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'The '80s called. They want their ad back': Hundreds of complaints pour in over billboard

Business

CBC

'The '80s called. They want their ad back': Hundreds of complaints pour in over billboard

A billboard sign was removed from Highway 15 between Moncton and Shediac on Tuesday afternoon because of an outpouring of complaints.The sign showed a woman wearing a mid-riff baring t-shirt and bikini bottoms, yet was advertising steel fabrication and 'machining equipment solutions' for Machine Experts, based in Dieppe.Chris Landry, owner of the company, said his vision for the advertisement was a 'fun, summery vibe' appealing to people on their way to, or from, the beach. Instead. he said he received approximately 200 complaints in less than 24 hours and decided to have the billboard ad taken down.Tina Thibodeau was one of the people who had serious concerns about the sign."The ad represents that you're selling the female, not the machinery," she said. "You're objectifying her, when we objectify women we treat them as objects."Thibodeau, who was the executive director of a domestic violence shelter in Moncton for over a decade, said the image used as a marketing tool feeds into darker issues around misogyny."This feeds into the issues of domestic violence, it feeds into the issues that women can't get CEO jobs and that they have glass ceilings," said Thibodeau. "It feeds into this whole patriarchy that we have in our society that many still claim we don't have and we do that because we continue to let these types of things happen."Thibodeau said she called the marketing agency, the billboard company and Landry on Monday. She didn't feel like her concerns were taken seriously at the time, but with the billboard gone she is happy the message was eventually received."When we decide we want something to change we can we rally together and we change it," said Thibodeau. She said it's frustrating to be talking about objectification of women, because she feels like she's been having that conversation for most of her adult life."The 80's called. They want their ad back," said Thibodeau.Landry declined to do a taped interview but said he's sorry and will not use the image of a woman in his advertisements again unless she is dressed in work clothes appropriate for a machine shop.

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CBC host Wendy Mesley apologizes for using a certain word in discussion on race

Politics

The Canadian Press

CBC host Wendy Mesley apologizes for using a certain word in discussion on race

TORONTO — CBC News host Wendy Mesley says she's sorry and "deeply ashamed" after using "a word that should never be used" during an editorial discussion about current issues regarding race."The Weekly with Wendy Mesley" host took to her Twitter account to post about the incident, which now has her off the air while the CBC investigates.Mesley's statement did not identify the word but said it "was not aimed at anyone."She said she used it as she was quoting a journalist they were intending to interview on a panel discussion about coverage of racial inequality.Mesley added she was "careless" with her language "and wrong to say it," and she immediately apologized to her co-workers.In an emailed statement, a spokesman for the public broadcaster said "senior management within CBC News were made aware of an incident" involving Mesley last Thursday.Chuck Thompson, head of public affairs at CBC English Services, added that Mesley will not be hosting her Sunday morning program while they investigate further.Thompson said out of respect for "the privacy rights" of employees, the CBC has "nothing more to add."Responding to follow-up questions about what word was used, Thompson said: "At this time, we are not going into any details beyond what we have already said."Mesley responded to a request for comment by pointing to her Twitter statement."Regardless of my intention, I hurt people and for that I am very sorry," Mesley posted on Twitter Tuesday. "I am also deeply ashamed."I immediately apologised to my co-workers, and recognize this is a word that no-one like me should ever use. I made a big mistake and promise to change my behaviour.""The Weekly with Wendy Mesley" airs on CBC and CBC News Network from Toronto. It provides critical analysis of big news stories.This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2020.The Canadian Press

Parham church reduced to rubble after terrifying night

News

CBC

Parham church reduced to rubble after terrifying night

All that's left of St. James Anglican Church in Parham, Ont., is its front entrance — the carved wood interior is ash and the vinyl siding lays in a heap.The ruins are the result of a fire that raged Sunday night, spreading from a neighbouring house, in moments of terror as gunshots rang out.The church served a small congregation of no more than two dozen people. There are only about that many homes on Country Road 38 that make up the village of Parham, which is part of the Township of Central Frontenac.Bishop Michael Oulton of the Diocese of Ontario was at the scene Monday afternoon, consoling some of the church members."Like all rural churches, they're community focal points, they're gathering places. There's so much history, family history. People walk through the doors and they see where their parents, their grandparents [and] their great-grandparents sat," Oulton said."The loss is not so much the artifacts and the items and the stained glass, the loss is the what this represents in the community."Oulton posted photos of the church to social media from its 130th anniversary celebration on Monday.A night of terrorPeople who saw the fire consume the brick house and the church and heard the gunshots describe a night of being on edge. Ontario Provincial Police conducted an 11-hour search for the suspect. One woman said that period of uncertainty reminded her of the shooting rampage in Nova Scotia in April when a gunman impersonating an RCMP officer killed 22 people."It did feel like Nova Scotia, you didn't know where he was," said the witness.CBC is not naming her because she fears for her safety. She said she heard the man shouting "Parham's gonna burn!"One person in Parham was treated by paramedics for non-life-threatening injuries. Brian Daniel Mosher, 42, was charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of arson, uttering threats and several firearms offences, including unauthorized possession of a firearm.Community spiritDavid Kellar alleges he was shot at when he went to investigate the banging sounds and orange glow coming from the other side of the church.He and his wife sheltered in their home as OPP searched the neighbourhood. Kellar said the loss to the community — which had always felt so safe — is only starting to be understood."I was more upset about that church being burned down than being shot at," Kellar said."That there has taken the spirit out of everybody."Churchgoers put in the work to keep the century-old building in excellent shape, maintaining the hand-carved cedar and pine on the inside, Kellar said."It was like a beautiful trophy inside."Township of Central Frontenac Mayor Frances Smith, herself a member of the church, said a core group of about 10 people poured their heart and soul into keeping it open."It's a huge loss. The people of that parish have fundraised, they've done bake sales, they have done lottery tickets, everything to try and keep it going," she said."It's very sad. I don't know if the church would be rebuilt, but again, the history is lost."However she believes her community will rally."People are going to be afraid for a while, they still will help each other because that's what small rural communities do," Smith said.

