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#ElectionsSaskatchewan, #SaskatchewanLegislature, #Saskatchewan29thProvincialElection, #SaskatchewanMajorityGovernment Saskatchewan, Oct 26 (Canadian-Media): Saskatchewan's 29th provincial election, the third provincial election held in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic, polls opened Monday morning as the Saskatchewan Party seeks a fourth consecutive mandate, media reports said.  Elections Saskatchewan. Image Credit: Facebook page Voters casting a ballot in-person today are being strongly recommended by Elections Saskatchewan to wear a mask at the polls and stay home if feeling unwell. A record-breaking 119,394 voters had already attended Advance poll by Oct 22. 61,225 Saskatchewan residents have received mail ballots. Although voters would cast their ballots in-person Oct 29 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. CST, the results of the polls are not expected to be available to Elections Saskatchewan after polls close tonight. Ballots sent by mail will only begin to be counted on Wednesday to account for the mail ballot results. Formation of a majority government requires thirty-one seats. During the dissolution of Saskatchewan Legislature at the end of its fixed four-year term, the Saskatchewan Party held 46 seats and the New Democratic Party held 13. The remaining two seats in the 61-seat legislature were vacant.
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#Canada; #LiberalGovt; #ConservativeParty; #HouseOfCommons Ottawa, Oct 22 (Canadian-Media): Canada Liberal government's feeling victorious by surviving a confidence vote on a Conservative motion to create a special committee to probe the government's ethics and pandemic spending, was short-lived, media reports said.  Image: Justin Trudeau. Image credit: Facebook page The Canadians thought since the Liberal Govt had survived the confidence vote, there would no need for them to head to the polls for a snap fall election. But, the Conservatives were given another chance to put a motion before the House of Commons, this time with the proposal more aggressive than the earlier one. According to the proposal, the health committee would be called to launch a study "on the emergency situation facing Canadians in light of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic," with 16 specific points of emphasis, requiring a detailed release of government documents, memos, and correspondence from nearly a half-dozen offices and departments including the Prime Minister's Office, Health Canada, and the Public Health Agency of Canada.  Canada House of Commons. Image credit: Twitter handle #Quebec, #Canada, #Covid19; #PartialLockdown; #FrançoisLegault Quebec, Oct 16 (Canadian-Media): Quebec Premier François Legault said Oct 15 during a news conference that the current partial lockdown, which is already halfway through a 28-day period is yielding the desired results.  Image: François Legault. Image credit: Twitter handle The latest data on the evolution of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours in Québec revealed 969 new cases, bringing the total number of people infected to 89,963. Due to the fluctuating spike in Coronavirus cases in Quebec, the government had to resort to the drafting of a long, complex list of activities that were prohibited or allowed only under certain circumstances. In addition to the ban on social gatherings, bars, restaurant dining rooms, gyms and movie theatres have been closed. Repeating his comments he made earlier this week, Legault said Christmas gatherings will likely not be permitted this year. He added that it was too soon to say exactly what the guidelines will be this winter, but that Quebecers should be prepared for a smaller holiday season. According to suggestions by some that more restrictions be kept in place after the current wave subsides, as opposed to returning to the level of freedom enjoyed in the summer, which would avoid the need for disruptive lockdowns. When asked earlier this week whether Legault intended to continue applying the approach of going back and forth between states of confinement and freedom, he said that he did not see much of an option. "When you look at just about every other country in the world, they played yo-yo, he said. "What we have before us is an extraordinary situation. No one has been through this before," said Legault. #Canada; #COVI19AidBill; #Liberals; #ConfidenceVote; #HouseOfCommons Ottawa, Sep 30 (Canadian-Media): COVID-19 aid bill, Bill C-4 has been unanimously passed by Canada's House of Commons, after being supported by Bloc Québécois and the Conservatives, in the early hours of Sep 30 enabling the minority Liberal government to survive its first pandemic-era confidence test, media reports said.  Canada House of Commons. Image credit: Twitter handle The new legislation would replace the $500-per-week Canada emergency response benefit (CERB), which ended last weekend after helping almost nine million Canadians weather the pandemic's impact, and would enable people affected by the pandemic to access more flexible and generous employment insurance (EI) policy. Those who still do not qualify for EI can have access to a new Canada recovery benefit. The unanimous passing of the Bill also assures that at least for now there will be no election as COVID-19 cases spike across the country. A new sick leave benefit, and a new caregiver benefit for those forced to take time off work to care for a dependent because of the pandemic, are also included in the new legislation. The Bill still needs to be passed by the Senate, which is scheduled to meet Sep 30 to deal equally quickly with the bill. #Ontario, #LongTermCareHomes; #ChangeOfVisitingPolicies Ottawa, Sep 29 (Canadian-Media): Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Oct 29 at his daily news conference that long-term care visiting rules in areas with high community spread of COVID-19 are being changed with Ontario reporting 554 new cases of COVID-19.  