COVID POETRY CORNER: “COVID ANGER”

COVID ANGER

Entirely frustrated
civil rights have been castrated

The state has put a lockdown in place
my hair looks like a creature from space

Blitz the big box
so only groceries we can buy
so very sly
commerce and freedom good-bye
manipulate me like a goat turd
and you want me to smile along with the rest of the herd

it is a numbers game
don’t play them and be subject to shame

politicians trying to make us tame
democracy put to shame

But all is for the public good
yet the politico-medico establishment treats me like a hood

How much longer can we hang on
public service messages no better than suited for a moron

Just give me a fucking haircut you politico-medico elite
I’ll be beaming with delight

Youthful Exuberance: Toronto Canada’s Counterbalance Collective Productions Struts its Shorts

I have reviewed countless films including many “shorts”. Short film is an art as how can you deliver your message in under less than half an hour or sometimes in minutes? It can be done and for many aspiring filmmakers it serves as a valuable training ground.  The budgets can be miniscule and the film can he crafted through friendship and passion as opposed to professionalism and cash.

Counterbalance Collective Productions is where friendship and passion rule over dollars. Having worked as a casting agent in the late 70’s in Montreal I can relate to you film in Canada is a tough gig. And it’s much better now but not a walk in the park. With Counterbalance Collective having over a dozen members give it strength and diversity so no one must go it alone.

The Counterbalance Collective is group of young women based in Toronto and it is a non-profit film development and production organization comprised of women who support each other through new experiences and creations. Its members work in collaboration to build, foster and nurture new communities through the medium of film.

Its mission is to foster women-led and woman focused content in all stages of film, creation, development, direction, production, marketing and distribution: To create a welcoming space to develop ideas and to further individual crafts and learn how to master new ones; and to operate outside of the established industry framework and change the traditional norms of working in film.

Counterbalance Collective, from what I have seen, is a group of multi-talented woman that run along the whole gamut of film. They assume interchangeable roles of writer, director, producer, actor and about any type of role you see as the credits roll at the conclusion of the film. In short it seems they are training for a role they know not what will be!

If you want to learn about the collective check out https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS6n6oggW9noXLqJFYYUpug

If you want to see the Collective in action you can catch some of the films they have crafted at the links below which are the complete live stream events

I saw two of their films “Gone Wild” and “Overload” in their second steaming event hosted by smooth as butter Joanna Saul who serves as executive producer, writer, actor and director and a rather mirthful Regina Efendieva who has assumed roles of writer, actor and visual artists. In addition to the two shorts (there will be 9 in total) there are in the streaming discussions amongst members of the Collective which are somewhat akin to attending a film festival and attending a press conference after the film has showed with directors, actors and producers. It is obvious the wide range of film production skills members of the Collective have. At one moment they are acting then directing and then writing or producing. The Collective is a training school for some very energetic talent that may soon burst into to “festival circuit” as they gain more film skills. You can make the best film but if you can’t market and distribute it much is lost. I have seen some low budget Canadian indie films that deserve far better than to be forgotten because they can’t reach an audience as they simply couldn’t get an international film distribution deal.

So what is the fate of the Counterbalance Collective? From what I saw they are a bit rough on the edges as to sound quality, cinematography and media savvy but what I can say the films that I saw in the second live steam event” Gone Wild” and “Overload” showed some nascent brilliance.

“Gone Wild” is a delightfully contradictory character study of an apparently sex crazed young women still caught in an adolescent world of teen posters and stuffed animals. A tender and moving portrayal of a young woman played by Valerie Kucher trying to move from teenage bliss into full womanhood with rather comical yet revelatory results. The acting of Victoria Kucher, Alicia Richardson and Izzak Smith is impeccable and the writing by Kucher is sensitive and penetrating perhaps more than she realizes. Kucher exudes to the tee a confused innocence aggressive at one point then but a young woman trying to discover herself.