Quebec premier apologizes as province surpasses 5,000 COVID-19 deaths

News

The Canadian Press

Quebec premier apologizes as province surpasses 5,000 COVID-19 deaths

MONTREAL — Quebec's premier apologized as the province surpassed 5,000 COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, vowing to take lessons from the loss of life.Authorities added 45 new deaths after days of declining numbers, pushing the provincial toll to 5,029, with nearly 90 per cent of those deaths in the province's long-term care homes."The message I have is that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the decisions that have been taken or not taken in the last 10 to 20 years," Francois Legault told reporters in Quebec City."We're sad for the families that are close to these people. Five thousand deaths is a lot — 4,500 came from those (seniors) residences — so clearly there was a problem with those residences."Legault said the province needs to draw lessons from what has unfolded. "As a government, this tells us we must do better in the future," he said.Health Minister Danielle McCann said a deputy minister has been appointed to look at the COVID-19 situation in Montreal to improve the response ahead of a possible second wave."So, we want this work to be done this summer, and we want to implement quickly those recommendations," McCann said.The underlying COVID-19 numbers suggested improvement, with the number of new confirmed cases continuing to drop. An additional 138 infections were reported Tuesday, bringing the total to 53,185.Meanwhile, the number hospitalizations dropped to 961 and those in intensive care dropped to 117.Legault urged vigilance as he said the province is facing a double challenge — boosting the economy without relaunching the pandemic.The premier said he's ready to extend the current legislative session to pass Bill 61, designed to fast-track construction projects the province deems essential to kick-start the economy and put "Quebecers back to work."Opposition parties have expressed concerns about the bill, which would extend the state of health emergency and accelerate 202 infrastructure projects such as hospitals, seniors homes, schools and public transit.Legault said that while some have raised concerns that pushing projects will come at the expense of environmental impact assessments, the idea is to reduce the length of the reviews, which can take up to 11 months.He was also confident that approving projects more quickly wouldn't end with a return to corruption that plagued Quebec's construction industry and was highlighted by a commission of inquiry in 2015.Legault noted he has confidence in Justice Minister Sonia LeBel, who was lead counsel for the inquiry, and Treasury Board President Christian Dube to protect against collusion."It's clear that nobody wants that," Legault said. "We want to have competition and give contracts at the lowest cost possible."This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2020.Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press

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Federal Conservatives and B.C. Liberals oust Kelowna party executive member for inflammatory Nazi remark

News

CBC

Federal Conservatives and B.C. Liberals oust Kelowna party executive member for inflammatory Nazi remark

The B.C. Liberals and the federal Conservatives both ousted a prominent party executive in Kelowna after he said a raised fist in support of racial justice was "no different than a Nazi salute."Justin Neufeld made the comments to a Kelowna news website's Facebook page.When the B.C. Liberal Party was informed of them, it promptly fired Neufeld, saying the comments were "at odds with our commitment to fighting racism and discrimination in all forms." Until Monday, Neufeld was a committee chair and board member with the electoral district association in Kelowna-Lake Country, a riding held by MLA Norm Letnick, who said he didn't share Neufeld's views.Neufeld is also the policy chair for the federal Conservative party in the riding held by MP Tracy Gray."Racism is real, it is painful, and it is wrong," Gray wrote in a short statement. "Today, I asked for and accepted the resignation of Mr. Neufeld from our executive board for his insensitive comments."In an emailed statement, Neufeld said he stands by his views. Letnick and Gray declined CBC News' requests for interviews.Police investigating Nazi saluteThe controversy comes on the same day as Kelowna RCMP opened a criminal investigation into a man who appeared to taunt Black Lives Matter protesters Friday afternoon by raising his hand in a Nazi salute.About 200 people rallying at Kelowna's Stuart Park had just taken a knee and put a fist in the air in tribute to George Floyd, when a man in a slowly moving white Ford pickup truck made the straight arm gesture out the window.Eyewitness Damien Gagnon said it was unmistakably the Sieg Heil or Nazi salute."It was pretty appalling and sickening," said Gagnon. "People started yelling at him ... and his arm stayed extended in the air in the salute."Rally co-organizer Paige Harrison also witnessed the gesture. She said photographer Adam Newton-Blows, who was taking pictures of the man, had a can of beer thrown at him from the truck. "We were standing in solidarity with those who have experienced police brutality," said Harrison. "To have someone take that moment away from something that is so tragic is very disheartening."Worldwide protestsOver the last two weeks, people around the globe have gathered en masse to protest the May 25 police-involved murder of George Floyd that was captured on video.Floyd died pleading for his life as a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes.Demonstrators have been getting down on one knee and holding up a closed fist in a show of solidarity to the Black community.RCMP said no arrests have yet been made, but the investigation remains active."I do hope there is some kind of justice that comes out of it," said Harrison. "They knew what they were doing was not out of love but out of hate."Anyone with information is asked to call the Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300.

George Floyd wanted fresh start in Minneapolis, roommate says

News

CBC

George Floyd wanted fresh start in Minneapolis, roommate says

George Floyd’s roommate Alvin Manago talks with CBC’s Susan Ormiston about his reaction to Floyd’s death and why he moved to Minneapolis.

Toronto didn't issue any fines, despite nearly 180 short-term rental complaints during provincial ban

News

CBC

Toronto didn't issue any fines, despite nearly 180 short-term rental complaints during provincial ban

The City of Toronto didn't issue any fines against short-term rental operators for violating Ontario's emergency order during the province's two-month ban on most bookings, despite receiving nearly 180 complaints. The ban — which was lifted Friday — applied to all rentals for 28 days or less, except those provided to health-care professionals, and others in need of emergency housing in Toronto. By the end of May, 52 per cent of the city's completed investigations into complaints ended with bylaw officers issuing the short-term rental owners warnings they were breaking the emergency order.But several residents at 300 Front St. say that those warnings weren't enough to stop short-term rental bookings from continuing in their building, which accounts for 20 per cent of city-wide complaints in the last two months.Residents at the downtown condo told CBC News that most short-term rental units in their building appeared to be rented by groups looking for a place to party during the pandemic. 'You're opening up this Pandora's box'Winston Ma is one of those residents, and he worries that the partying will only get worse now that the provincial ban has lifted. "You're opening up this Pandora's box," said Ma. "I feel that [Premier Doug Ford] is putting our lives and health in jeopardy."Ma argues that it might be appropriate to allow short-term rentals to open up in areas of Ontario with few new cases of COVID-19, but not in the GTA where the majority of new cases are reported daily."Now you're giving people the legal authority to come here and party," said Ma. "They didn't stop when there was a ban, and now that you've lifted this ban, what do you really think is going to happen?"CBC News spoke to more than half a dozen other residents who described regular confrontations with groups carrying luggage trying to get on the elevator (despite a two-person limit) and loud parties in short-term rental units that spilled into the hallway and onto balconies during the ban. Most of those residents say they've complained about specific units multiple times during the pandemic. Between April 4 and the end of May, the city says it received 36 complaints about short-term rentals at 300 Front St. Of the 32 completed investigations from those complaints, 15 ended with bylaw officers issuing a warning through an emergency order notice. City argues warnings were effectiveCarleton Grant, who oversees Toronto's bylaw officers as head of municipal licensing and standards, says the city didn't issue any fines because their focus was on making sure people knew and understood the rules."We are seeing compliance and we are seeing the notices being effective," he told CBC News, before the ban was lifted. "If someone's really willfully non-compliant it will move forward to charges."Bylaw officers with the City of Toronto can issue fines to unit owners for violating a provincial order under the Emergency Measure Act.No single unit was found to be breaking the ban a second time after receiving a warning through an Emergency Order notice, according to the city — although property managers at about a dozen buildings in Toronto received secondary notices letting them know about ongoing short-term rental activity during the ban. Despite sharing complainants' frustrations with those who were flouting the rules, Grant argues that investigations into the short-term rental complaints aren't as simple as people might think. "It's really hard to justify that someone coming in with a wheelie bag or four people standing on a balcony aren't allowed to be there," said Grant."What's really useful to us is the advertisements posted on different websites that are saying that this is available for one night or two nights … then we substantiate that with someone being there for those two nights." Toronto's short-term rental bylaw still in placeNow that the provincial ban has been lifted, the city says its own bylaw limiting short-term rentals to a person's primary address remains in place — and bylaw officers will continue to respond to short-term rental issues on a complaints basis. But in a news release late last week, the city also noted that COVID-19 has affected its timeline for implementing a licensing and registration system for the bylaw. "Once the COVID-19 emergency period ends and provincial orders are lifted, the city will fully resume regular enforcement of all city bylaws," said the city news release.In terms of enforcement of the ban at 300 Front St., property management previously shut down the building's key exchange program in April, the same day CBC News contacted them about ongoing short-term rentals.Since then, the condo corporation's lawyer has "sent letters to several owners who the corporation believes have breached the emergency order," according to the condo manager.Why did the province lift the ban?When the province announced that the short-term rental ban was ending last week, one of the reasons cited to CBC News was that "many people rely on the rental of these properties to supplement their income." In an email, a spokesperson for the minister of municipal affairs and housing also noted that short-term rental "operators and guests should continue to practise physical distancing, wear a face covering when physical distancing is a challenge, and wash hands frequently."But Ma doesn't expect that to happen in his condo building."What makes them think that these hosts will adhere to these guidelines when they weren't even doing that when there was a ban in place?"

