Alberta recorded 30 COVID-19 deaths Thursday, the highest number ever reported on a single day, prompting the province’s top health official to reflect on the “heartbreaking” number and the importance of following restrictions.
“This is a heartbreaking figure,” Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province’s chief medical officer of health, said Thursday at a news conference. “While these deaths did not all occur yesterday, this is the highest figure that I have had the sad task of reporting.
“If anyone still needs reminding of the seriousness of this virus, of the importance of the restrictions that are currently in place, and the importance of doing everything possible to limit our interactions and break the chains of transmission, this is it,” Hinshaw said.
“There are now 790 Albertans who have died as a result of COVID-19.”
The province reported 1,571 new cases over the 24-hour period that ended at midnight Wednesday. There were 763 people being treated in Alberta hospitals for the illness, including 138 in ICU beds.
There were 19,865 active cases as of Wednesday, the first time that total has dropped below 20,000 since Dec. 5.
The regional breakdown of active cases was:
Edmonton zone: 9,525
Calgary zone: 7,043
Central zone: 1,462
North zone: 1,214
South zone: 541
Unknown: 80
Laboratories completed 19,800 more tests, for a positivity rate of 7.9 per cent.
‘We can and must celebrate differently’
Hinshaw noted that seasonal holidays are about a week away and reminded the public to follow the restrictions put in place by the province.
“This year we can and must celebrate differently,” she said. “Holiday gatherings with people outside of your household are not only against the restrictions that are in place, they are also the wrong thing to do right now.”
The safest way for people to celebrate this year is within their own household, or with two designated close contacts for those who live alone, Hinshaw said.
“I want to be clear that the compassionate choice is to follow the rules. It may not seem like a big deal to get together with your extended family or group of friends. If you all feel fine, you may think that there is no risk of catching COVID-19 or passing it on to others. But that is simply wrong.”
Hinshaw said there have been many examples of people attending gatherings when they have mild symptoms such as headaches or stuffy noses that they didn’t connect with COVID-19, or were infectious and didn’t know it.
“The result has been one case spreading to many,” she said. “That is how cases rise and outbreaks start. These orders are not recommendations. They are legal restrictions, and for them to be effective we need everyone to do their part. Thank you to all those who are changing plans and finding joy in different ways this year.”
During her update, Hinshaw said as of Wednesday evening 394 health-care workers had received their first doses of vaccine.
“I know that many people want to be vaccinated immediately, and that is a good thing,” she said. “There are about 4.4 million Albertans. It will take time to get enough vaccine to offer to everyone who wants it.
“Please be patient while we all wait for our turn, and be supportive of those who are in the initial groups to be immunized.”
The distribution plan will begin with critical health-care and long-term care workers and residents in continuing care.
“These are people who are most at risk, and who are putting themselves in harm’s way every day,” she said.
Public health teams fanning out
The Alberta government announced this week that public health teams will fan out across the hardest hit parts of Edmonton and Calgary to help residents try to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The province identified 11 areas with high transmission rates where those efforts will concentrate, nine in Edmonton and two that cover all of northeast Calgary (east of the Deerfoot Trail)
Here’s what case numbers look like in those areas, according to the latest update:
Calgary, Upper Northeast, 1,305.5 cases per 100,000 population, and 1,501 active cases
Calgary, Lower Northeast, 760.1 cases per 100,000 population, and 732 active cases
Edmonton, Northeast, 904.4 cases per 100,000 population, and 804 active cases
Edmonton, Northgate, 821.6 cases per 100,000 population, and 677 active cases
Edmonton, Castle Downs, 769.9 cases per 100,000 population, and 543 active cases
Edmonton, Woodcroft West, 676.9 cases per 100,000 population, and 684 active cases
Edmonton, Woodcroft East, 756.9 cases per 100,000 population, and 457 active cases
Edmonton, Jasper Place, 828.6 cases per 100,000 population, and 390 active cases
Edmonton, Eastwood, 957.3 cases per 100,000 population, and 695 active cases
Edmonton, Abbottsfield, 729 cases per 100,000 population, and 106 active cases
Edmonton, Mill Woods West, 895.9 cases per 100,000 population, and 548 active cases
For comparison sake, here are four other urban areas in Alberta:
City of Lethbridge, 206.1 cases per 100,000, and 204 active cases.
City of Medicine Hat, 124.9 cases per 100,000, and 85 active cases.
City of Red Deer, 393.6 cases per 100,000, and 417 active cases.
City of Grande Prairie, 162.8 cases per 100,000, and 120 active cases.
Most job search advice is cookie-cutter. The advice you’re following is almost certainly the same advice other job seekers follow, making you just another candidate following the same script.
In today’s hyper-competitive job market, standing out is critical, a challenge most job seekers struggle with. Instead of relying on generic questions recommended by self-proclaimed career coaches, which often lead to a forgettable interview, ask unique, thought-provoking questions that’ll spark engaging conversations and leave a lasting impression.