“Overload” is far from comical but reveals a raw and anxiety ridden character valiantly propped up by Joanna Saul as her companion. Again the poor anxiety ridden Megan Miles is not yet a woman but no longer a teen. She is caught in an anxiety ridden limbo between the two.

Alright down to brass tax not highly polished but more than enough substance to conclude this Collective or at least part of it are destined to make their mark in Canadian cinema. Get in the festival circuit ladies and you will have taken your fist step to international recognition.

You can look forward to 6 more shorts as there were 9 of them shot in nine days the central theme being young woman returning home after a party. Go to the Utube channel above for details as to the upcoming films.

Just to remind you these films and the interesting commentary on those who acted and crafted the two films discussed above film can be seen here  https://youtu.be/kI7KRnkN1cM?t=92

The individual films without commentary and discussion can be seen here

COVID Poetry Corner: “Pence the Pussy

Pence the Pussy

the loyal lieutenant for one Trump term
but ask him the invoke the 25th amendment he’ll squirm

Trump called poor man for not supporting his coup a pussy
democracy for his boss nothing but a hussy

Despite a noose set for the VP during the insurrection
to overturn the President was not his intention

It would appear for once the Trumpster was right
Pence has eternally jawed to his boss he was certainly not trite
because he might get a spanking from the bully and his bottom would hurt at night
no doubt from decency and courage there was a flight

The presidential indiscretions were subject to impeachment
instead you deferred to do nothing therefore register your contentment

How will history judge you Pence
you jumped in terror over the fence

How much abuse could you take
Still you hid and by your inaction supported a fake

What is the world saying
perhaps someone will forgive you on Sunday when you are praying

Virus#26: Chapter 2 a little bit about virus#26

Chapter 2 “a little bit about Virus #26”

The world was weary with COVID-19 and COVID Plus and just when we thought matters were back to the new normal yet another virus called Virus #26 reared its ugly head.

The virus originated in Turkey. The state of Greek-Turkish relations in the late 2020’s was very unhealthy. The United States invasion of Cyprus in 2028 necessitated by the huge amount of Muslim terrorist training facilities on the island organized by the Turkish Free Army had left Turkish occupation forces in disarray and the survivors fled to Turkey to the safety of their expansionist president Mamool Farouk but not before using a few dirty nuclear bombs against the Americans destroying two huge aircraft carriers and killing thousands of U.S. sailors and soldiers.

On top of that Turkey’s attempted invasion of the Greek Islands of Samos and Lesbos in the Eastern Aegean in 2028 had been a miserable fiasco as Greek forces and Israeli special forces cut the invaders to ribbons as they landed on the beaches. Yes, the Israeli’s were becoming increasingly alarmed by the Islamification of Turkey and Iran’s support of Turkey’s Muslimification designs and decided to protect its interests by assisting the Greeks. The Israelis were cognizant some 50,000 Jews in the northern Greek City of Thessaloniki had ben whisked to their deaths to German concentration camps by the Germans in 1941.

 Since 2019 Turkey had facilitated the movement of thousands of Muslim “refugees” and Turkish secret police disguised as refugees to several “refugee” centres to the islands of Samos and Lesbos in the Greek Eastern Aegean in a more peaceful but heavily orchestrated programme by the Turks to inundate Greece with “friendly” waves of Muslim refugees and Turkish spies. After the refugees began overrunning the camps, destroying local’s crops and threatening them with violence the Greek government put an iron fist down and closed its Northern border with Turkey and its Eastern Aegean islands in 2028. This was throwing a wrench in Farouk’s “The New Crusades” movement which as you may have guessed it had the goal of the Muslimification of Europe. Western Europe expelled all Turkish guest workers because of the Turkish nuclear attacks in Cyprus augmenting disarray and discontent with Farouk in Turkey. Greece finally closed its “refugee camps” and sent the “refugees” back to the Turkish coast.

