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Coronavirus Update in Canada on May 27

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Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday the province will immediately take over management of five long-term care homes, including four that were the subject of a scathing military report into horrific conditions in the residences.

The Canadian Armed Forces released two reports this week about conditions at five long-term care homes in Ontario and 25 long-term care homes in Quebec where they were deployed to help during the pandemic.

In the Ontario homes, the military report detailed allegations of insect infestations, aggressive resident feeding that caused choking, bleeding infections and residents crying for help for hours. The report also touched on staffing and training issues, supply shortages and poor communication.

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Ford called the report “horrific,” and said it was “the most heart-wrenching report” he’s ever read in his life.

On Wednesday, he told reporters that six teams of two inspectors each will be deployed to five long-term care homes to undertake “expanded and rigorous inspection and monitoring” for the next two weeks.

 

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the province will take over management of five long-term care homes and begin inspections in all residences. 2:08

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the report into Ontario’s homes “deeply disturbing,” and said more needs to be done to support people living in long-term care, a message he reiterated on Wednesday after Quebec released a report from the military about what members had observed in that province.

In those homes, the Armed Forces members observed issues with the division between “hot” and “cold” zones — where patients were infected with COVID-19 or not — the proper use of protective equipment and staffing shortages.

The report said military personnel helped train staff to improve the situation.

At his briefing Wednesday, Quebec Premier François Legault said he was not surprised by the findings, and the province will work to recruit 10,000 new workers for long-term care homes by fall.

François Legault says the problems come from having a lack of staff, and he is launching a major drive to train thousands of new orderlies. 2:58

In the meantime, Legault said he would like the contingent of soldiers deployed in Quebec homes to stay and help until Sept. 15.

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says another four months of deployment will not be possible. “I understand the needs and concerns that Quebec may have,” he told host Vassy Kapelos on CBC’s Power & Politics, but he said the current situation would not be sustainable.

“We will not be able to do this for any prolonged period.”

Sajjan said the military is talking with provincial officials but he stressed that while the Forces can buy time for the homes that need staff, it’s important to get the appropriately trained personnel into the facilities.

The military has agreed to stay in Ontario long-term care homes until June 12.

 

Laura Tamblyn Watts, president and CEO of CanAge, a national seniors’ advocacy organization, also urges care be moved to a more home-like setting and away from the current medical model.   1:25

States of emergency

As it deals with the fallout of the military report, Ontario has announced it is extending its emergency order until June 9. The province continues to deal with an uptick in COVID-19 cases and major issues in some long-term care homes, which house elderly and vulnerable residents who are at increased risk of severe illness and death from the disease.

A news release on Wednesday said under the extended emergency order, measures such as the restriction on gatherings of more than five people will stay in place, as will a range of other measures, including the mandated closure of bars and restaurants.

British Columbia also moved Wednesday to extend its state of emergency for another two weeks, making it the longest period of time it has been under such orders.

The province was under emergency orders for 10 weeks during the 2017 wildfire season. With today’s extension, it will bring the province to 12 weeks, with “no likely end in sight,” according to Premier John Horgan.

Hot spots

Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, said Tuesday that epidemic growth “continues to slow” nationally, but outbreaks are still an issue, especially in long-term care, shelters and workplaces.

Tam said on Twitter that “most worrying” is community spread in and around hot spots, such as Toronto and Montreal.

 

 

She urged people to stick with public health measures, such as physical distancing, hand hygiene, cough etiquette and staying home if sick.

As of 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Canada had 87,519 confirmed and presumptive cases of coronavirus, with 46,177 considered resolved or recovered. A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial data, regional health information and CBC’s reporting stood at 6,858. Public health officials have cautioned that recorded figures don’t capture information on people who have not been tested and cases that are still under investigation.

The novel coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause severe illness or death. There are no proven treatments or vaccines for the virus, which causes an illness called COVID-19.

