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Douglas Todd: Here's what B.C. vaccine opponents say about their refusal to get jab – Vancouver Sun

Published

3 years ago

August 28, 2021

Analysis: A minority of British Columbians fear the unknown long-term health effects of vaccines, expressing a palpable distrust of pharmaceutical companies.

Author of the article:

Douglas Todd

Publishing date:

Aug 27, 2021 • 6 hours ago • 4 minute read • 214 Comments

A wary nurse told Postmedia there is a “huge divide and controversy in the medical community” over whether to take vaccines. ‘What will be the long-term effects of this vaccine 20 years from now?” Photo by Anna Rozhkova /PNG

The suspicion and fear is palpable when talking to British Columbians who refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Even with Victoria saying people will need a B.C. Vaccine Card to get into such places as restaurants, casinos and fitness centres as of Sept. 13, some of the one in six British Columbians who haven’t had any vaccination told Postmedia they’re worried vaccines will cause long-term harm to their health.

Jerome Henen, a retired accountant in North Vancouver, said he “just doesn’t want to take the risk” of getting jabbed, given the possible “negative effects on the body down the road. There are a lot of valid questions about the vaccines.”

Though Henen enjoys going to restaurants and libraries, he’s resisting the “group think” that is leading many to demand everyone must be vaccinated. There will never be any absolute way to stop the coronavirus, he said, or any other respiratory disease.

He is also not impressed with Dr. Bonnie Henry’s new mask mandate.

“Wearing a mask is like using chicken wire to stop the rain,” he said. “Nothing is scientific anymore,” he said of government rationales for reinstituting masking rules. “Everything is tainted by politics.”

There have been repeated assurances from government officials and scientists that the vaccines are safe.

Despite that, a Metro Vancouver nurse, who asked not to be named because she would be reprimanded by her hospital, was one of many who contacted Postmedia to offer their reasons for refusing to join those British Columbians who have made this one of the most vaccinated jurisdictions in the world.

The nurse said there is a “huge divide and controversy in the medical community” over whether to take vaccines, even while studies suggest they’re generally about 90 per cent effective against the coronavirus.

‘What will be the long-term effects of this vaccine 20 years from now?” asked the nurse, who argued research data is still emerging and pharmaceutical companies won’t take legal responsibility for vaccine side effects.

Even though vaccines have been ordered for staff in B.C. seniors’ homes, the nurse said she’s going to wait to see what her employer, and the B.C. Nurses’ Union, require of health-care workers like her.

The B.C. government, like virtually all governments, has been posting immunization notices that aim to reassure reluctant people that “feeling worried or unsure is completely normal when something is new.”

The province’s COVID-19 site goes on to explain that “Health Canada has conducted a rigorous scientific review of the available medical evidence to assess the safety of the approved COVID-19 vaccines. … No major safety concerns have been identified.”

B.C. also links to federal health web pages, which go into further detail on safety, noting, for instance, “The manufacturer (Pfizer Canada ULC and BioNTech Manufacturing GmbH) is legally required to submit reports of adverse events to Health Canada. The manufacturer is planning to follow clinical trial participants for at least two years after the second dose of the vaccine is given. It must communicate any safety concerns to Health Canada.”

But such reassurances have not been enough for the vaccine-wary British Columbians that contacted Postmedia, who came from a range of ethnocultural backgrounds. They offered diverse reasons for not getting shots.

“History has displayed the dark side of vaccines when they were rushed into use,” one health-care worker claimed.

Another remarked: “I won’t be a guinea pig until the pharmaceutical companies drop their liability shield” against lawsuits about side effects, referring to news reports.

Several argued they should have “the freedom to choose,” given what they called drug companies dubious record on safety.

One reader was pregnant and didn’t want to take any risks. Another said the first Pfizer shot had made her very ill.

But federal government sites say the side effects observed during the clinical trials for Pfizer “are similar to what you might have with other vaccines” such as for the flu. “The side effects that followed vaccine administration in clinical trials were mild or moderate. They included things like pain at the site of injection, body chills, feeling tired and feeling feverish. These … do not pose a risk to health.”

Simon Fraser University’s Valorie Crooks, who specializes in health geography and supports the idea of a vaccine passport, said many hesitant people will likely “wait to see what they actually look like” before they make a decision about going the vaccination route, which will increase immunity for the general population.