As a physical invasion of Greece was becoming a hollow dream Turkey with the technical assistance of Iran had established a “research centre” in the port town of Kusadesi which was but a few kilometres from the Greek island of Samos. The official Turkish-Iranian story was that this was an agricultural research centre but European security agencies and the Israeli Mossad determined against all international law the research was based on developing a biological chemical that would be dumped into water reservoirs of infidel countries and kill millions.

Israeli forces were in the midst of preparing an Entebbe style strike at the “research facility” when the 25th sample of Turkish poison mutated and a severe earthquake sent vials of it flying all over the “research facility”. In the midst of this chemical soup what was known as Virus #26 was born. Unlike the poison the Turks and Iranians were working on this had mutated strangely into a virus and was no longer a poison.

In the period of a week the virus cut a vicious swath through Kusadesi and like COVID’s it spread globally and it was so deadly it was beginning to make the COVID viruses look like harmless flies.

As a cardiologist this Virus #26 had special interest to me as it did not attack the respiratory system but after an incubation period of a week or so it attacked the heart causing it to go into severe arrythmia of which no known drug could reverse. Your heart just collapsed under the hugely irregular waves of arrythmia if the arrhythmia didn’t collapse the heart it caused blood clots to form many of which lodged in blood vessels to the brain causing death by stroke. I was powerless to help my patients except to drug away the fear and pain.

There was a bizarre immunity to Virus # 26. Those who had measles and chickenpox were somehow wired to fend off the virus. Since legislation mandated measles and chickenpox vaccination in the 1960’s in most First World countries the older baby boomers and anti-vaxxers were immune from Virus # 26. The rest of the populations in the industrialized world were easy picking. The less developed countries where vaccinations were a luxury also had a lower mortality rate initially.

For the time being The New Crusades propagated by Farouk was going nowhere other than just about killing many a Turk. The United States was preparing an invasion of Turkey in reprisal to Turkey’s nuclear attack on American aircraft carriers in Cyprus.

By the way when I was growing up we children were encouraged to socialize with those friends who had measles and chicken pox as it was a disease simply to contract and get out of the way. Thank goodness I had put my foot down and refused to have Alexi vaccinated for measles and chicken pox. It is too late to regret having my two late sons not vaccinated but that was a moot point as they were already dead due to the COVID viruses.

Virus #26 was Turkey’s and Iran’s gift to the world. A deadly one. A mistake. An error. Something that could never happen again. So they said.

COVID Poetry Corner: “Puppy School and COVID-19”

Puppy School and COVID-19

Treating your dog safely involves taking your little one to the puppy school
undisciplined dogs can make you and the dog look like a fool

Sit
down
up
stop
go

Yet another lock-down COVID order
as whether it is democratic it is on the border
seemingly for the public good
and if caught the COVID police will treat you like a hood
but so many politicians and bureaucrats controlling the COVID show
on warm sunny vacations they go
against the moral code we know
yet it is


wear a mask
wash your hands
keep your distance
stay in your bubble
and now with a new emergency lockdown order in force
it is like being in puppy school of course!
But bark and yap or pull and tug
you know who will be treated as a thug!

Having trouble with your New Year’s resolution to quit smoking? Think about lime juice according to a Thai study!

Randomized Controlled Trial J Med Assoc Thai

. 2012 Dec;95 Suppl 12:S76-82.

Efficacy of fresh lime for smoking cessation

Suthat Rungruanghiranya 1, Chatchai Ekpanyaskul, Chanin Sakulisariyaporn, Prapada Watcharanat, Kunyanit AkkalakulawasAffiliations expand

  • PMID: 23513469

Abstract

Objective: To determine the efficacy of fresh lime as a smoking cessation aid compared with nicotine gum.

Material and method: A randomized, controlled trial was conducted between March 2009 and September 2009. Only regular smokers aged 18 or older who were willing to quit were randomized to receive either fresh lime (n = 47) or nicotine gum (n = 53). Smokers were excluded if they were using other smoking cessation aids, allergic to citrus, or had dental problems. Exhaled carbon monoxide (CO)-confirmed continuous abstinence rate (CAR) during week 9-12 was measured as the primary outcomes. To grade the severity of craving, a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) was used.

