Canadians hoping to travel internationally for the holidays have much to celebrate.
A White House official told Global News on Friday that fully vaccinated Canadians will be able to travel to the U.S. by land or sea for non-essential trips starting Nov. 8. Later in the day, came the news that Canadians with mixed vaccines will also be able to cross the border.
And Canada lifted its quarantine requirement for vaccinated travellers entering the country by land and air back in July.
But one large group of vaccinated adults who may still have to shelve any plans for cross-border holiday trips: those with children under the age of 12 who cannot get the coronavirus vaccine yet.
While international travel with young children is possible, it remains riskier and more complicated. Here’s what to know.
1:58 Border communities react to U.S. decision to reopen following pandemic closure
Border communities react to U.S. decision to reopen following pandemic closure
Re-entering Canada with kids under 12
Children under 12 who are travelling with fully vaccinated parents, step-parents, guardians or tutors don’t need to quarantine upon re-entering Canada but won’t be able to go back to their routines right away, either. That’s because they won’t be allowed to attend school, daycare or camp for 14 days after their return, according to guidelines posted on the website of the government of Canada.
The kids may also need to postpone seeing their grandparents for a while. Unvaccinated children returning from a trip abroad must avoid contact with people 65 years of age or older, as well as with those who have a compromised immune system or underlying medical condition that makes them more susceptible to complications from COVID-19.
Families must also ensure the children aren’t travelling on crowded public transport or attending crowded settings like amusement parks or sporting events.
Still, the kids won’t stay locked up in the house for two full weeks. They’re still allowed to go to the park, to head out for a walk, or to accompany their parents on errands to the grocery store or pharmacy, provided they avoid crowds, wear masks at all times, and maintain physical distancing.
There are also testing requirements. For unvaccinated children aged five and older, families have to provide negative COVID-19 results from tests taken right before entry, upon arrival, and eight days after coming back. As for adults, these must be molecular not rapid antigen tests.
Children under the age of five are exempt from the testing requirement, but parents should still include them as travellers in their submissions through the ArriveCAN app, which enables travellers to upload their trip details, test results and quarantine plans, if applicable. Use of the app has become mandatory for virtually anyone entering Canada by air, land or marine vessel.
In addition to the federal directives, parents should also check for any additional public health requirements in their local jurisdiction.
Children under the age of 12 travelling with unvaccinated adults must quarantine upon entering Canada.
4:56 How the U.S. border reopening could impact local businesses
How the U.S. border reopening could impact local businesses
Travelling to the U.S.
Starting on Nov. 8, children under 12 will also be allowed into the U.S., provided they’re travelling with someone who satisfies U.S. vaccination requirements.
Canadians who have received two shots of the Moderna, Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines will be able to enter the U.S. U.S. authorities have also said the U.S. will accept international travellers vaccinated with mixed doses of any FDA or WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines, which include Moderna, Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines.
There will be no need for a COVID-19 test to enter the U.S. by land or sea for vaccinated visitors. However, proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within three calendar days of travel is still required to board a flight to the U.S. for all passengers except children under the age of two.
2:09 As U.S. reopens border, calls for Canada to end COVID-19 test requirement
As U.S. reopens border, calls for Canada to end COVID-19 test requirement
Health risks
Regardless of entry requirements, travelling abroad with children who aren’t vaccinated remains “risky,” even if parents have received their two shots, says Anna Banerji, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
“There’s the risk of (unvaccinated children) getting sick or potentially spreading it,” she says.
The risk varies based on your destination, local rate of COVID-19 cases and vaccinations, as well as public health measures in place, she says. Some U.S. states, she notes, still have three times the average number of cases per population than Canada has.
“Inmany parts of the States, COVID is not under control,” she says.
Even if you’re flying to a destination with low rates of COVID-19 and stringent rules to contain the contagion, you’ll still be on an airplane for hours, potentially with people from all over the world, Banerji cautions.
The safer choice is to wait until young children have also had their full dose of vaccine, she says.
Earlier this month, Pfizer was the first vaccine maker to ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to authorize emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine in children aged five to 11.
Pfizer has submitted its initial trial data to Health Canada and plans to make a formal submission by mid-October, a spokesperson previously told Global News. As of Friday, Pfizer had not made the submission to the regulator.
Banerji says she’s hopeful children aged five to 11 will be vaccinated within the next two to three months.
— with files from Global News national reporter Aaron D’Andrea
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.