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New Banff fence will zap bears who try to climb it to eat roadside dandelions

News

CBC

New Banff fence will zap bears who try to climb it to eat roadside dandelions

Banff National Park is trying a new strategy to keep bears off the highway.The park recently installed five kilometres of electrified wire along fencing on the side of the TransCanada highway, east of the Banff townsite.Dan Rafla, a human-wildlife coexistence specialist for the park, said every summer, parks staff will see black bears climb the fence to eat dandelions and berries on the other side."In spring through June, we'll actually see a pulse of activity of bears crossing over the fence," he said."Then it might peter off into July … as the snow melts off the landscape, grass grows elsewhere, and the animals follow that green wave up the mountains. Then we might see it again in August as buffalo berries come online in the valley bottom."Staff have already removed berries and other food attractants from the highway side of the fence, and have replaced and upgraded fences to prevent animals burrowing underneath.Now, the new wiring, installed far from any human trails a few weeks ago, will deliver strong but non-lethal zaps to encourage the bears to wander off in search of a safer place to cross.And Rafla said it's working so far."Unless something radically different has happened, that area where the hot wire [was installed] has been a traditional hotspot for bears climbing over for years and we haven't had one yet this year."Rafla said they'll be assessing the wire's effectiveness over the course of the summer.They have also introduced warning signs and highway speed reductions near those trouble spots to remind drivers to stay alert.

Police in Nova Scotia investigate fatal dog attack northeast of Halifax

News

The Canadian Press

Police in Nova Scotia investigate fatal dog attack northeast of Halifax

MIDDLE MUSQUODOBOIT, N.S. — A dog described by police as a large pit bull attacked and killed its owner while the two were out for a roadside walk Tuesday in a rural community northeast of Halifax.Shortly after a motorist and a jogger spotted the woman's body near Middle Musquodoboit around 8 a.m., the RCMP issued an alert to residents, warning them to stay inside because the dog was on the loose.About 90 minutes later, police learned the brown and tan dog had been struck and killed by a vehicle.Halifax Coun. Steve Streatch, who represents the Musquodoboit Valley area, said local residents told him the woman was on a local road in Chaswood when the dog turned on her."It is a very tragic event that a lot of people are having great difficulty with," Streatch said, adding that the woman had recently moved to Middle Musquodoboit.Police later issued a statement saying they could not provide any further information because the woman's family had not yet been notified."Our thoughts are with the victim's family during this difficult time," the statement said.The Musquodoboit Valley is best known for farming and forestry."Most people know everybody else," said Streatch. "It's a quiet and enjoyable community. This is such a tragic and unusual situation."Streatch said the woman's death adds to the heartache many people are feeling after a series of tragedies have gripped the province, including the killing of 22 people in a mass shooting on April 18-19 and the deaths of six Nova Scotia-based military members who were aboard a Cyclone helicopter that crashed in the Ionian Sea on April 29.However, the councillor said tough times are nothing new for the province."Nova Scotians in general — and residents of the Musquodoboit valley specifically — are very resilient," he said."But we have definitely had more than our share over the last few months. It only adds to our resolve and the character of a community that I'm very proud to represent and live in."This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2020.The Canadian PressNote to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version misspelled the last name of Coun. Steve Streatch

Island family upset over funeral gathering rules

News

CBC

Island family upset over funeral gathering rules

The family of a West Prince woman who died Sunday says P.E.I.'s rules around religious gatherings and funerals are unfairly keeping dozens of them away from her funeral. Rita Chaisson died early Sunday morning at age 67 after a long battle with cancer, leaving behind a common-law partner, nine siblings, two children, and a dozen grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Because of P.E.I.'s church and funeral gathering limits, just 15 people will be able to attend her funeral Tuesday. "We have a very large family, so it's hard on a lot of people," said Deanna Peters, Chaisson's niece and goddaughter. Before she died, Chaisson had asked Peters to read at her funeral. "But because of the limit of 15, I don't feel like it's right for me to take the place of one of her siblings," she said."Just knowing I can't be there for her, and how much she truly wanted me to be there, it really affects me."15 in church, 50 in restaurants Peters said she's among many family members struggling to understand the logic behind the 15-person gathering limit, particularly when the province is allowing 50 people inside restaurant dining rooms. "Why should we have to choose who gets to go, when a restaurant can have 50 people?" asked Ann Smith, one of Chaisson's cousins. "To me, somebody passing on is much more important than someone going to eat or have a drink at a bar," added Peters. Dr. Heather Morrison, P.E.I.'s chief public health officer, was asked last week why the province is allowing more people into restaurants than churches. "It's difficult, I appreciate, for all of us to understand," said Morrison. "But we look at certain risks."Morrison said people entering restaurants are more likely to do so at staggered times, and that those sitting at the same table are ideally from the same household, or at least know each other well. "In a group that would be a larger gathering in a faith community or funeral, you may not know the same number of people, and you're all coming in the same entrance at the same time," she said. A spokesperson for P.E.I.'s Chief Public Health Office added to that in an email to CBC Monday. "Gathering limits for funerals are currently lower for several reasons including, but not limited to, that funerals feature gatherings of a single group of individuals where there is more opportunity for interaction between the entire group," the statement read. "On this note, in Newfoundland two funerals were related to a large outbreak of COVID-19."A difference for othersThat explanation isn't sitting well with Peters. She said people could easily co-ordinate entering a church or funeral home at staggered times. "I don't see any reason why all family members can't attend as long as the church is big enough so they can social distance," said Peters. Peters said the situation is especially frustrating after she and many other family members weren't able to visit Chaisson in the hospital before she died because of visiting restrictions.She said while it's too late to get the rules changed for her aunt's funeral, she and other family members are speaking out in hopes it may make a difference for others. "Going through this, especially with cancer, watching our loved one suffer day in and day out, and then to have another burden on our back, having to choose which family members get to come, this should never have to be," said Smith. "Take the burden off loved ones. Let them have peace."More from CBC P.E.I.