Results: There was no significant difference in CO-confirmed CAR between the fresh lime group and the nicotine gum group during weeks 9-12 (61.7% vs. 66.0%; p = 0.65), although 7-day point prevalence abstinence at week 4 of the fresh lime users was statistically significant lower than those using nicotine gum (38.3% vs. 58.5%; p = 0.04). Cravings did not differ significantly between the groups, although fresh lime users tend to report more cravings intensity.

Conclusion: Fresh lime can be used effectively as a smoking cessation aid, although not as good as nicotine gum in reducing cravings.

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Virus # 26: Chapter 1 Who am I

Chapter One “Who am I?”

My name is Dr. Evan Terpene. As I write this it is 2030 and I have just passed my 56th birthday. I am a cardiologist working at a major hospital in the City of Toronto. Better said I used to work at the hospital and with so much civil unrest and chaos the hospital now only has volunteers. Most of the nurses, doctors and support staff have died with Virus #26 sweeping the country and for that matter the globe. We took a severe hit with our five-year battle with COVID-19 and COVID-19 Plus back in the 20’s (which became widely known as the American Virus) and then out of the blue Virus # 26 virtually leapt out of the bushes at the beginning of 2030.

I live on a tony street in Toronto but there are few people remaining in their home. They have paid biker gangs (strangely reminiscent of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans) to patrol my street from looters and then headed off to their mega retreats in “Cottage Country” but Virus #26 knew where to reach them and then there was no more money to pay the bikers so matters are a bit rough outside. The biker protectors are now the looters.

My wife and two boys did not survive COVID-19 and COVID-19 Plus and I have only my 14-year-old daughter Alexi and an equally old West Highland Terrier Pill-Boy. What remaining family I have live in London in the United Kingdom. So many of them have died with this Virus #26 and COVID-19 and COVID-19 Plus. It’s almost better that way as those who perished would not have believed what is happening in the world. It’s painful and I am thinking these days inevitably matters will come to less than a happy ending.

As a cardiologist there was little I could do to stem the deaths caused by COVID-19 and COVID-19 Plus. Were the deaths caused by an underfunded medical system that was on its knees when COVID-19 and COVID-19 Plus hit and never recovered? The politicians promised us we would be prepared for the next virus but by the time Virus #26 struck Canada was bankrupt after spewing out money locally and internationally to deal with COVID-19 and COVID-19 Plus. It had turned all taps on with funding for COVID-19 viruses and then it simply ran out of money and credit. The slashed and burnt out hospital system was crippled with COVID-19 viruses hits and never recovered. Yes, I blame the politicians for stripping down the healthcare system. If they had properly planned staffing, drugs and equipment that might have given us a fighting chance. So when I saw them on television looking and play acting like they cared for us as a physician knowing what they had done to us and themselves, as most of them have died, I had nothing but contempt and by the time COVID-19 viruses had been beaten back the country felt the same way.

Today was a beautiful day and in better times there would have been so many people taking a stroll and enjoying the spring weather and the blossoms on the trees but alas those inhabitants are mostly dead or in lock-down in their splendid Cottage Country mansions assuming they survived the COVID- 19 viruses and have yet to succumb to Virus #26.

So I am in my living room with daughter Alexi and Pill-Boy and there is a pounding on the door accompanied by crazed voices bathed in too many opioids. “Open the fucking door or will blast your rich fucking head off.”