Here’s what’s happening in the provinces and territories

B.C.’s elected officials will return to the provincial legislature June 22. Members have been working from home since mid-March, but Premier Horgan said Wednesday that most will return to Victoria while maintaining public health measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread. Read more about what’s happening in B.C.

Alberta health officials are investigating a possible case of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MISC) in the province. Chief Medical Officer Deena Hinshaw said Wednesday the illness has been seen in Quebec, the U.K. and the U.S., and that while it can sound scary, it appears to be rare and treatable. Read more about what’s happening in Alberta.

Saskatchewan reported two new coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, bringing the number of COVID-19-linked deaths in the province to 10. Both deaths were in patients in the far north of the province. There were also three new cases. Saskatchewan moved to Phase 2 of its reopening May 19, allowing businesses like clothing stores, hair salons and greenhouses to open with restrictions. Read more about what’s happening in Saskatchewan.

 

An infectious disease specialist answers questions about the risks of eating at a restaurant as they reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic. 2:57

Manitoba will allow restaurants, gyms and pools to reopen on June 1, the province said Wednesday. Read more about what’s happening in Manitoba, where the government is considering changes to the multimillion-dollar aid package for businesses impacted by the pandemic and subsequent public health restrictions.

Ontario’s COVID-19 cases are concentrated in the Greater Toronto Area, with more than three-quarters of the active cases listed by the province found in Toronto, as well as Peel, York, Durham and Halton regions, CBC’s MIke Crawley reports. Read more about what’s happening in Ontario, where questions continue about long-term care after a detailed report from Canadian Armed Forces outlined major issues with five facilities. Ontario reported 292 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday.

Quebec is expanding its COVID-19 testing by bringing more mobile testing to the Mauricie region. In Trois-Rivières and Shawinigan, municipal vehicles have been transformed so they can offer curbside testing. “When the unit comes to a neighbourhood, the team will go ringing doorbells, talk with people about their health, and if they have symptoms, we’ll invite them to be tested,” a local health official said. Read more about what’s happening in Quebec, which reported 541 new coronavirus cases and 89 new deaths on Wednesday.

New Brunswick reported another new case of COVID-19 in the Campbellton region Wednesday, the third case within a week. The person is a medical professional who travelled to Quebec and did not self-isolate upon their return, said Premier Blaine Higgs. Read more about what’s happening in N.B.

Nova Scotia reported one new case on Wednesday. The province says many businesses that are ready can reopen June 5, including restaurants, bars, hair salons and gyms. “We believe we found a balance between public safety and restarting our economy,” Premier Stephen McNeil said.  Read more about what’s happening in Nova Scotia, including the story of one woman trying to help staff at the hard-hit Northwood long-term care home in Halifax.

Prince Edward Island’s government is taking criticism from the Opposition over its decision to allow seasonal residents to travel to the island this summer amid the ongoing pandemic. Read more about what’s happening on P.E.I.

 

For hotels preparing to reopen during the pandemic, they are implementing enhanced cleaning procedures and with new measures in place to keep guests safe. 1:59

Newfoundland and Labrador has reported no new COVID-19 cases for 20 days now.  But despite the positive news, the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, is urging residents to continue to uphold safety measures. “Experts around the world are predicting a second wave of COVID-19,” she said Wednesday, “and we must remain vigilant in following the public health measures in place so that when it happens we will be in the best possible position to respond.” Read more about what’s happening in N.L.

Yukon University is preparing for a fall semester with many online classes, and perhaps a late start for some classes, too. The university’s two degree programs in Indigenous governance and business administration will be delivered entirely online, as will early learning and child care, liberal arts and social work. Read more about what’s happening across the North.

Here’s what’s happening around the world

 

Restaurant owners, wearing protective face masks, use measuring tape to measure the distance between tables to maintain physical distance inside a restaurant in Nice, France, on Wednesday, before the announcement by the French government of the further easing of lockdown measures following the outbreak of COVID-19. (Eric Gaillard/Reuters)

 

 

Even people with common chronic diseases such as asthma should be able to tolerate wearing a mask in the hot summer months, says Dr. Samir Gupta. 6:00

Source: – CBC.ca

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1 dead, 2 critically injured after car crash in Montreal

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Montreal

Three people are in hospital with critical injuries after their vehicle crashed into a tree. Police believe they might be connected to two drive-by shootings that took place early Thursday morning.

