O'Toole eyes post-pandemic election, vows to keep pushing feds on COVID-19 in meantime - CTV News | Canada News Media
Connect with us

Health

O'Toole eyes post-pandemic election, vows to keep pushing feds on COVID-19 in meantime – CTV News

Published

 on


OTTAWA —
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole says that while he sees many problems with the Liberal government’s handling of pandemic, he won’t be pushing for an election until the COVID-19 health and economic crisis is under control. When the time comes for Canadians to cast their ballots, he says his party will be ready.

“We have to get through the health and economic crisis of COVID-19 before we go to the polls,” said O’Toole in an interview on CTV’s Question Period with host Evan Solomon.

“I think we will be a clear voice for Canadians that deserve an ethical government with a plan for the future of building Canada, but I don’t think we should have an election, until we’ve rounded that corner in this, the biggest crisis of all our lives,” he said, though the Conservatives have voted against the government on several recent confidence votes that saw the Liberals propped up by other opposition parties.

“I’ve been putting structures in place in our party to make sure we’re ready, we’re united, we’re a government waiting.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also indicated he has no desire to call a snap general election anytime soon, but this week, the minority Liberals took a step towards setting up the logistical parameters to do so.

Heeding recommendations from Canada’s chief electoral officer, the government has tabled a series of “temporary” Canada Elections Act changes that would allow weekend voting and an expanded mail-in-voting system, among other health and safety accommodations. 

With the House of Commons now on hiatus until late January, there won’t be a chance to advance these election changes for over a month, meaning under the timeline in the bill, the earliest these new measures could be in place would be late April or early May.

That’s when federal officials say the beginning of Canada’s mass vaccination effort will begin in earnest, eyeing between April and June for up to 19 million people to be immunized for COVID-19. 

By then, it’s likely the federal government will have tabled its 2021 federal budget, which Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has promised will include more details on their plan for a national daycare program, and how the Liberals intend to spend up to $100 billion on economic stimulus.

O’Toole said in this weekend’s interview that he’s anticipating the next election will be fought on which party has the best “plan for the future.”

“We need Canadians working, we need to build things in this country and be proud of getting people back to work. That’s, I think, what the next election will be about,” he said. “We have to send a signal that jobs and investment are welcome in our country coming out of the pandemic.”

O’Toole said that is where his ongoing opposition to the federal carbon tax is coming from.

With new details unveiled last week that include a decade of increases to the federal carbon tax as part of the plan to reduce emissions and meet Canada’s climate targets, O’Toole said that “taxation in a time of crisis is not a solution.”

O’Toole said his party will offer a “serious” approach to climate change. During his leadership campaign he took the position that it should be up to the provinces and territories to decide how they want to tackle their greenhouse gas emissions, and the federal government should go after the large emitters.

“The environment matters a lot to me. I worked on these issues in the private sector, as a dad to young kids it’s important,” said O’Toole.

CRITICAL OF COVID-19 RESPONSE

As the Official Opposition, the Conservatives have been critical of the Liberals’ pandemic response, and O’Toole said his caucus intends to keep that up in the months ahead.

While he said that the initial vaccines landing in Canada imminently—and considerably earlier than some Conservative MPs had speculated—is a “great first step,” he’s still waiting for a full plan on the vaccine rollout.

Last week in the House of Commons a Conservative motion passed unanimously that called on the government to table a detailed plan by Dec. 16, that includes the date for each vaccine to be deployed in Canada, despite the uncertainty around the timing of Health Canada approval, which is necessary before any shots can be given to Canadians. 

“The fact that government was being secretive about how many will be arriving by month? Do we have the refrigeration to keep the Pfizer vaccine at -70 C? How will Indigenous communities, how will the North, some rural parts of our country, get distribution? There’s still a lot of questions,” O’Toole said.

“We see a lot of clarity now coming on some key questions but we need full details, that’s what Canadians want to go into the holidays knowing.”