One of my Virus #26 patients Spike was a vicious and ruthless criminal known throughout the country. Of course, even criminals can have a “bum ticker” and he had a very bad one. He died at my hospital and Spike gave me his keys to his luxurious condo and told me where the guns, ammo and cash were hidden. As tough as he was we had formed a relationship. Like many a criminal he had been abused as a child and trusted no one. Before he handed over the keys he said, “I know I am dying of this fucking Virus #26 and the least I can do is ask you to protect yourself with cash, gold coins, guns and ammo. I got no family and no friends, only enemies and associates. By the way thanks for that morphine and how you got that I’ll never know.” Spike died peacefully in a cloud of morphine.

Guns, cash, gold coins and ammunition. You’ve got to be kidding. I am a peaceful man but living in some very unpeaceful times. Strange that before the COVID-19 viruses swept through Toronto guns and gangs had a bad rap but COVID media coverage left the daily menu of shooting, stabbings and violence in the shadows. Perhaps I should do that very Un-Canadian thing and arm and protect myself. Gun sales during the COVID viruses were very robust in the United States and I can see why. Of course, we here in Canada wanted no part of this Yankee “barbarity” and the survivors of Virus # 26 (yes there were some) were easily picked of by gangs of armed marauders. The unarmed were and are slaughtered

It was with a lurid curiosity I found myself in Spike’s condo. $2,000,500 in old fifties A sack of American gold coins, 3 Glock semi-automatics with plenty of ammo and probably a kilo or so of some white powder which I assumed was some drug. I was a reservist with the Canadian Armed Forces so handling that beauty of a Glock was not going to be a problem. The dugs might prove valuable currency.

Well back to my situation,the knocking on my door was getting hysterical so I sent Alexi and Pill-Boy up to her room put two Glocks in my belt and put a jacket to conceal them. Then I played the frightened” rich guy” and let the maniacs in and immediately had a gun thrust in my throat. ”Give us your food you rich fuck.” So I pointed them to the kitchen and they loaded up a sack with what little food I had left. They were ravenous and aided by some bourbon they dropped their guns and stuffed their faces.

Very calmly I pulled out my concealed Glocks and said, “This rich fuck is going to teach you a lesson.” Despite my Hippocratic oath I squeezed the trigger then dragged out the bodies and left them on the sidewalk. I would defend myself and Alexi at any cost and to hell with Hippocratic Oath. Two down and I had a feeling there were more to come and I felt no guilt or remorse. A fucking plague will do that to most people and if it doesn’t, they won’t survive. The hell with finding toilet paper. I’d rather have my life. Have I become Dr. Rambo?

Yet more collateral COVID-19 damage for the “public good” ? : Ontario enacts second COVID-19 and the COVID police will be there to “protect” us

NEWS RELEASE

Ontario Declares Second Provincial Emergency to Address COVID-19 Crisis and Save Lives

Province Issues Stay-at-Home Order and Introduces Enhanced Enforcement Measures to Reduce Mobility

January 12, 2021

Office of the Premier

Table of Contents

  1. Content
  2. Quick Facts
  3. Additional Resources
  4. Related Topics

TORONTO – In response to a doubling in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks, the real and looming threat of the collapse of the province’s hospital system and alarming risks posed to long-term care homes as a result of high COVID-19 transmission rates, the Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and other health experts, is immediately declaring a second provincial emergency under s 7.0.1 (1) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMPCA).

Details were provided today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Solicitor General Sylvia Jones, Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health, and Dr. Adalsteinn (Steini) Brown, Co-Chair of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table.

“The latest modelling data shows that Ontario is in a crisis and, with the current trends, our hospital ICUs will be overwhelmed in a few short weeks with unthinkable consequences,” said Premier Ford. “That’s why we are taking urgent and decisive action, which includes declaring a provincial emergency and imposing a stay-at-home-order. We need people to only go out only for essential trips to pick up groceries or go to medical appointments. By doing the right thing and staying home, you can stay safe and save lives.”

Effective Thursday, January 14, 2021at 12:01 a.m., the government is issuing a stay-at-home order requiring everyone to remain at home with exceptions for essential purposes, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health care services, for exercise or for essential work. This order and other new and existing public health restrictions are aimed at limiting people’s mobility and reducing the number of daily contacts with those outside an immediate household. In addition to limiting outings to essential trips, all businesses must ensure that any employee who can work from home, does work from home.