2 drive-by shootings also took place overnight

an SPVM car near a taped-off crime scene
Montreal police are investigating a car crash possibly linked to two drive-by shootings. (Mathieu Wagner/Radio-Canada)

Urgences-santé say one person died and two others were critically injured after their vehicle hit a tree in the Rosemont neighbourhood.

Montreal police believe the crash may be linked to two drive-by shootings early Thursday morning.

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The first happened around 5 a.m. on Pie-IX Boulevard. Police say a car was shot at repeatedly and the driver, a 41-year-old man, was injured in the upper body. He was transported to hospital, but his life is not in danger, say police.

Shortly afterward, shots were reported in the Plateau Mont-Royal borough, near the intersection of Saint-Joseph Boulevard and Henri-Julien Avenue. No one was injured.

Police say they are investigating to determine if there is a connection between the collision and the shootings. Montreal police spokesperson Jean-Pierre Brabant says it’s possible those in the vehicle were involved in the shootings.

The province’s independent police watchdog is now involved.

with files from Chloë Ranaldi

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Pakistan airline crew sought asylum in Canada: spokesperson – CTV News

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Typically, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight attendants who arrive in Toronto stay at a hotel overnight, meet back up with their crew the next day and then fly to their next destination.

But increasingly often, PIA attendants aren’t showing up, the airline says. According to PIA, at least eight flight attendants disappeared over the last year and a half.

They have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.

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Increased occurrences

Abdullah Hafeez Khan said at least eight flight attendants “have gone missing” after flying to Pearson International Airport in Toronto. He said these incidents have been happening over the last 10 years, but are now occurring more frequently.

“Since probably October of 2022, the number of the people that have opted asylum has increased tremendously,” Khan said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca from Karachi, Pakistan, where the airline is based.

“None of those crew members that disappeared in the last one-and-a-half years have come back. So they were granted asylum for one way or the other, and that probably has encouraged others to do so.”

The missing employees were fired immediately and lost their company benefits, Khan said.

Why did they flee?

Khan said he could only speculate as to why the flight attendants would flee.

The Canadian government underscored the volatile situation in Pakistan, warning in a travel advisory of a “high threat of terrorism,” along with threats of civil unrest, sectarian violence and kidnapping.

“The security situation is fragile and unpredictable,” the Canadian travel advisory reads. “Incidents are typically attributed to extremism, ethnic divisions, sectarian strife, regional political disputes and the situation in neighbouring Afghanistan.”

It added that many deaths and injuries have occurred from bombings, shootings and other terrorist attacks at a wide range of targets.

Since Khan isn’t in contact with any of the missing employees, he says, he assumes they decided to seek asylum in Canada for economic and social reasons.

“So I naturally assumed that all of them have been given asylum because I don’t think they would be living there illegally,” he said, adding they may already have family connections in Canada who can support them.

In this June 8, 2013, photo, a Pakistan International Airlines plane moments before take off from the Benazir Bhutto airport in Islamabad, Pakistan. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

‘PR crisis’

Khan called the flight attendants’ disappearances a “PR crisis” for PIA that is “bad” for business amid a crew shortage.

The airline is in talks with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Pakistani law enforcement agencies to potentially create a “legal safeguard” to curtail flight crew from seeking asylum, he said.

When asked about the PIA flight attendants’ disappearances, Erin Kerbel, spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, said the department couldn’t comment on specific cases due to privacy legislation.

In response to questions about PIA’s claim that discussions are underway about the issue, a spokesperson for the CBSA said it could not confirm any information.

“The Canada Border Services Agency does not provide comment or details on specific individuals, including any discussions that would take place with airline companies, as an individual’s border and immigration information is considered private and protected by the Privacy Act,” Maria Ladouceur said in an email to CTVNews.ca.

