Nineteen people have tested positive for COVID-19 on Little Grand Rapids First Nation, the community’s leadership said on Sunday night
“After receiving confirmation of positive cases within our community, we quickly responded and have moved into our next phase of pandemic planning to manage cases and keep the community safe,” Chief Raymond Keeper said in a joint news release from the First Nation and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.
On Sunday afternoon the province declared an outbreak in the remote northeastern community and moved the region to red, or “critical,” level under its pandemic response system
Several people tested positive for the illness caused by the novel coronavirus after attending events at the local recreation centre between Sept. 24 and 27, the province said in a news release earlier Sunday.
In the past 24 hours, cases have jumped up considerably in the remote First Nation community, said Arlen Dumas, Grand Chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. And with testing and contact tracing underway, Dumas said he expects to see more cases in the community, where living spaces can be cramped.
“I come from a remote and isolated community. I know how communal we live,” he said. “So unfortunately, I know that there will most likely be more cases, but that’s the reality of our existence.”
The Anishinaabe First Nation is roughly 265 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg on the Ontario border.
Events in Little Grand Rapids later linked to COVID-19 cases — which were also attended by people from other First Nations, the province said — included a wedding anniversary that many people in the community were at, Dumas said.
“I think it’s going to be a wake-up call to all those other communities that are remote and isolated like this one,” he said. “You see how quickly it spreads. We have to be very vigilant.”
Little Grand Rapids First Nation is roughly 265 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg on the Ontario border. (CBC)
Strict new rules have been implemented for people on the First Nation: no public gatherings are allowed, only one person per household can leave to get necessities and people have to wear non-medical masks when they go out — but those who work in essential services will still be allowed to go to work.
‘A real concern’
That decision followed discussions and deliberations between the community’s leadership, the Manitoba First Nations COVID-19 Pandemic Response Coordination Team and the province, Dumas said — and it wasn’t taken lightly.
“It’s so restrictive, especially from a remote and isolated community where you’re already feeling the sense of isolation,” he said. “But I believe that those are very important measures. And until we can ensure that we can keep our members in Little Grand Rapids safe, then I guess we all have to do that.”
The community is focused on testing people quickly so those who need to self-isolate — both within and outside of the community — can do so as soon as possible, Dumas said.
After the cases were identified, a rapid response team was sent to the community to support testing and management of cases and close contacts, he said.
The First Nation’s response also includes bringing in people to arrange transportation and other logistical issues and additional doctors and nurses to care for sick people, Dumas said.
“Everybody’s focused. It’s all hands on deck,” he said.
In recent weeks, Winnipeg and many surrounding communities were moved to the orange, or “restricted,” level on the provincial pandemic response system near the end of September, following what officials called a concerning spike in cases in the region. That came after a summer with relatively few new cases across Manitoba, including a 13-day period where the province had no new cases of the illness.
Dumas said he hopes the increase in cases in Little Grand Rapids will send a clear message to people across Manitoba that the illness caused by the novel coronavirus is here to stay until there’s a vaccine — and that people need to continue to be cautious until that happens.
“It’s a real concern. And we have to return back to the vigilance that we had, say, six months ago,” he said.
“I believe not only for First Nations, but everyone in general, there’s a bit of apathy and there’s a bit of this false confidence because we were able to flatten the curve collectively so quickly.”
Another Manitoba First Nation announced a possible COVID-19 exposure on Sunday.
A presumed positive case in Thompson, Man. may have been in contact with people on Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, Chief Marcel Moody said in a statement.
While no one on that First Nation, which is about 670 kilometres north of Winnipeg, has tested positive for the illness, the community has implemented its own restrictive measures.
Until further notice, only two people from each household in the community will be allowed to go to Thompson for supplies, the statement said. Kids won’t be allowed to leave the community, all events (including poker games, church, sweats and ceremonies) need to be cancelled and no non-residents will be allowed to enter the community (except essential workers).
“To avoid another complete lockdown in our community we must all be very careful,” the statement said.
TORONTO – Canada Goose Holdings Inc. says it has signed a deal that will result in the creation of its first eyewear collection.
The deal announced on Thursday by the Toronto-based luxury apparel company comes in the form of an exclusive, long-term global licensing agreement with Marchon Eyewear Inc.