These new public health measures will help stop the spread of COVID-19 by reducing concerning levels of mobility as the province continues its vaccine rollout and ramps up to mass vaccination when the federal government is able to provide the necessary supply to do so.

Additional Public Health Restrictions

Since the implementation of the Provincewide Shutdown over two weeks ago, the latest modelling trends in key public health indicators have continued to worsen, forecasting an overwhelming of the health system unless drastic action is taken. Escalating case counts have led to increasing hospitalization rates and intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy which has resulted in cancellations of scheduled surgeries and procedures.

Provincial modelling shows growth in COVID-19 cases has accelerated, leading to increased hospitalization rates and ICU occupancy. ICU occupancy by COVID-19 patients is now over 400 beds and is projected to be as high as 1,000 beds by early February which has the potential to overwhelm Ontario’s hospitals. The number of COVID-19-related deaths continues to rise and is expected to double from 50 to 100 deaths per day between now and the end of February. Notably, data shows that mobility and contacts between people have not decreased with the current restrictions.  A new variant of COVID-19 emerged in November. If community transmission of this variant occurs, Ontario could experience much higher case counts, ICU occupancy and mortality.

In response to the alarming and exceptional circumstances at hand, and to further interrupt the deadly trend of transmission in Ontario communities, hospitals, and long-term care homes, the government will enact the following additional public health measures:

  • Outdoor organized public gatherings and social gatherings are further restricted to a limit of five people with limited exceptions. This is consistent with the rules during the lockdown during the first wave of COVID-19 in spring 2020 and will allow individuals and families to enjoy time outdoors safely.
  • Individuals are required to wear a mask or face covering in the indoor areas of businesses or organizations that are open. Wearing a mask or face covering is now recommended outdoors when you can’t physically distance more than two metres.  
  • All non-essential retail stores, including hardware stores, alcohol retailers, and those offering curbside pickup or delivery, must open no earlier than 7 a.m. and close no later than 8 p.m. The restricted hours of operation do not apply to stores that primarily sell food, pharmacies, gas stations, convenience stores, and restaurants for takeout or delivery.
  • Non-essential construction is further restricted, including below-grade construction, exempting survey.

These measures will come into effect between Tuesday January 12, 2021 and Thursday, January 14, 2021, including the provincial declaration of emergency under the EMCPA, orders under that Act, and amendments to regulations under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020. 

“Despite our best efforts, COVID-19 is continuing to spread in our communities, our hospitals, our long-term care homes, and our workplaces. We are continuing to see concerning trends across the province, including a tragic number of deaths,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “We have made great strides in vaccinating tens of thousands of Ontarians, and we can’t let these efforts go to waste. Urgent action is required to break this deadly trend of transmission, ensure people stay home, and save lives.”

To help quickly identify and isolate cases of COVID-19 in workplaces and service providers permitted to remain open such as long-term care homes and schools, the province will provide up to 300,000 COVID-19 tests per week to support key sectors such as manufacturing, warehousing, supply chain and food processing, as well as additional tests for schools and long-term care homes. This volume of rapid tests would support antigen screening for up to 150,000 workers per week over the next 4-5 months in Ontario’s most critical workplaces. The province is expecting to receive 12 million Panbio tests from the federal government over the next several months and continues to pursue opportunities to purchase additional rapid tests.

“The trends in key public health indicators are continuing to deteriorate, and further action is urgently required to save lives,” said Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health. “By strictly adhering to all public health and workplace safety measures, we can reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and keep our loved ones and our communities safe. It will take the collective efforts of us all to defeat this virus.”

The government knows that in order to keep Ontarians safe, it is important that they are not forced to leave their homes during the new state of emergency. Ontario is exploring all options available to put a temporary residential evictions moratorium in place, and will have more to say in the coming days.