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George Floyd's former roommate remembers his friend: 'Every day ... I see his face'

News

CBC

George Floyd's former roommate remembers his friend: 'Every day ... I see his face'

George Floyd was already a "giant" in Alvin Manago's life. Floyd helped him find a job and a place to live, and they ended up being roommates for nearly four years.Then, two weeks ago, the 46-year-old Floyd was killed after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest, sparking international protests over police brutality against Black people. While Manago is mourning his friend, he takes pride in what Floyd has accomplished in death."That's what I'll always remember: 'Big guy, you did it. You're bigger than life, you showed the world,'" Manago told CBC News in a wide-ranging interview, sitting outside the bungalow he and Floyd shared in the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park.Floyd's funeral will take place Tuesday in his hometown of Houston.His name is still on the mailbox of the house in Minneapolis and his room is untouched, waiting for his family to claim his belongings. His orange Nike shoes sit by the back door, as though he were going to lace them up and head out to the basketball net in the yard, where he'd often give pointers to a neighbourhood kid.WATCH | George Floyd's former roommate shares details of his life:"He was a good guy," said Manago, while acknowledging that Floyd "struggled.""He tried to be strong. That was his goal — to be better." Sought a fresh startGeorge Floyd moved to Minneapolis about five years ago, seeking better job opportunities and a fresh start. He'd been a high school football champion in his hometown of Houston, played college basketball in Florida, then returned to Texas but didn't finish his undergraduate degree.In the early 2000s, he ran into trouble, with a number of arrests for drugs and theft. He spent four years in prison after a 2007 conviction for armed robbery."You know, he was private in his own way," said Manago. "What he had to say was, 'That's behind me, I'm here to do better.'"Floyd found his way to Minnesota, where he knew friends, and got a job as a security guard at the Conga Latin Bistro. His boss there offered him a house to rent in a leafy suburban neighbourhood."You could tell he was comfortable enjoying home, and watching sports on the big-screen TV," Manago said. Moving to Minneapolis "was a chance to get ahead and do better in his life. And he actually was doing it."Back in Houston, Floyd had a six-year-old daughter named Gianna. Her mother, Roxie Washington, said last week, "I want justice for George, because no matter what anybody thinks, he was good."He had four other children, including 27-year-old Quincy Mason Floyd, who visited the memorial site in Minneapolis last week.Floyd was trying to stitch a life together, holding down a job while paying rent and child support. But when the coronavirus closed the bar, like so many, he lost his work.Manago said Floyd rarely complained, except for persistent pain in his hip, which he dulled with prescription drugs. An autopsy report after his death on May 25 showed traces of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Floyd's system. "It was kind of shocking to me, especially meth, because I just never saw this, you know," said Manago.'Devastated' after mother's deathManago described a close friendship with his roommate, and said he and his girlfriend supported Floyd when things got tough, especially two years ago, when Floyd's mother, Cissy, died."When he lost his mom, he was devastated," recalled Manago. "My girlfriend, Teresa Scott, she always would make sure he ate, because he was in a slump. He just stayed in his room, reading the Bible aloud to himself."On the night of May 25, while he was pinned to the pavement by police, Floyd called out to his mother. In his eulogy during the memorial service in Minneapolis last Thursday, Rev. Al Sharpton recalled that moment."At the point he was dying, his mother was stretching her hand out, saying, 'C'mon, George, I will welcome you where the wicked will cease from troubling," Sharpton said. "'There's a place where the police won't put knees on you, George, there's a place where prosecutors won't drag their feet.'"'Every day ... I see his face'Manago said he learned about Floyd's death early in the morning on May 26, when he got a knock on the door. A reporter asked if he knew Floyd, then showed Manago a blurry video of police kneeling on his friend."I didn't want to believe it was him, and the more I saw it, the more it broke my heart," Manago said, his eyes tearing up at the memory."It was savage and brutal and I just couldn't believe that a human could do that to another, like he was enjoying it," Manago said angrily.He said that it was already such a tough time, with everyone doing their part to contain the coronavirus. "Then, to see that individual do an act of cruelty like that, during a time [where] we all should come together — it was devastating."Neighbours on the street have filled Floyd's former home with flowers. A GoFundMe campaign started in the community will help Manago pay Floyd's share of the rent for the next few months.Floyd's face is now everywhere, on television and social media and in street art all over the world, and his name is on people's lips as part of the larger cause of police accountability. But for Alvin Manago, it's more personal."Every day, you know, I see his face. I go in his room and look at his shoes and know Floyd's not coming home. And, you know, I'm going to miss him."

Sask. police chiefs, mayors say reducing enforcement is not as simple as defunding police

News

CBC

Sask. police chiefs, mayors say reducing enforcement is not as simple as defunding police

