What a year it has been! Even though 2020 has made its mark in the history books, plenty of people will be trying to forget about it.
At the end of each year, CTVNews.ca crunches the numbers to see which stories our readers clicked on the most. While the COVID-19 pandemic dominated many of our headlines, many other topics caught the eye of our readers.
JANUARY
Tragedy struck on Jan. 8 when 57 Canadians, as well as approximately 80 others travelling to Canada, were killed when Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was shot down by Iran shortly after takeoff from Tehran Imam Khomeini Airport. In a later statement, the cause of the crash was “human error,” as the commercial flight was mistaken for a “hostile plane”
On Jan. 26, the sporting world was dealt a blow when basketball legend Kobe Bryant, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others, died in a helicopter crash in California.
National pipeline protests started across the country on Jan, 7 through March, prompted after RCMP enforced an injunction against Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs and their supporters, who were blocking construction of the Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline, a key part of the $40-billion LNG Canada export project. The blockades across the country caused Via Rail to cancel all services on CN tracks in Canada.
It has undoubtedly been a tough year for retail, among many of other sectors, but our updated list of some of the major chains in Canada closing all their doors, shuttering their locations or that have been hit by bankruptcy in the past two years, has been one of the most-read articles of 2020.
Meanwhile, in health news, Health Canada expanded a national recall for certain types of diabetes medications due to concerns that an impurity in the prescription drugs could be linked to cancer. There were also dengue fever concerns in the Caribbean after this 26-year-old Canadian died. A story we published on Feb. 13 speaking to survivors of the disease said travellers are not being warned.
In good news, it was a month to remember for a 22-year-old Quebec grocery store worker Gregory Mathieu, who won an incredible $70-million Lotto Max jackpot. The story was shared 6,500 times on Facebook and received 23,000 likes.
As some people figured out how they could make money during the early stages of the pandemic, many more were concerned about how they could pay bills amid widespread lay-offs. Our article explaining the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), and how you could apply.
APRIL
On the night of April 18, killer Gabriel Wortman, dressed as a Mountie and driving a vehicle made to look like an RCMP cruiser, set fire to several homes and murdered 13 people in Portapique, N.S. in what became Canada’s worst mass shooting in history.
Questions around COVID-19 lockdown rules began to surface with this query – Can I go for a drive during a global pandemic? – among the most-read in April. In other COVID news, pediatricians warned about ‘COVID toes’ in children infected with the virus.
MAY
Protests across Canada begin in solidarity with Americans protesting the death of George Floyd on May 25, and against police issues and systemic racism in Canada.
Just when you thought 2020 could not get any worse, we then had giant hornets with freakish eyes and a venomous sting to add to the year’s list of worries. Dubbed ‘murder hornets,’ they were first spotted in the U.S. and then later found in parts of B.C.
In a bid to boost morale during the pandemic, the Canadian Forces Snowbirds team performed a cross-country tour. However, it ended in tragedy on May 17 when one member of the team, later named as Capt. Jennifer Casey, died, after a plane crashed in Kamloops, B.C.
A mother and her three young daughters killed in a horrific crashin Brampton, Ont. The trial of 20-year-old Brady Robertson, who is charged with four counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and four counts of impaired driving, is set to be heard in July 2021.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s 21 seconds of silence to a question about U.S. President Donald Trump’s response to racial unrest made the headlines on June 2 and was one of our most-read Don Martin columns of the year.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s younger brother, Robert Trump, a businessman known for an even keel that seemed almost incompatible with the family name, died after being hospitalized in New York. He was 71.
As the 2020 U.S. presidential continues to take shape, American historian Allan Lichtman made an early prediction. He has correctly predicted every U.S. presidential election winner since 1984, and this year he forecasted Democratic nominee Joe Biden would be the next president – which we now know to be true.
The distraught mother of a two-year-old girl who died in her sleep three days after being told by doctors her daughter only had the flu says she feels the health-care system failed her.
In an exclusive interview with CTV National News’ Lisa LaFlamme on Sept. 9, WE Charity announced it was selling off its assets, eliminating staff and winding down operations in Canada months after becoming embroiled in a political scandal that has triggered investigations by the federal ethics watchdog.
Trudeau’s minority government survived a confidence vote 180 to 146, in the House of Commons to defeat a motion to create a new committee to probe alleged Liberal corruption involving the government’s COVID-19 spending, allegations of conflicts of interest, and the WE Charity controversy.
The month was dominated by the U.S. presidential election, as CTVNews.ca produced round-the-clock coverage with reporters based in Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles capturing every twist and turn. Our live blog was the most-read piece of content, followed by Donald Trump’s statement following the election result.
Many in Ontario ended the year how they’d spent most of it – living under COVID-19 restrictions – as health officials announced a province-wide lockdown from December 26.
Some Canadians who applied for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) were being asked to repay the entire sum by Dec. 31 because of a tweak in the self-employed income wording to “net” self-employment income that was never mentioned in the original application.
As the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines started, one question many have is: ‘What will I feel like after I take a vaccine?’ Canada first approved thePfizer-BioNTech shot and then approved the Moderna vaccine.
Scientists around the world reacted to news of a mutant strain of COVID-19. First identified in the U.K., and then many other countries, flights were suspended between Britain and Canada while work to understand its threat took place. Canada’s first cases of the new variant were a couple in Durham, Ontario, identified on December 26. More cases in Ottawa and Vancouver Island were also identified.
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.
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.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
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.