He also said that the fast action to see the military play a key role, and to have initial vaccine doses delivered before the end of the year, is the result of his party pushing for more information.

“This is an example where the opposition has to challenge, push for a faster, smarter response. I think we’ve done that, not only on vaccines but on rapid tests. I want Canada to succeed so I’m happy we’re getting some vaccines a little bit early, but let’s use these small number [of doses] to test our system so that we can hit the ground running in the new year.”

At various points in the interview O’Toole referred to the initial doses of the vaccines as “samples,” however the doses arriving in Canada within hours are not samples, they are the first doses of millions that Canada has ordered of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine that has been approved by Health Canada.

Asked repeatedly whether he’d be condemning those who are anti-vaccination, after one of his MPs advanced a petition questioning, without evidence, the science of COVID-19 vaccines, O’Toole didn’t directly respond, saying the questions from “grassroots Canadians” with concerns are understandable.

“I think the reason why there’s more questions than ever, people are worried, they get information on social media and other things, so we have to provide that information and clarity. And, so I’ve tried to be very clear the reason I’m asking for a public plan on vaccines is because the Conservative Party, all of us, think it’s a critical tool our country needs,” he said.

O’Toole—who experienced COVID-19 firsthand this fall— added that he trusts the authorization from Health Canada, thinks vaccines will help Canada turn a corner in the fight against the novel coronavirus, and he will be getting immunized when the time comes.  

Let’s block ads! (Why?)



Source link

Continue Reading

Health

What’s the greatest holiday gift: lips, hair, skin? Give the gift of great skin this holiday season

Published

 on

Give the gift of great skin this holiday season

Skinstitut Holiday Gift Kits take the stress out of gifting

Toronto, October 31, 2024 – Beauty gifts are at the top of holiday wish lists this year, and Laser Clinics Canada, a leader in advanced beauty treatments and skincare, is taking the pressure out of seasonal shopping. Today, Laser Clincs Canada announces the arrival of its 2024 Holiday Gift Kits, courtesy of Skinstitut, the exclusive skincare line of Laser Clinics Group.

In time for the busy shopping season, the limited-edition Holiday Gifts Kits are available in Laser Clinics locations in the GTA and Ottawa. Clinics are conveniently located in popular shopping centers, including Hillcrest Mall, Square One, CF Sherway Gardens, Scarborough Town Centre, Rideau Centre, Union Station and CF Markville. These limited-edition Kits are available on a first come, first served basis.

“These kits combine our best-selling products, bundled to address the most relevant skin concerns we’re seeing among our clients,” says Christina Ho, Senior Brand & LAM Manager at Laser Clinics Canada. “With several price points available, the kits offer excellent value and suit a variety of gift-giving needs, from those new to cosmeceuticals to those looking to level up their skincare routine. What’s more, these kits are priced with a savings of up to 33 per cent so gift givers can save during the holiday season.

There are two kits to select from, each designed to address key skin concerns and each with a unique theme — Brightening Basics and Hydration Heroes.

Brightening Basics is a mix of everyday essentials for glowing skin for all skin types. The bundle comes in a sleek pink, reusable case and includes three full-sized products: 200ml gentle cleanser, 50ml Moisture Defence (normal skin) and 30ml1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum. The Brightening Basics kit is available at $129, a saving of 33 per cent.

Hydration Heroes is a mix of hydration essentials and active heroes that cater to a wide variety of clients. A perfect stocking stuffer, this bundle includes four deluxe products: Moisture 15 15 ml Defence for normal skin, 10 ml 1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum, 10 ml Retinol Serum and 50 ml Expert Squalane Cleansing Oil. The kit retails at $59.

In addition to the 2024 Holiday Gifts Kits, gift givers can easily add a Laser Clinic Canada gift card to the mix. Offering flexibility, recipients can choose from a wide range of treatments offered by Laser Clinics Canada, or they can expand their collection of exclusive Skinstitut products.