Police chiefs and mayors in Saskatoon and Regina say defunding police services is not the best approach to reducing police enforcement in Saskatchewan communities, saying more provincial resources should be put into addressing social issues that contribute to high crime rates. "The answer is not at this time in our community, given the levels of crime we're seeing and the levels of violence, to say that you need to do this by pulling money out of police," said Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark on Monday. "What we need to be doing is building a much better system to respond to those issues."A petition calling for the defunding of the Regina Police Service had about 2,300 signatures late Monday afternoon. Calls to redirect funds away from police services were reignited after the death of George Floyd, who died after a white police officer held his knee to Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes in Minneapolis.Some councillors in that city, under pressure from weeks of protests against anti-Black racism and police brutality across the United States and around the world, now say they will vote to dismantle the city's police force.New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has committed to moving money from the city's police budget into youth and social services. In Toronto, two city councillors have put forward a motion to reduce the police budget by 10 per cent. Proponents want funds redirected to social supportsProponents for defunding police services want money that goes toward enforcement redirected to community and social support services to reduce the need for police involvement in the first place.Funding that currently goes to police services could instead, for example, pay the wages of social workers and other support staff who have more dedicated training and do not carry weapons, proponents say. In Saskatchewan, calls to establish an independent police oversight body have been ongoing for years. Premier Scott Moe says discussions about changing that are underway. Body cameras will be tested in Saskatoon starting this year. A petition calling for the Regina Police Service to be defunded outlines its reasons for wanting to cut police funds. "The police budget increases while community groups like White Pony Lodge and Mobile Crisis, which provide low-cost alternatives to policing, are forced to rely on GoFundMe campaigns, personal donations, and small grants from the city," the website reads, in part. "[This is] in spite of the fact that they provide many of the same services as police, without requiring weaponry, communications departments, cells, or armoured vehicles."The petition had around 2,300 signatures late Monday afternoon. Sask. crime rates too high: Police chiefs, mayorsBut police chiefs and mayors in Saskatoon and Regina say the crime rate is too high to simply cut funding for officers.There were 18 homicides in Saskatoon last year, the highest number ever recorded. Regina has recorded seven homicides in the year to date, and Saskatchewan overall has one of the highest homicide rates of all the provinces. Regina Police Chief Evan Bray said the police budget cannot be reduced unless more funding from the provincial government is put into social support services, such as those for mental health and addictions. "We are responding to … year-to-date, 370 overdose calls, more than two a day," said Bray. "On average, especially through this pandemic, we are responding to 19 domestic conflict calls per service per day. Firearms calls are a daily activity for us and multiple times daily in many cases and so we are an extremely busy police service."He said partnerships with community groups would be welcomed if they reduce the social work that police do so they can focus on safety. Issues 'beyond scope of police service': FougereRegina Mayor Michael Fougere said redirecting more funds to support services for domestic violence, homelessness and addictions is not as simple as removing funds from the police service. "That becomes difficult because [the question is] how do we continue to provide a safe community, but also how do we engage other orders of government in a much larger conversation about what ends up being crime," he said. "What causes crime, what causes disadvantage, what causes alienation — these are issues that are beyond the scope of the police service." Saskatoon Police Chief Troy Cooper said systemic changes that go beyond additional funding are needed to reduce the need for enforcement. "If there is a way to have other parts of the community funded so that it results in less interactions with justice then absolutely I'm supportive of that," said Cooper. "It's not always about funding actually. If we're talking about structural change some of it is about legislation with an eye on the impact on the community. Some of it is about public policy." Cooper cited the Gang Violence Reduction Strategy, which was funded with $11.9 million from the federal government, as an example of a crime reduction approach that is not all about enforcement. Programs that have received funding through the program include Str8-Up, which helps individuals leave gang life for good. But he said more funding for services like a provincial drug strategy would help reduce the need for police involvement. "Enforcement is an important part of that but so is addictions treatment and so is education and so is harm reduction, so I think that when we fund all of those sort of broader strategies and public supports or social supports, we have to do it with the reliance on a community response rather than just an enforcement response."Cooper said Saskatchewan police are already working toward more partnerships in that vein. Cities can't control ministries that fund social issues: ClarkSaskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark said he recognizes that the community is not going to be able to "arrest our way out of crime."But he said the city does not control funding that goes toward addressing the root causes of crime. "For the city to simply think that by us reducing our funding to police that we can address these issues when we don't actually have control over the ministries that fund the social issues — it doesn't work that way," said Clark. He said aligning the community efforts with those of the provincial government is key to improving the situation. "The Safe Community Action Alliance, along with the community safety and well-being partners table, has put forward dozens of recommendations to the provincial government, particularly around youth, addictions and mental health and some of these issues. "And we've been getting engagement with the provincial government and these ministries. We think there's a lot more opportunity to address these issues and to work together."He said anybody who is interested in the conversation about redirecting funds toward social services can contact the city to participate in their efforts. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said restructuring police services is not being actively considered but that he is open to discussions. "There is a very important conversation I think as we move forward through the next number of days and it's been an ongoing conversation," said Moe.

Alberta leads Western Canada in using Ottawa's financial help, federal minister says

News

CBC

Alberta leads Western Canada in using Ottawa's financial help, federal minister says

A compounding pile of economic issues has Alberta leading all of Western Canada in utilizing Ottawa's financial help during the COVID-19 pandemic. Melanie Joly, the federal minister of economic development, said that while there has been use across the Prairies and British Columbia, "demand is higher from Alberta." The minister says the province has been lapping up funding provided through federal initiatives like wage subsidies, business loans, industry-specific help and Western Economic Diversification Canada's budget. "There's a clear uptake in the assets coming directly from Alberta for these new funds," Joly said. "Definitely we're seeing that Alberta is very hard hit."Oil prices and COVID-19 have decimated the province's economic prospects. Estimates show that Alberta's deficit could hit $20 billion in this fiscal year and the debt-to-GDP ratio could double to 20 per cent. Premier Jason Kenney has warned of a "great fiscal reckoning" on the horizon.Western Economic Diversification Canada recently threw a small $3.45-million life preserver to tourism sectors in Alberta and other western provinces. Travel Alberta will get about $1.5 million of that. The federal government expects 500 businesses in the province will benefit from the funding. That's barely two per cent of Alberta's 22,000 tourism-related enterprises. 'This is not a one-time solve'Travel Alberta is excited at the prospect of more capital, but says Ottawa's approach could need tweaking. "This is not a one-time solve. This is the rebuilding of our industry," Shelley Grollmuss, a vice-president, said. Alberta welcomes millions of tourists each year. Those visitors contribute just under $9 billion to the provincial economy every year and support more than 125,000 jobs. Things are different this year — and the money Ottawa has made available so far is only a fraction of what the industry will need to bounce back. "It's a long-term commitment," Grollmuss said.Tourism will be a big focus of federal help and dollars in Alberta as the country slowly emerges from the pandemic. This latest infusion won't be the end of help for Alberta, Joly said. "Certainly there is more money coming." She also acknowledged the wage subsidies, tourism funding and other federal help programs aren't perfect but said they are being adjusted as needed. The road aheadThe Calgary Chamber of Commerce has been coordinating with the federal government since the start of the pandemic. Sandip Lalli, the president, said the aid programs have been helpful but were "just a little bit late to arrive." Now the chamber wants Ottawa to look ahead to a post-pandemic plan for Calgary. "This is where we want that long-term growth," Lalli said. "We need federal help to be able to actually expedite the growth of the ecosystem."Economic development will be a busy portfolio for Joly as the need shifts to a post-pandemic rebuild.

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Ontario councillor who took N.B. road trip loses positions

News

CBC

Ontario councillor who took N.B. road trip loses positions

A city councillor from Peterborough, Ontario who made a controversial road trip to New Brunswick despite COVID-19 restrictions has been punished by his council colleagues.They voted Monday night to remove him from his position as economic development vice-chair and from council's seat on the board of the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce.Coun. Stephen Wright apologized for the trip last week, saying he was "overzealous" when he decided to drive to New Brunswick to see how restaurant reopenings were contributing to the provincial economy.The trip provoked fury, especially among New Brunswickers living outside the province who weren't able to visit loved ones or travel home for the funerals of family members.The Higgs government has since loosened border restrictions for such trips.Ontario councillor offers his 'regrets'Wright said in a statement last week that he understood the criticism and offered his "deepest regrets."He said the trip was his own initiative and he paid for it himself.Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien introduced the motion to strip Wright of the two positions.Last week she said his trip was "not reflective of city policy or what my office wants to see or [how] our councillors behave."The city council also voted to rescind its approval for Wright to run for a seat on the board of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.Wright opposed the decisions. The New Brunswick government said last week it was investigating how its enforcement officers at the border had screened Wright and decided to let him in. "It does not seem like a legitimate reason to come into the province," Premier Blaine Higgs said last week.

