use from the Town of Penetanguishene. "It's my understanding the recreation master plan had created the recommendation that fulsome discussion be held with all three municipalities that provide arena facilities to us," said Mintoff. "Given the fact that hasn't happened yet, my recommendation would be to remove the $30,000 that was asked by Penetang, subject to the discussions to take place in 2021." Agreeing with staff, council decided to delay the purchase of a vehicle for the parks department, instead moving the $70,000 to reserve funds. At the end of the day, staff was sent back to find efficiencies in departments or seek out projects that could be delayed to make up for the $8,500 in funding gap that still remains if the tax rate is to be set at 1%. Other budget approvals include a 6% increase in funds to be moved to the municipal infrastructure reserves. As well, council approved a 1% cost of living increase for staff wages, despite Mintoff's suggestion to the contrary so the township could show solidarity with residents who had suffered through the pandemic. "This has been a very difficult year financially for a lot of our residents," he said. "The majority that live in the private sector world and those who live on retirement income. I'm pleased we were able to maintain full employment for our staff, so I think it would be inappropriate and insensitive of us to consider any kind of increase in wages. My recommendation would be to remove this salary increase from the budget." Deputy Mayor Steffen Walma disagreed with his peer. "I can 100% justify the cost," he said. "When you look at municipal employees as a whole, there's very little you can do in terms of incentives. There are no bonuses and there's no additional time off you can get. I know there's been a CPP increase this year. If we're going to take a look at our retirees being affected, we have to back it up with quantitative evidence as well. "If a statement needs to be made in terms of leadership, then I'd be in favour of council taking no increase," added Walma. "The savings can be donated to a local charity. Or the council could take the 1% increase and donate it back to the municipality into the bursary program." Other council members agreed with his suggestion. And so did Mintoff. "I have no issue with council taking zero per cent increase," he said. "Speaking about council's initiative to raise our rate of pay for staff from 50th percentile to the 55th percentile, how much did that bumping up of salaries cost? "I believe it was several hundreds of thousands of dollars. I don't want my comments to be misconstrued that we don't value our staff, but I believe we pay them above a comparative group. I don't want staff watching to think they don't deserve fair recognition and compensation for what they do." Staff will now bring back a third and possibly final draft of the 2021 budget at a meeting next month. Mehreen Shahid, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, OrilliaMatters.com
N.B. COVID-19 roundup: Zones 1, 2 and 3 go red as 31 new cases and another death reported
The Moncton, Fredericton and Saint John regions are being rolled back to the more restrictive red phase as of midnight Tuesday night, and there has been another death in the province. The individual, an 89-year-old resident of Parkland Saint John, is the 13th COVID-19 patient to die since the pandemic began last winter. Dr. Jennifer Russell, the chief medical officer of health, made the announcement at a live-streamed briefing Tuesday afternoon, saying the measures are needed to stave off the "avalanche of cases we are seeing across our borders." Premier Blaine Higgs also addressed the briefing, warning that the province will go to "full lockdown," including closing schools, if cases continue to rise. "We have never been in a situation like this since pandemic began," Higgs said. "I cannot stress enough that this is a critical moment. ... Stay home as much as you possibly can and avoid interacting with people outside your household bubble." Under the red phase, gyms, hairdressers and entertainment centres must close and everyone must stick to a single-household bubble. Dining must be takeout, drive-thru or delivery only, and elective surgeries and non-urgent medical procedures are postponed. New red phase rules for schools have been introduced, including: Students and staff must stay home if they have even one symptom of COVID-19. School staff will be screened for COVID-19 when they report to work each day. If a positive case of COVID-19 is confirmed at a school in the red level, the school will be closed for at least three days to allow for contact tracing. The school would also become a testing site for school staff. 