The terms and value of the agreement were not disclosed, but Marchon produces eyewear for brands including Lacoste, Nike, Calvin Klein, Ferragamo, Longchamp and Zeiss.
Marchon plans to roll out both sunglasses and optical wear under the Canada Goose name next spring, starting in North America.
Canada Goose says the eyewear will be sold through optical retailers, department stores, Canada Goose shops and its website.
Canada Goose CEO Dani Reiss told The Canadian Press in August that he envisioned his company eventually expanding into eyewear and luggage.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Almost seven years since news broke of an alleged conspiracy to fix the price of packaged bread across Canada, the saga isn’t over: the Competition Bureau continues to investigate the companies that may have been involved, and two class-action lawsuits continue to work their way through the courts.
Here’s a timeline of key events in the bread price-fixing case.
Oct. 31, 2017: The Competition Bureau says it’s investigating allegations of bread price-fixing and that it was granted search warrants in the case. Several grocers confirm they are co-operating in the probe.
Dec. 19, 2017: Loblaw and George Weston say they participated in an “industry-wide price-fixing arrangement” to raise the price of packaged bread. The companies say they have been co-operating in the Competition Bureau’s investigation since March 2015, when they self-reported to the bureau upon discovering anti-competitive behaviour, and are receiving immunity from prosecution. They announce they are offering $25 gift cards to customers amid the ongoing investigation into alleged bread price-fixing.
Jan. 31, 2018: In court documents, the Competition Bureau says at least $1.50 was added to the price of a loaf of bread between about 2001 and 2016.
Dec. 20, 2019: A class-action lawsuit in a Quebec court against multiple grocers and food companies is certified against a number of companies allegedly involved in bread price-fixing, including Loblaw, George Weston, Metro, Sobeys, Walmart Canada, Canada Bread and Giant Tiger (which have all denied involvement, except for Loblaw and George Weston, which later settled with the plaintiffs).
Dec. 31, 2021: A class-action lawsuit in an Ontario court covering all Canadian residents except those in Quebec who bought packaged bread from a company named in the suit is certified against roughly the same group of companies.
June 21, 2023: Bakery giant Canada Bread Co. is fined $50 million after pleading guilty to four counts of price-fixing under the Competition Act as part of the Competition Bureau’s ongoing investigation.
Oct. 25 2023: Canada Bread files a statement of defence in the Ontario class action denying participating in the alleged conspiracy and saying any anti-competitive behaviour it participated in was at the direction and to the benefit of its then-majority owner Maple Leaf Foods, which is not a defendant in the case (neither is its current owner Grupo Bimbo). Maple Leaf calls Canada Bread’s accusations “baseless.”
Dec. 20, 2023: Metro files new documents in the Ontario class action accusing Loblaw and its parent company George Weston of conspiring to implicate it in the alleged scheme, denying involvement. Sobeys has made a similar claim. The two companies deny the allegations.
July 25, 2024: Loblaw and George Weston say they agreed to pay a combined $500 million to settle both the Ontario and Quebec class-action lawsuits. Loblaw’s share of the settlement includes a $96-million credit for the gift cards it gave out years earlier.
Sept. 12, 2024: Canada Bread files new documents in Ontario court as part of the class action, claiming Maple Leaf used it as a “shield” to avoid liability in the alleged scheme. Maple Leaf was a majority shareholder of Canada Bread until 2014, and the company claims it’s liable for any price-fixing activity. Maple Leaf refutes the claims.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Companies in this story: (TSX:L, TSX:MFI, TSX:MRU, TSX:EMP.A, TSX:WN)
TORONTO – TD Bank Group, which is mired in a money laundering scandal in the U.S., says chief executive Bharat Masrani will retire next year.
Masrani, who will retire officially on April 10, 2025, says the bank’s, “anti-money laundering challenges,” took place on his watch and he takes full responsibility.
The bank named Raymond Chun, TD’s group head, Canadian personal banking, as his successor.
As part of a transition plan, Chun will become chief operating officer on Nov. 1 before taking over the top job when Masrani steps down at the bank’s annual meeting next year.
TD also announced that Riaz Ahmed, group head, wholesale banking and president and CEO of TD Securities, will retire at the end of January 2025.
TD has taken billions in charges related to ongoing U.S. investigations into the failure of its anti-money laundering program.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