According to health authorities, vaccine bookings more than doubled early this week after the announcement of B.C.’s vaccine card, to nearly 17,000. That’s up from just over 8,000 during the same two-day period last week.

But, in the long run, Crooks said, “The rollout of the B.C. Vaccine Card will be crucial” in regard to encouraging vaccinations. People will consider the information it provides about where and when the card will be necessary and whether it will be in digital form, in paper, or both. Some people, she said, “might exploit the gaps” in the certificate program.

Gloria Gutman, professor emerita of gerontology at Simon Fraser University, said the people who are most hesitant about taking vaccines are often members of the populations that are normally most statistically at risk of poor health.

That includes a relatively small proportion of seniors, but it’s more likely to be those on low incomes, Indigenous people and immigrants, some of whom aren’t fluent in English. The B.C. Vaccine Card, Gutman said, should be a comfort to the majority of seniors, who are eager to get back into society.

Since 42 per cent of Metro Vancouver residents are immigrants, Gutman said public-health officials need to focus on making their pro-vaccine messages as clear and accessible as possible. Many immigrants, she said, come from countries where governments and medical authorities are not trusted.

dtodd@postmedia.com

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Telus prioritizing ‘most important customers,’ avoiding ‘unprofitable’ offers: CFO

Published

4 days ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Telus Corp. says it is avoiding offering “unprofitable” discounts as fierce competition in the Canadian telecommunications sector shows no sign of slowing down.

The company said Friday it had fewer net new customers during its third quarter compared with the same time last year, as it copes with increasingly “aggressive marketing and promotional pricing” that is prompting more customers to switch providers.

Telus said it added 347,000 net new customers, down around 14.5 per cent compared with last year. The figure includes 130,000 mobile phone subscribers and 34,000 internet customers, down 30,000 and 3,000, respectively, year-over-year.

The company reported its mobile phone churn rate — a metric measuring subscribers who cancelled their services — was 1.09 per cent in the third quarter, up from 1.03 per cent in the third quarter of 2023. That included a postpaid mobile phone churn rate of 0.90 per cent in its latest quarter.

Telus said its focus is on customer retention through its “industry-leading service and network quality, along with successful promotions and bundled offerings.”

“The customers we have are the most important customers we can get,” said chief financial officer Doug French in an interview.

“We’ve, again, just continued to focus on what matters most to our customers, from a product and customer service perspective, while not loading unprofitable customers.”

Meanwhile, Telus reported its net income attributable to common shares more than doubled during its third quarter.

The telecommunications company said it earned $280 million, up 105.9 per cent from the same three-month period in 2023. Earnings per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30 was 19 cents compared with nine cents a year earlier.

It reported adjusted net income was $413 million, up 10.7 per cent year-over-year from $373 million in the same quarter last year. Operating revenue and other income for the quarter was $5.1 billion, up 1.8 per cent from the previous year.

Mobile phone average revenue per user was $58.85 in the third quarter, a decrease of $2.09 or 3.4 per cent from a year ago. Telus said the drop was attributable to customers signing up for base rate plans with lower prices, along with a decline in overage and roaming revenues.

It said customers are increasingly adopting unlimited data and Canada-U.S. plans which provide higher and more stable ARPU on a monthly basis.

“In a tough operating environment and relative to peers, we view Q3 results that were in line to slightly better than forecast as the best of the bunch,” said RBC analyst Drew McReynolds in a note.

Scotiabank analyst Maher Yaghi added that “the telecom industry in Canada remains very challenging for all players, however, Telus has been able to face these pressures” and still deliver growth.

The Big 3 telecom providers — which also include Rogers Communications Inc. and BCE Inc. — have frequently stressed that the market has grown more competitive in recent years, especially after the closing of Quebecor Inc.’s purchase of Freedom Mobile in April 2023.

Hailed as a fourth national carrier, Quebecor has invested in enhancements to Freedom’s network while offering more affordable plans as part of a set of commitments it was mandated by Ottawa to agree to.

The cost of telephone services in September was down eight per cent compared with a year earlier, according to Statistics Canada’s most recent inflation report last month.

“I think competition has been and continues to be, I’d say, quite intense in Canada, and we’ve obviously had to just manage our business the way we see fit,” said French.