31 new cases reported, affecting six of seven zones Dr. Jennifer Russell,the chief medical officer of health, announced 31 new cases in the province on Tuesday. The cases break down as follows: Moncton region, Zone 1, four cases: two people 40 to 49 an individual 50 to 59 an individual 60 to 69 Saint John region, Zone 2, three cases: two people 19 or under an individual 40 to 49 Fredericton region, Zone 3, one case: an individual 19 or under Edmundston region, Zone 4, 21 cases: an individual 19 or under an individual 20 to 29 two people 30 to 39 three people 40 to 49 seven people 50 to 59 five people 60 to 69 an individual 70 to 79 an individual 80 to 89 Campbellton region, Zone 5, one case: an individual 50 to 59 Bathurst region, Zone 6, one case: an individual 20 to 29 There are now 316 active cases in the province, and 1,953 New Brunswickers are self-isolating. The number of confirmed cases in New Brunswick so far in the pandemic is 1,004 and 674 have recovered. There have been 13 deaths, and one patient is hospitalized. As of Tuesday, 176,034 tests have been conducted, including 1,839 since Monday's report. Warnings about deadly, underestimated threats The daily case count numbers are a visible reminder of the threat of COVID-19 that is "all around us," Premier Blaine Higgs said Tuesday. But unseen threats also lurk, with potentially fatal consequences, he said. Higgs cautioned against "underestimating your ability to infect others" and said that even with the mildest symptoms — or no symptoms at all — you could be a carrier and a transmitter of the disease. He cited the case of an asymptomatic person who came home to isolate with their parents in New Brunswick. That individual unknowingly infected them with COVID-19, Higgs said, "and one of their parents died." The growing threat of the much more contagious U.K. and other variants of the virus should also be on everyone's radar, Higgs said. "We do not yet know if new strains of COVID-19 are in New Brunswick," he said, "but they pose an additional, real threat." Frustrating wait for answers on vaccines Premier Blaine Higgs has questions about the "reliability" of vaccine supply in the wake of Pfizer's delivery wobble, but he said he's not getting answers. In the wake of news from Ottawa on Tuesday that Canada will not get any shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine next week and will see reduced shipments for several weeks after that, Higgs said plans to have the province's health-care workers and care home residents vaccinated by the end of March are still on track. But he wants further assurances — and he's not getting them, he said. "We need consistency, we need to know what the [dosage delivery] numbers are," he said at Tuesday's COVID-19 briefing. "We'll work with the numbers we have, but we need to have assurance that the numbers are correct. This (Pfizer delivery) issue this week gives us some concern in that regard." The status of approvals for some of the five other vaccines Canada has agreed to purchase is also a troubling question mark, Higgs said. "Only two vaccines have been approved by Health Canada and they were approved relatively quickly," he said. "What is the status of at least two others that are in front of Health Canada for approval? What is the timeline? We can't seem to get any answers on that … not only here but across Canada." Health Canada is currently reviewing AstroZeneca's vaccine, which has been approved in the U.K., and a vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson's pharmaceutical arm, Janssen. 3 more schools record cases of COVID-19 École Régionale Saint-Basile in Saint-Basile and Élémentaire Sacré-Coeur in Grand Falls both announced positive cases and said they would close because of them. Both schools are in Zone 4, the Edmundston region, which is in the red phase. Meanwhile in the Anglophone South School District, a Saint John school has announced a positive case. In an email to CBC News district spokesperson Jessica Hanlon confirmed a case at Princess Elizabeth School. "Any staff or student who might have been identified by Public Health as a close contact would have been contacted and informed to self-isolate," said Hanlon. Nine schools in the province have had COVID-19 cases within the past week. In Anglophone South School District, cases have been recorded at Quispamsis Middle School, Belleisle Elementary School in Springfield, Millidgeville North School in Saint John, and Kennebecasis Valley High School in Quispamsis, where there are two cases. Two schools in the Anglophone East School District, Riverview East School and Caledonia Regional High School in Hillsborough, have also announced positive cases. New public exposure warnings issued Public Health has identified a positive case in a traveller who may have been infectious on the following flights: Jan. 3 – Air Canada Flight 8910 from Toronto to Moncton, arrived at 11:23 a.m. Public Health has also issued the following potential COVID-19 exposure warnings: Moncton region: Goodlife Fitness Centre, 175 Ivan Rand Dr. E., on Jan. 13 from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Moncton North After Hours Medical Clinic, 1633 Mountain Rd., on Jan. 14 from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. Edmundston region: Jean Coutu Kim Levesque-Cote Pharmacy, 276 Broadway Blvd., Grand Falls, on Jan. 7 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Parts for Trucks,21 Powers Rd., Grand Falls, on Jan. 11, 12 and 14 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. What to do if you have a symptom People concerned they might have COVID-19 symptoms can take a self-assessment test online. Public Health says symptoms shown by people with COVID-19 have included: A fever above 38 C. A new cough or worsening chronic cough. Sore throat. Runny nose. Headache. New onset of fatigue, muscle pain, diarrhea, loss of sense of taste or smell. Difficulty breathing. In children, symptoms have also included purple markings on the fingers and toes. People with one of those symptoms should: Stay at home. Call Tele-Care 811 or their doctor. Describe symptoms and travel history. Follow instructions.