 

Brightening Basics 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut, available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.

Hydration Heroes 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut – available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.

Continue Reading

Health

Here is how to prepare your online accounts for when you die

Published

 on

 

LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?

It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.

Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:

Apple

The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.

For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.

You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.

Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.

Google

Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.

When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.

You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.

There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.

Facebook and Instagram

Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.

When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.

The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.

You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.

TikTok

The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.

Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.

X

It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.

Passwords

Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?

Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.

But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.

___

Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.

Source link

Continue Reading

Health

Pediatric group says doctors should regularly screen kids for reading difficulties

Published

 on

 

The Canadian Paediatric Society says doctors should regularly screen children for reading difficulties and dyslexia, calling low literacy a “serious public health concern” that can increase the risk of other problems including anxiety, low self-esteem and behavioural issues, with lifelong consequences.

New guidance issued Wednesday says family doctors, nurses, pediatricians and other medical professionals who care for school-aged kids are in a unique position to help struggling readers access educational and specialty supports, noting that identifying problems early couldhelp kids sooner — when it’s more effective — as well as reveal other possible learning or developmental issues.

The 10 recommendations include regular screening for kids aged four to seven, especially if they belong to groups at higher risk of low literacy, including newcomers to Canada, racialized Canadians and Indigenous Peoples. The society says this can be done in a two-to-three-minute office-based assessment.

Other tips encourage doctors to look for conditions often seen among poor readers such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; to advocate for early literacy training for pediatric and family medicine residents; to liaise with schools on behalf of families seeking help; and to push provincial and territorial education ministries to integrate evidence-based phonics instruction into curriculums, starting in kindergarten.

Dr. Scott McLeod, one of the authors and chair of the society’s mental health and developmental disabilities committee, said a key goal is to catch kids who may be falling through the cracks and to better connect families to resources, including quicker targeted help from schools.

“Collaboration in this area is so key because we need to move away from the silos of: everything educational must exist within the educational portfolio,” McLeod said in an interview from Calgary, where he is a developmental pediatrician at Alberta Children’s Hospital.

“Reading, yes, it’s education, but it’s also health because we know that literacy impacts health. So I think that a statement like this opens the window to say: Yes, parents can come to their health-care provider to get advice, get recommendations, hopefully start a collaboration with school teachers.”

McLeod noted that pediatricians already look for signs of low literacy in young children by way of a commonly used tool known as the Rourke Baby Record, which offers a checklist of key topics, such as nutrition and developmental benchmarks, to cover in a well-child appointment.

But he said questions about reading could be “a standing item” in checkups and he hoped the society’s statement to medical professionals who care for children “enhances their confidence in being a strong advocate for the child” while spurring partnerships with others involved in a child’s life such as teachers and psychologists.

The guidance said pediatricians also play a key role in detecting and monitoring conditions that often coexist with difficulty reading such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, but McLeod noted that getting such specific diagnoses typically involves a referral to a specialist, during which time a child continues to struggle.

He also acknowledged that some schools can be slow to act without a specific diagnosis from a specialist, and even then a child may end up on a wait list for school interventions.

“Evidence-based reading instruction shouldn’t have to wait for some of that access to specialized assessments to occur,” he said.

“My hope is that (by) having an existing statement or document written by the Canadian Paediatric Society … we’re able to skip a few steps or have some of the early interventions present,” he said.

McLeod added that obtaining specific assessments from medical specialists is “definitely beneficial and advantageous” to know where a child is at, “but having that sort of clear, thorough assessment shouldn’t be a barrier to intervention starting.”

McLeod said the society was partly spurred to act by 2022’s “Right to Read Inquiry Report” from the Ontario Human Rights Commission, which made 157 recommendations to address inequities related to reading instruction in that province.

He called the new guidelines “a big reminder” to pediatric providers, family doctors, school teachers and psychologists of the importance of literacy.

“Early identification of reading difficulty can truly change the trajectory of a child’s life.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending

Exit mobile version