Since the crew members’ disappearances, Khan said, the airline has “done numerous things to curtail that.”

For instance, the airline is only staffing Toronto-bound flights with crew members who have “established linkages” in Pakistan, such as children, spouses or parents, as well as those who have worked in the organization for more than 15 years.

The airline avoids sending to Toronto those who are single or don’t have established family ties in Pakistan, he said.

Khan said he and the airline are no longer in contact with the flight attendants because, they discovered, they usually change their phone numbers soon after disappearing in Toronto.

Who disappeared?

The PIA flight attendants who vanished in Canada are seasoned pros in their late 30s or 40s, some of whom have worked for the airline for as long as two decades, Khan said.

“There was never any sign from them that they would seek something like that,” he said. “So that is something that is bothering us in the matter because working with people who have been working with you for a long time and then something happens like this is pretty unexpected.”

In one of the latest cases in February, the crew members were waiting to take the bus back to the airport from the hotel in Toronto and one of the flight attendants didn’t show up, Khan said.

The airline was unable to reach the flight attendant on her cellphone or hotel landline so, Khan says, they asked hotel management to check if she was OK.

“When the crew went there, she left her uniform there with a note saying, ‘Thank you PIA,'” Khan said, which he interpreted as a genuine sentiment of gratitude for her more than 15 years of service with PIA rather than a taunt.

Khan said the crew members who disappeared were “family values people” who had good careers in Pakistan.

Asylum policies

Individuals can make a refugee claim in Canada at a port of entry upon arrival or online if they are already in Canada, according to the Canadian government’s website.

Canadian immigration or border officials will determine if the person is eligible for a hearing before the Immigration and Refugee Board. All claimants must undergo health and security screenings, the government says.

If eligible to make a claim in Canada, refugee claimants can access social assistance, education, health services, emergency housing and legal aid pending a decision on their claim. Most can apply for a work permit after a medical examination.

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Alberta's population surges by record-setting 202,000 people: Here's where they all came from – CBC.ca

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Alberta smashed population-growth records in the past year, mainly due to people moving to the province from across Canada and around the world.

The province’s population surged to just over 4.8 million as of Jan. 1, according to new estimates released Wednesday by Statistics Canada.

That’s an increase of 202,324 residents compared with a year earlier, which marks — by far — the largest annual increase on record.

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Alberta also broke a national record in 2023 for interprovincial migration, with a net gain of 55,107 people.

“This was the largest gain in interprovincial migration nationally since comparable data became available in 1972,” Statistics Canada said in a release.


Most of the interprovincial migrants came from Ontario and British Columbia.

Statistics Canada estimates that 38,236 Ontarians moved to Alberta last year, versus 14,860 Albertans who moved to Ontario, for a net gain of 23,376 people.

Similarly, an estimated 37,650 British Columbians moved to Alberta, compared to 22,400 Albertans who moved to B.C., for a net gain of 15,250.


All told, interprovincial migration accounted for 27 per cent of Alberta’s population growth over the past year.

That put it just ahead of permanent immigration, which accounted for 26 per cent, and well ahead of natural population increase (more births than deaths), which accounted for eight per cent.

The largest component, however, was temporary international migration.

Non-permanent residents from other countries accounted for 39 per cent of the province’s population growth in the past year, reflecting a national trend.


Canada’s population reached 40,769,890 on Jan. 1, according to Statistics Canada estimates, which is up 3.2 per cent from a year ago.

“Most of Canada’s 3.2-per-cent population growth rate stemmed from temporary immigration in 2023,” Statistics Canada noted.

“Without temporary immigration, that is, relying solely on permanent immigration and natural increase (births minus deaths), Canada’s population growth would have been almost three times less (1.2 per cent).”

Alberta’s population, meanwhile, grew by 4.4 per cent year-over-year.

Alberta now represents 11.8 per cent of the country’s population, its largest proportion on record. 

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