When it comes to leadership, Canada's political parties aren't getting more diverse

News

CBC

When it comes to leadership, Canada's political parties aren't getting more diverse

Political parties in Canada have a long way to go before their leaders begin to resemble the electorates they seek to lead.Throughout Canadian history, almost all of the people chosen to lead provincial and federal parties have been white men. Even in more recent years, however, the leadership of political parties has failed to reflect the gender and racial diversity of the wider population — and parties don't seem to be getting any better at it.Winning a party leadership is no easy thing. Those who do usually have a few things working in their favour.They are politically active, inside or outside of their parties. They have teams around them that support their leadership bids. They're able to convince party members that they are the best people to speak for their parties — and that they have the so-called "electability" factor.Studies show, however, that systemic obstacles prevent women and people of colour from getting involved in politics in the first place. For them, rising to the party leadership usually means overcoming obstacles and prejudices that white male candidates don't face.An analysis of data from the last few decades shows the result — and it isn't pretty.Since 1990, 175 leaders of provincial or federal parties have either led a party into an election in which it won seats, or (in the case of a shut-out) led into an election a party that had won seats in the previous vote. (This analysis has excluded territorial leaders, interim leaders or leaders of parties that did not win seats in an election.)Only 18 per cent of these leaders were women. Just eight per cent were people of colour.According to the 2016 census, 51 per cent of Canadians are women and about 27 per cent either self-identified as Indigenous or as visible minority.Women began winning party leaderships in bigger numbers in the early 1990s. Rita Johnston, named leader of the British Columbia Social Credit Party in 1991, became Canada's first female premier. Kim Campbell, who won the federal Progressive Conservative leadership in 1993, became Canada's first and only female prime minister to date.About 23 per cent of party leaderships decided between 1990 and 1994 ended with women being chosen. That percentage was cut nearly in half in the late 1990s and dropped even further in the early 2000s. Between 2005 and 2009, however, just over one-third of party leadership races were won by women.That share decreased again in the 2010s. Since 2015, only one in ten newly-named party leaders have been women.No racialized Canadian won a major party leadership in the 1990s. That changed at the turn of the century but the trend line has been largely stable since then: people of colour have won about 13 per cent of leadership contests over the last 20 years.New Democrats have the most diversityThe New Democrats have chosen a higher percentage of women or people of colour as party leaders than the Liberals or the various conservative parties across the country.Since 1990, 16 per cent of NDP leaderships at the federal and provincial levels have been won by racialized Canadians — current federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is one of them. Just over 12 per cent of Liberal leaderships have been won by people of colour since 1990, while the Conservatives (of all stripes) have not elected any over that period.Women have won about 29 per cent of NDP leadership races, compared to about 15 per cent for both the Liberals and Conservatives.Proximity to power might have an impact on the chances of a white man winning a party leadership. Just about half of Canada's racialized or female party leaders took over their parties at times when they were either in power or serving as the Official Opposition; nearly two-thirds of male party leaders did the same.There isn't much regional disparity involved in this pattern, either. The number of leadership races won by women over the last 30 years ranged from seven per cent of the total in Nova Scotia to 27 per cent in British Columbia, but the sample size in each province is relatively small.Regionally, western and central Canada had similar rates of racial and gender diversity among their party leaders, while Atlantic Canada's party leadership was more male and white. Atlantic Canada, however, is also the least racially diverse region in the country.Diversity today no higher than beforeThe current roster of party leaders is not particularly diverse. Every provincial government is led by a white male. (Caroline Cochrane, premier of the Northwest Territories, is Métis and Nunavut Premier Joe Savikataaq is Inuit). Back in 2013, six provincial premiers and one territorial premier were women.About 11 per cent of the current party leaders (including a handful of interim leaders) are non-white Canadians, and two of them are one step away from power. Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew and newly-named Quebec Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade occupy the Official Opposition roles in their respective legislatures.Just 16 per cent of current provincial or federal party leaders are women — and none of them is in a position of power right now. Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley are the opposition leaders in their provinces (as is Anglade). Manon Massé of Québec Solidaire, Alison Coffin of the Newfoundland and Labrador NDP and interim federal Green Leader Jo-Ann Roberts lead parties currently in third place or lower in their respective legislatures.The representation of people of colour and women among party leaders is even lower than it is among MPs in the House of Commons — which itself is well below the national average. Only 29 per cent of MPs are women and about 18 per cent are people of colour.There is some diversity in the leadership races being held across the country right now. The federal Green leadership is very diverse and both declared candidates for the B.C. Green title are women. One of four candidates for the Conservative leadership is a Black woman, Leslyn Lewis.But the front-runners in that race (based on fundraising, polls and endorsements) are two white men — Peter MacKay and Erin O'Toole — as are both candidates for the leadership of the Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal Party and nearly all of the candidates running for the leadership of the Parti Québécois.Putting aside the question of whether our representative democracy is actually representative of the people within it, there are good reasons to want to see more diversity in our political leadership. Studies have shown that businesses with more diverse leaders have better outcomes. Perhaps the same could be said of Canadian politics.

Coronavirus cases in Canada: More than 96,000 infections and 7,800 deaths

Health

Yahoo News Canada

Coronavirus cases in Canada: More than 96,000 infections and 7,800 deaths

Here’s a list of the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canada.

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Protesters gather to mark 'million-people' march anniversary in Hong Kong

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Reuters

Protesters gather to mark 'million-people' march anniversary in Hong Kong

Hundreds of protesters gathered in central Hong Kong on Tuesday to mark a year of sustained pro-democracy rallies as fears over looming national security legislation have reignited unrest in the global financial hub. The laws could also see mainland intelligence agencies set up shop.