Long-Term Care Homes. Image credit: Wikimedia commons 78 confirmed active cases in residents on Sep 29 had caused an increase of 14.71 percent in the confirmed active cases in Ontario, which reported outbreaks in 46 long-term care homes. "We can't let COVID-19 get into these homes." Ford said. Although indicated by provincial officials that Ottawa, Peel and Toronto would fall under that umbrella, but did not clearly state any other regions. Ford said effective Oct 5 visitors to long-term care homes in high risk areas would be restricted to staff, essential visitors and essential caregivers only and added that up to two individuals can be essential caregivers, the province says. Ford also said the province is investing $540 million into the long-term care sector, which will go toward helping facilities with containment measures, staffing supports, renovations for infection control, and getting personal protective equipment (PPE). The province is ensuring that every long-term care home in the province has a two-month supply of PPE, Ford said. #Canada; #HealthCanada; #Covid19VaccineCanditates; #AstraZeneca; #OxfordUniversity Ottawa, Sep 25 (Canadian-Media): Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced today during a news conference in Ottawa Sep 25 that a deal has been signed with AstraZeneca on access to a vaccine prospect now being developed at Oxford University to secure another 20 million COVID-19 vaccine doses.  Covid-19 Vaccine. Image credit: Pixaby The federal government already has reached vaccine agreements with Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Novavax, Pfizer and Moderna, for a total of 282 million doses. "We've been guided by science since the very beginning and right now, both the COVID-19 vaccine task force and the immunity task force are doing important work to help us identify the most promising vaccine options and strategies," Trudeau said during a news conference. There is no approved vaccine yet for COVID-19, though there are many in clinical trials and in development. The global market is "intense and unpredictable,"said Anita Anand, Public Services and Procurement Minister during the news conference and added, "When a vaccine is ready, Canada will be ready." Equipment and supplies needed for vaccine manufacturing and packaging, including immunization equipment such as syringes, needles and alcohol swabs is also being procured by the government of Canada. Evidence on safety, efficacy and manufacturing quality of each individual vaccine would be reviewed by Health Canada to before they are made available to Canadians. #Ottawa, #SpeechFromTheThrone; #CanadaParliament; #CanadaSenate; #JuliePayette Ottawa, Sep 25 (Canadian-Media): The Speech from the Throne which opens every new session of Parliament was delivered Sep 23 by Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada to open the second session of the 43rd Parliament and outline the government’s agenda. #NewBrunswick; #Election; #PCsReelected; #PremierBlainHiggs, #Covid19 New Brunswick, Sep 15 (Canadian-Media): In Canada's first provincial vote that was held during the coronavirus pandemic, New Brunswick's Progressive Conservative Party (PCs) were re-elected Sep 14 with a majority government for Premier Blaine Higgs, media reports said.  Blaine Higgs. Image credit: Twitter Handle After calling, a snap election last month, Higgs' re-election resulted in the best-case scenario in his coveted majority after two years of leading the province's first minority government since 1920. The PCs had won by two more votes than the 25 needed for a majority by procuring 27 seats. The first-time leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, the longest-serving and oldest active federal political party, Kevin Vickers, was able to win in 17 ridings, four fewer seats than 2018. But when Vickers lost his first run at a seat, losing to People's Alliance candidate Michelle Conroy, he told CBC News that he will step down as leader, reported by CBC News. Green Party claimed three seats, while the People's Alliance won two seats. #Canada; #GovernorGeneral; #ToxicOfficeCulture Ottawa, Sep 3 (Canadian-Media): Canada's Governor General Julie Payette's toxic office culture and her unethical behaviour at work had been complained by people, who were shaken by Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's defence of Payette this week, media reports said.  Julie Payette. Image credit: Twitter handle On Wednesday, Trudeau called Payette an "excellent" Governor General in the wake of complaints about workplace harassment at Rideau Hall and said he has no intention "right now"' of asking the Queen to replace her. "We have an excellent Governor General right now and I think, on top of the COVID crisis, nobody's looking at any constitutional crises," Trudeau told RED FM in Vancouver. Many other people expressed their determination to speak to the independent investigator looking into claims of workplace harassment at Rideau Hall. Payette's office is being considered of an independent review responding to claims of harassment and a toxic work environment. Trudeau's comments felt like a "kick in the stomach,"said a former Rideau Hall employee who reported harassment. The source said the comments made them wonder if Trudeau is taking the harassment claims seriously. "It saddened me," said the source, who noted that Trudeau's remarks have reinforced their decision to participate in the review. #Ottawa; #Ontario; #CallsForDrDavidWillimsToStepAside Ottawa, Sep 2 (Canadian-Media): Dr. David Williams, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health has been widely criticized for six straight months for his lack of leadership and lack of clear communication as Ontarians crave for a new leadership during the province's critical new stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, media reports said.  Dr David Williams. Image credit: Gov Website Doris Grinspun, CEO of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) criticized Dr Williams being slow on preventative measures, and said he should step aside immediately, whether by removal, resignation or retirement. Grinspun said local public health leaders have been more proactive and effective in responding to the crisis. "We are in for a difficult time and that's why we're saying we need strong leadership at the top and we need that to happen now," said Grinspun and added that a need for change has become increasingly urgent with Ontario schools now just days away from widely reopening with a looming possible second wave of the novel coronavirus. "I have all the confidence in the world in Dr. Williams and his whole entire team," Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in Williams' defence during his COVID-19 briefing on Sep 1. During the press conference on Sep 1, Ontario's Health Minister Christine Elliott said that Williams has "done his best to keep Ontarians safe" during the crisis. |
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October 2020
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