How Biden's plans for environmental justice will shape his climate policies
Those surprised at U.S. president-elect Joe Biden's intention to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline permit might want to take a look at the incoming administration's plans for environmental justice. In addition to Biden openly vowing to cancel the controversial project if he won office, the pipeline has faced stiff opposition from some U.S. tribes. Ignoring these Indigenous groups in the context of fossil fuel development would seem to go against Biden's "climate crisis strategy," specifically designed to support tribes as well as states and territories. Experts say if Biden follows through with his intention to kill Keystone XL, it should be seen in this broader context, as the incoming U.S. administration gets set to put Biden's overarching "plan to secure environmental justice and equitable economic opportunity" into motion. "Climate justice is the idea that, rather than just looking at climate change as just an environmental or physical issue, it recognizes there are so many aspects to it that are also related to justice," said Lindsey Bacigal, director of communications at Indigenous Climate Action, in an interview. "Capitalism, misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, anti-migrant sentiment, Islamophobia, anti-Indigenous sentiment, racism — all these things really help to uphold climate change, rather than work to fix it," she said. "Rather than looking at these systems of power that have got us to where we are right now, how is it that we can work from the grassroots up, rather than from the top down?" Bacigal said ending Keystone XL would be "far from the only fight — it's definitely a step in the right direction, but we're far away from climate justice yet." Environmental justice addresses the fact that in many parts of the world, the places where pollution is generated, toxic chemicals are processed or garbage is dumped tend to be near marginalized or low-income communities. Often, these communities have no power over the fact that they are exposed to threats to their health or safety. Environmental justice seeks to ensure that no community should be forced to endure this kind of exposure just because of its particular demographic makeup. The Biden campaign pivoted towards this approach after the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated "how profoundly the energy and environmental policy decisions of the past have failed communities of colour," it stated in its plan. The administration intends to direct 40 per cent of clean energy spending towards "disadvantaged communities" to address the idea that "communities of colour and low-income communities have faced disproportionate harm from climate change and environmental contaminants for decades." The plan says the administration will use a "climate and economic justice screening tool" to identify which communities are disadvantaged or "threatened by the cumulative impacts of the multiple stresses of climate change, economic and racial inequality, and multi-source environmental pollution." The president-elect's team has picked Cecilia Martinez, for example, the co-founder and executive director of the Minneapolis-based Center for Earth, Energy, and Democracy, to be senior director for environmental justice at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Also joining the team is Stefanie Feldman, who was national policy director for the campaign, worked on Biden's climate plan and will now serve as deputy assistant to the president and senior adviser to the director of the Domestic Policy Council. Feldman is credited with securing support from environmental justice advocates during the presidential race. Tim Gray, executive director at Environmental Defence, also said he thought a decision to cancel Keystone XL should be seen in the context of environmental justice, and he expected to see more action on that front from the administration. Gray noted that Biden had nominated North Carolina environmental regulator Michael Regan to run the Environmental Protection Agency following a campaign by dozens of advocates to block the candidacy of Mary Nichols, who chaired the California Air Resources Board, over concerns she did not adhere to recommendations from environmental justice bodies. "Many urban areas and non-urban areas in the U.S., where a lot of fossil fuel manufacturing is occurring … a lot of those are disproportionately impacting marginalized communities," said Gray. "I think you'll see a lot more attention on that from the Biden administration, for sure." Carl Meyer / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada's National Observer Carl Meyer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, National Observer