Humpback whale that thrilled crowds in Montreal reported dead in St. Lawrence

News

The Canadian Press

Humpback whale that thrilled crowds in Montreal reported dead in St. Lawrence

MONTREAL — There was no fairytale ending for a wayward humpback whale that captivated crowds in the Montreal area in recent days, as a whale research group announced Tuesday that the animal was reported dead.The Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals reported Tuesday morning that a boat pilot spotted the carcass of a whale in the water off Varennes, about 30 kilometres northeast of Montreal.By mid-afternoon, under sunny blue skies, the whale could be seen slowly making the reverse journey east towards the ocean, this time under tow from a Fisheries and Oceans vessel. Marie-Eve Muller, a spokeswoman for the whale research group, said that as of 3 p.m. experts were still doing the "complex logistical work" of figuring out where to safely bring the whale ashore for a necropsy.She said that while several sites were possible, the final choice would be made based on currents, the whale's position, and discussions with possible site owners.In addition to the possible dangers involved in manoeuvring such a large animal, Muller said it was important to ensure the site is far enough away from residential areas to ensure the carcass doesn't become a "public health hazard," due to either the smell or simply drawing a large crowd.The young humpback was first spotted in the Montreal area at the end of May, several hundred kilometres from its usual habitat.Over the next few days it drew crowds to the city's Old Port, where it thrilled onlookers with spectacular breaches and tail slaps.The whale had not been seen since the weekend, and many expressed hope that it had turned around and was heading back to its home range near Tadoussac.Muller said it's too early to hypothesize about how the whale died or even to confirm it's the same one seen in Montreal, although she said it's very likely."Was it already sick? Did it get hit by a boat? We don't know," she said.She said the 9.5 metre-long whale was estimated to be between two and three years old and had appeared energetic.Even in death, the whale drew a crowd.In Contrecoeur and Sorel-Tracy, northeast of Montreal, onlookers could be seen gathering along the riverbank to catch a glimpse of the carcass as it was slowly towed up the river.Monique Marchand, a resident of Contrecoeur, said the whale had provided people a little joy in a dark time."But we have to respect that there are things we can't change," she said as she wiped away tears."If it decided to come here, on some level it was a choice," she said. Marchand expressed hope that the whale would inspire people to have more respect for nature, because "we don't do enough," she said.It's unclear what prompted the animal to make the long journey up the St. Lawrence River, although experts suggested it might have been following prey, become lost or was simply curious."Right now we mostly have questions, not answers," Muller said Tuesday.Her group had earlier said it was the first time it had confirmed a whale the size of a humpback in the Montreal area, although minke whales and belugas have been spotted on rare occasions.Since news of the death broke, Muller said the research group has been fielding some angry calls from citizens who wished it had done more to intervene.But while she understands the emotional response, she said options such as physically transporting the animal or trying to lure it with whale calls would likely not have been possible over such a long distance, and could have harmed the animal.She said the whale's best chance of survival had always been to let it find its own way home.This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2020Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press

'I don't believe in that for a second': Ontario Premier Doug Ford dismisses call to defund police

News

CBC

'I don't believe in that for a second': Ontario Premier Doug Ford dismisses call to defund police

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says defunding the police is something he simply doesn't believe in.The premier made the comments at his daily briefing Tuesday when asked by a reporter for his reaction to the calls to cut the Ontario Provincial Police budget. The concept of defunding the police has gathered increasing steam in the wake of the protests sparked by the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police in the U.S., and in Canada as the role of police in the deaths of Black and Indigenous people — including Regis Korchinski-Paquet and D'Andre Campbell — comes under increasing scrutiny."I don't believe in that for a second," Ford told reporters."I think we need strong police within the communities. What we do need to do is have a higher standard. We need for focus on more training."What defunding the police means can range from the outright dismantling of a force and creating something new, as is proposed in Minneapolis, to reducing police department budgets so money can be diverted to other services like mental health and community support.Last year, Ontario cut about $46 million from the provincial police budget of approximately $1.1 billion. The government said at the time no police officers would lose their jobs as a result, and that the reduction involved "streamlining" corporate offices and improving vehicle maintenance so that the fleet would last longer.The OPP provides policing to more than 300 municipalities in the province. It has 6,200 uniformed members and 3,600 civilian staff. Salaries account for more than $800 million of the total budget. On Monday, Toronto city councillor Josh Matlow announced a motion to defund the city's police budget by 10 per cent and reallocate the savings — some $122 million — to community resources. Praise for Chief Mark SaundersFord's comments come just one day after Mark Saunders, the city's first Black police chief, announced his resignation, eight months before his contract was set to expire in 2021. Saunders did not give an exact reason for his departure, but it came as questions grow about just how much Toronto should be spending on policing.Ford heaped praise on Saunders and his approach to law enforcement."I'm a big believer, as Chief Saunders always believed, in community policing…. But I just don't believe in cutting police budgets — just never believed in that."Costing over $1 billion, the police service is the single-biggest line item in the city's $13.5-billion operating budget. Out of an average property tax bill of $3,020, the largest share — about $700 — is allocated to police. That's followed by about $520 for transit. Shelters and housing take up about $150 while about $60 goes to paramedic services.Nearly 90 per cent of the Toronto police budget goes toward salaries. Motion to next city council meetingSaunders has said he's open to discussing the calls to cut the police budget, but says right now, reducing the number of officers would be "naive."Matlow has said he will bring the motion to the next city council meeting at the end of the month, with support from Coun. Kristyn Wong-Tam.As it stands now, the city can only approve the total budget, not what the police will do with that money.If passed, the motion could include several measures. First, council would ask the province to amend the Police Service Act so that the city has the authority to approve or disapprove specific items in a budget. How to spend the money?Second, Matlow wants the police to draft a 2021 budget that is 10 per cent lower than 2020's. He also wants a line-by-line breakdown of the proposed budget.The motion also asks for the city to consult with several divisions, including the city's Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit, on recommendations on how to spend the money.Amid the waves of protests, Minneapolis city council has moved to begin dismantling its police force. Protests have not stopped in that city since Floyd, a Black man, was killed when a white police officer, who has now been charged with second-degree murder, pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for over eight minutes during an arrest.

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Hundreds gather for Yellowknife demonstration in solidarity with Black Lives Matter

News

CBC

Hundreds gather for Yellowknife demonstration in solidarity with Black Lives Matter

Hundreds of people gathered in Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, on Tuesday for an anti-racism march and demonstration in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.People congregated at the Multiplex Arena a little before 2 p.m. After hundreds had gathered, there were prayers and short speeches, before a community-organized march was underway.Some vehicles followed, as people walked downtown to Yellowknife's RCMP detachment.Many of the rallies in places across Canada took place on Friday or over the weekend, including the community of Fort Smith, N.W.T., where around 60 people gathered on Saturday.Inemesit Graham, who is helping to organize the event's speakers, said she was originally asked to organize a march but felt it shouldn't be her responsibility to do so."The reason I didn't want to organize it was because racism isn't new," Graham said. "If you speak to any person of colour, any Indigenous person, I guarantee they have experienced it in their life."Tuesday's demonstration follows two weeks of protests against anti-Black racism and police brutality across the world, sparked by the murdering of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn., by a police officer who kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. His funeral was also held on Tuesday."I feel like a lot of Black people watched that video and they were upset but they weren't shocked. Because this happens all the time."She said she felt like it should be organized by advocates instead."I know my life matters, but I want you to believe it with the same conviction and to protest with the same conviction that I have been protesting and my people have been protesting for 400 years.""Change will only happen if the majority of people say it … that's the power of advocacy." Rallies across Canada have cited police violence across this country, with many protesting and mourning the recent death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, a Black woman who died during an encounter with Toronto police.At around 4 p.m., a demonstration had been planned at the Multiplex Arena, but on Tuesday organizers said on the event's page that due to "taking local health authority's recommendations into consideration" the speakers would be live streamed for people to watch at home. Nancy Vail, one of the event's organizers, said that people were reminded to be mindful of physical distancing regulations at the event while many wore masks.But still, despite the recommendations, people still gave speeches in-person."There's such a need and an urgency for people to speak out," said Vail. Graham is one of the people set to speak at the event.

COVID-19 in Canada: Quebec premier apologizes for COVID-19 deaths, PM wants to punish CERB fraudsters

News

Yahoo News Canada

COVID-19 in Canada: Quebec premier apologizes for COVID-19 deaths, PM wants to punish CERB fraudsters

As cases of COVID-19 continue to spread around the world, Canadians are concerned about their health and safety.