Asked how long that environment could last, he said that’s out of Telus’ hands.

“What I can control, though, is how we go to market and how we lead with our products,” he said.

“I think the conditions within the market will have to adjust accordingly over time. We’ve continued to focus on digitization, continued to bring our cost structure down to compete, irrespective of the price and the current market conditions.”

Still, Canada’s telecom regulator continues to warn providers about customers facing more charges on their cellphone and internet bills.

On Tuesday, CRTC vice-president of consumer, analytics and strategy Scott Hutton called on providers to ensure they clearly inform their customers of charges such as early cancellation fees.

That followed statements from the regulator in recent weeks cautioning against rising international roaming fees and “surprise” price increases being found on their bills.

Hutton said the CRTC plans to launch public consultations in the coming weeks that will focus “on ensuring that information is clear and consistent, making it easier to compare offers and switch services or providers.”

“The CRTC is concerned with recent trends, which suggest that Canadians may not be benefiting from the full protections of our codes,” he said.

“We will continue to monitor developments and will take further action if our codes are not being followed.”

French said any initiative to boost transparency is a step in the right direction.

“I can’t say we are perfect across the board, but what I can say is we are absolutely taking it under consideration and trying to be the best at communicating with our customers,” he said.

“I think everyone looking in the mirror would say there’s room for improvement.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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TC Energy cuts cost estimate for Southeast Gateway pipeline project in Mexico

Published

5 days ago

November 7, 2024

Anne Joseph

CALGARY – TC Energy Corp. has lowered the estimated cost of its Southeast Gateway pipeline project in Mexico.

It says it now expects the project to cost between US$3.9 billion and US$4.1 billion compared with its original estimate of US$4.5 billion.

The change came as the company reported a third-quarter profit attributable to common shareholders of C$1.46 billion or $1.40 per share compared with a loss of C$197 million or 19 cents per share in the same quarter last year.

Revenue for the quarter ended Sept. 30 totalled C$4.08 billion, up from C$3.94 billion in the third quarter of 2023.

TC Energy says its comparable earnings for its latest quarter amounted to C$1.03 per share compared with C$1.00 per share a year earlier.

The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 95 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:TRP)

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BCE reports Q3 loss on asset impairment charge, cuts revenue guidance

Published

5 days ago

November 7, 2024

Anne Joseph

BCE Inc. reported a loss in its latest quarter as it recorded $2.11 billion in asset impairment charges, mainly related to Bell Media’s TV and radio properties.

The company says its net loss attributable to common shareholders amounted to $1.24 billion or $1.36 per share for the quarter ended Sept. 30 compared with a profit of $640 million or 70 cents per share a year earlier.

On an adjusted basis, BCE says it earned 75 cents per share in its latest quarter compared with an adjusted profit of 81 cents per share in the same quarter last year.

“Bell’s results for the third quarter demonstrate that we are disciplined in our pursuit of profitable growth in an intensely competitive environment,” BCE chief executive Mirko Bibic said in a statement.

“Our focus this quarter, and throughout 2024, has been to attract higher-margin subscribers and reduce costs to help offset short-term revenue impacts from sustained competitive pricing pressures, slow economic growth and a media advertising market that is in transition.”

Operating revenue for the quarter totalled $5.97 billion, down from $6.08 billion in its third quarter of 2023.

BCE also said it now expects its revenue for 2024 to fall about 1.5 per cent compared with earlier guidance for an increase of zero to four per cent.

The company says the change comes as it faces lower-than-anticipated wireless product revenue and sustained pressure on wireless prices.

BCE added 33,111 net postpaid mobile phone subscribers, down 76.8 per cent from the same period last year, which was the company’s second-best performance on the metric since 2010.

It says the drop was driven by higher customer churn — a measure of subscribers who cancelled their service — amid greater competitive activity and promotional offer intensity. BCE’s monthly churn rate for the category was 1.28 per cent, up from 1.1 per cent during its previous third quarter.

The company also saw 11.6 per cent fewer gross subscriber activations “due to more targeted promotional offers and mobile device discounting compared to last year.”

Bell’s wireless mobile phone average revenue per user was $58.26, down 3.4 per cent from $60.28 in the third quarter of the prior year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:BCE)

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