Your level of interest in the company and the role.
Contributing to your employer’s success is essential.
You desire a cultural fit.
Here are the top four questions experts recommend candidates ask; hence, they’ve become cliché questions you should avoid asking:
“What are the key responsibilities of this position?”
Most likely, the job description answers this question. Therefore, asking this question indicates you didn’t read the job description. If you require clarification, ask, “How many outbound calls will I be required to make daily?” “What will be my monthly revenue target?”
“What does a typical day look like?”
Although it’s important to understand day-to-day expectations, this question tends to elicit vague responses and rarely leads to a deeper conversation. Don’t focus on what your day will look like; instead, focus on being clear on the results you need to deliver. Nobody I know has ever been fired for not following a “typical day.” However, I know several people who were fired for failing to meet expectations. Before accepting a job offer, ensure you’re capable of meeting the employer’s expectations.
“How would you describe the company culture?”
Asking this question screams, “I read somewhere to ask this question.” There are much better ways to research a company’s culture, such as speaking to current and former employees, reading online reviews and news articles. Furthermore, since your interviewer works for the company, they’re presumably comfortable with the culture. Do you expect your interviewer to give you the brutal truth? “Be careful of Craig; get on his bad side, and he’ll make your life miserable.” “Bob is close to retirement. I give him lots of slack, which the rest of the team needs to pick up.”
Truism: No matter how much due diligence you do, only when you start working for the employer will you experience and, therefore, know their culture firsthand.
“What opportunities are there for professional development?”
When asked this question, I immediately think the candidate cares more about gaining than contributing, a showstopper. Managing your career is your responsibility, not your employer’s.
Cliché questions don’t impress hiring managers, nor will they differentiate you from your competition. To transform your interaction with your interviewer from a Q&A session into a dynamic discussion, ask unique, insightful questions.
Here are my four go-to questions—I have many more—to accomplish this:
“Describe your management style. How will you manage me?”
This question gives your interviewer the opportunity to talk about themselves, which we all love doing. As well, being in sync with my boss is extremely important to me. The management style of who’ll be my boss is a determining factor in whether or not I’ll accept the job.
“What is the one thing I should never do that’ll piss you off and possibly damage our working relationship beyond repair?”
This question also allows me to determine whether I and my to-be boss would be in sync. Sometimes I ask, “What are your pet peeves?”
“When I join the team, what would be the most important contribution you’d want to see from me in the first six months?”
Setting myself up for failure is the last thing I want. As I mentioned, focus on the results you need to produce and timelines. How realistic are the expectations? It’s never about the question; it’s about what you want to know. It’s important to know whether you’ll be able to meet or even exceed your new boss’s expectations.
“If I wanted to sell you on an idea or suggestion, what do you need to know?”
Years ago, a candidate asked me this question. I was impressed he wasn’t looking just to put in time; he was looking for how he could be a contributing employee. Every time I ask this question, it leads to an in-depth discussion.
Other questions I’ve asked:
“What keeps you up at night?”
“If you were to leave this company, who would follow?”
“How do you handle an employee making a mistake?”
“If you were to give a Ted Talk, what topic would you talk about?”
“What are three highly valued skills at [company] that I should master to advance?”
“What are the informal expectations of the role?”
“What is one misconception people have about you [or the company]?”
Your questions reveal a great deal about your motivations, drive to make a meaningful impact on the business, and a chance to morph the questioning into a conversation. Cliché questions don’t lead to meaningful discussions, whereas unique, thought-provoking questions do and, in turn, make you memorable.
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
CALGARY – Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. reported a third-quarter profit of $2.27 billion, down from $2.34 billion in the same quarter last year.
The company says the profit amounted to $1.06 per diluted share for the quarter that ended Sept. 30 compared with $1.06 per diluted share a year earlier.
Product sales totalled $10.40 billion, down from $11.76 billion in the same quarter last year.
Daily production for the quarter averaged 1,363,086 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 1,393,614 a year ago.
On an adjusted basis, Canadian Natural says it earned 97 cents per diluted share for the quarter, down from an adjusted profit of $1.30 per diluted share in the same quarter last year.
The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 90 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
CALGARY – Cenovus Energy Inc. reported its third-quarter profit fell compared with a year as its revenue edged lower.
The company says it earned $820 million or 42 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, down from $1.86 billion or 97 cents per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue for the quarter totalled $14.25 billion, down from $14.58 billion in the same quarter last year.
Total upstream production in the quarter amounted to 771,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 797,000 a year earlier.
Total downstream throughput was 642,900 barrels per day compared with 664,300 in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Cenovus says its funds flow amounted to $1.05 per diluted share in its latest quarter, down from adjusted funds flow of $1.81 per diluted share a year earlier.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