Northern hotels plead with Ottawa for financial help during pandemic

Business

CBC

Northern hotels plead with Ottawa for financial help during pandemic

Hotels in Canada's North are pleading with the federal government for financial help amid a sharp hit to business from the COVID-19 pandemic, CBC News has learned.In a letter sent to Canada's Economic Development Minister Mélanie Joly, the hotels are asking for a boost to the Northern Business Relief Fund (NBRF) announced in April, warning "the viability and future survival of the accommodation industry north of the 60th [parallel] depends upon it."> "It's a big bonfire of money for quite some time" \- Ed Romanowski, president of Nunastar propertiesThe NBRF is a $15 million pot to help small and medium-sized northern businesses. The funding is geared toward businesses with fewer than 100 employees, and who are operating at a loss, among other criteria.But the hotels say many of them are ineligible for the NBRF — they either have too many staff, or have a diversified business which generates revenue from other sources."Am I supposed to tell the 101st person that they're not that important? And as a result of that, the entire business is going to suffer because we can't employ 101 people?" said Ed Romanowski, the president of Nunastar Properties, which owns the Frobisher Inn in Iqaluit, and the Explorer Hotel in Yellowknife."That doesn't make much sense. Why are 100 jobs in one business not as important as 100 jobs in five businesses?"Romanowski says Nunastar is losing "several hundreds of thousands of dollars" a month between the two hotels.During the pandemic, the Frobisher Inn is averaging between 10 and 20 per cent occupancy, while the Explorer Hotel is even less. Romanowski says they need to be between 50 to 60 per cent to break even."It's a big bonfire of money for quite some time. I know we'll make it through, but what makes us different than any other industry?" he said, pointing to the millions of dollars being used to support northern airlines through the pandemic — a point also iterated in the letter.'Staycations' a false hopeThe biggest hit to the hotels hasn't been the loss of visitors to the territory, but rather the loss of government and business travel.But even if hotels were eligible for the NBRF, it pays a maximum of $100,000 per month for four months.The letter to Joly proposes that "the program would fund the lesser of $1,500/month/unit, or to bring the operation to break-even after operating costs." "The program would end the earlier of six months, or three months after unfettered air travel is reinstated into the Territories by travelers of all types, but in any case, never exceeds break-even cash flows."One of the solutions to help the industry, pitched by officials in both Nunavut and the N.W.T., is to promote "staycations" within the territories.Northwest Territories' chief public health officer Dr. Kami Kandola encouraged such ideas last month, as did Nunavut finance minister George Hickes during the government's COVID-19 updates last Thursday."Promoting 'staycations' within the territories in hope that this will be enough to keep the businesses afloat is a false hope," the letter reads."Yes, staycations along with government, health, personal and business travel will help. But the population of 125,000 residents in the territories is just not enough to bring most of the businesses to break-even. Very few travel-dependent businesses will survive with only staycation travelers."'A key piece of community infrastructure'Arctic Co-Operatives, of which its member Co-Ops have properties and affiliates in 20 communities, has been able to retain staff by reassigning them to other jobs within the company — like the grocery store.Yet while the hotels have taken a financial hit, the individual community Co-Ops aren't eligible for the NBRF because of revenue generated from their other businesses in communities — like the grocery store. The federal government doesn't count the hotel as its own entity, but rather as one part of the Co-Ops' business as a whole."The thing with the hotels is they're a key piece of community infrastructure," said Duane Wilson, a vice president at Arctic Co-Operatives."Look at COVID[-19] as an example. If there weren't a hotel in Pond Inlet, what would the government of Nunavut's rapid response have been able to look like? I can virtually guarantee you they couldn't be in there for a week on a few hours' notice."In an email to CBC News, a spokesperson for Joly's office said they're working closely with the hotels."We're aware that hotels and other larger anchor businesses across the North may have liquidity needs that go beyond what's currently on offer through existing small business programs," the spokesperson said.

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Quebec bar owners mull reopening in defiance of public health restrictions

News

CBC

Quebec bar owners mull reopening in defiance of public health restrictions

Some Quebec bar owners say they may resort to civil disobedience if the provincial government doesn't allow them to reopen soon."At some point, we will look at taking things into our own hands for our own survival," said Steve Siozios, who owns London Pub and Stogies Cigar Lounge in downtown Montreal."A lot of people have set a July 1 deadline to open us up in a regulated, well-meaning way without having arrests being made of people choosing to survive rather than stay closed."It's not just owners who need to get back to work, he said, it's staff as well.In most of the province, dine-in establishments — those with a permit to serve prepared food — will be allowed to reopen starting June 15, while those within the Montreal area will have to wait until June 22.No date has been set for bars to open.Dr. Richard Massé, a senior public health adviser to the province, said the concern is that people are more likely to forget about physical distancing rules and practising proper hygiene when they are out drinking and dancing. Promise to loosen alcohol restrictions irks bar ownersHowever, provincial leaders have promised to loosen restrictions on restaurants to allow them to serve patrons alcohol even if they don't order food.That's also a source of irritation for bar owners."It's very difficult to get a bar permit," said Siozios. "Now all of a sudden restaurants get all the benefits without the pain."Meanwhile, many pubs and clubs will be able to reopen because they have the permit to serve food, he said."It's just a matter of fairness and viability for our business," he said.Shortly after Tuesday's announcement that restaurants will be reopening in Quebec, the Corporation des propriétaires de bars, brasseries, tavernes du Québec issued a statement criticizing the provincial government's lack of a plan for bars.The association also says owners will reopen in defiance of the rules if Quebec doesn't give them the green light."Bar keepers are as responsible as those in other industries for enforcing government-mandated sanitary standards," the association says in a Tuesday statement.It said the industry is capable of reopening with all the same restrictions in place as those imposed on restaurants.'Are we criminals?'New Brunswick bars are already open, and Ontario's will be open soon, the bar association says.Jean-Jacques Beauchamp, a spokesperson for the association, said people drink sitting down at tables in most bars, making little difference between eateries and watering holes."Why aren't we allowed to open? Are we criminals? Are we aliens? No. We pay taxes. We have mortgages. We have rents to pay. We have employees," said Beauchamp."Where will our employees go? Where will our patrons go?"Quebec's provincial government is expected to announce plans to lift more restrictions in the coming days, as many other sectors of the economy are also eager to get back to work.About 50 people, including gym owners, practised yoga in front of the National Assembly Tuesday to demonstrate that it was possible to train while respecting public health directives.

News

Reuters

Israel's Supreme Court strikes down law legalising settlements on private Palestinian land

Israel's Supreme Court struck down a law on Tuesday that had retroactively legalised about 4,000 settler homes built on privately owned Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank. Rights groups say the measure, which was frozen soon after passage while the court heard petitions against it, had legalised more than 50 settler outposts built without government approval. The law "unequally infringes on the property rights of Palestinian residents while giving preference to the proprietary interests of Israeli settlers," Chief Justice Esther Hayut wrote in the panel's ruling.

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