The additional public health restrictions introduced expand on the existing measures put in place to keep Ontarians safe and healthy.

New Enforcement Measures

Under the declaration of a provincial emergency, the province will provide authority to all enforcement and provincial offences officers, including the Ontario Provincial Police, local police forces, bylaw officers, and provincial workplace inspectors to issue tickets to individuals who do not comply with the stay-at-home-order, or those not wearing a mask or face covering indoors as well as retail operators and companies who do not enforce. Those who decide not to abide by orders will be subject to set fines and/or prosecution under both the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, (ROA) and EMCPA.  

In addition, all enforcement personnel will have the authority to temporarily close a premise and disperse individuals who are in contravention of an order and will be able to disperse people who are gathering, regardless whether a premise has been closed or remains open such as a park or house.

“Extraordinary action is needed to protect the health and safety of Ontarians as we deal with this growing crisis,” said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. “Our government is providing police and bylaw officers with the tools, and the authority, they need to enforce these critical restrictions and protect public health.”

Schools and Child Care Centres

Based on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, schools in the following public health units (PHUs) will not return to in-person instruction until February 10, 2021:

  • Windsor-Essex
  • Peel Region
  • Toronto
  • York
  • Hamilton

By January 20, 2021, the Chief Medical Officer of Health will advise the Ministry of Education on which public health units (PHUs) will be permitted to resume in-person instruction, based on the most up-to-date data and modelling. Before- and after-school programs can be offered when in-person instruction resumes. Schools in northern PHUs will continue to remain open.

To continue to keep students, staff and communities safe, the following new health and safety measures will be put in place for in-person learning:

  • Masking for Grade 1-3 and requirements for mask wearing outdoors;
  • Enhanced screening protocols; and
  • Expanded targeted testing.

The government will also implement new health and safety measures in Ontario child care settings, such as enhanced screening to align with school requirements, voluntary participation in targeted testing and additional infection prevention and control measures to align with schools. These enhancements are in addition to the existing health and safety measures already being implemented in child care settings across the province.

Child care centres for non-school aged children will remain open, and emergency child care for school-aged children will end in approved PHU regions on January 22, 2021 as these elementary schools return to in-person learning.During this extended period of online learning, in areas where in-person elementary learning is suspended, emergency child care will continue for eligible families in regions subject to school closures, as identified by the Chief Medical Officer of Health.

“At the heart of our continued efforts to protect against  the spread of COVID-19 in our communities is a firm commitment to return kids to school safely,” said Education Minister Stephen Lecce. “Protecting our students, staff and their families is our top priority, and these additional measures build on our comprehensive plan to reopen schools and keep young children in child care safe.”

Workplace Safety

The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development is taking additional steps to protect workers with the launch of the “Stay Safe All Day” campaign, focusing workplace inspections in areas of high transmission, including break rooms, and providing new educational materials to employers to 

promote safe behaviour before, during and after work.

Evidence gathered from COVID-19 related workplace inspections to date shows the vast majority of employers and workers are following COVID-19 safety requirements when working. However, when in a break room, a vehicle or not on the clock, there is a tendency to forget about the importance of wearing masks, maintaining physical distance and hand hygiene. 

As part of the “Stay Safe All Day” campaign, inspectors will use a data-driven approach to focus on workplaces with reported COVID-19 outbreaks, manufacturing businesses, warehouses, distribution centres, food processing operations, construction projects and publicly accessible workplaces deemed essential, such as grocery stores. The Ministry is also using a new data-sharing program, in conjunction with the Ministry of Long-Term Care and the Retirement Regulatory Authority, to focus onsite inspections of long-term-care homes and retirement homes. 

“We know the majority of businesses are operating safely and responsibly to protect their workers and customers. But as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, we all need to step up and take additional measures to stop the spread,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “This includes increasing our inspections to look at everything workers do both while on the job and throughout the workday.” 

In the unfortunate event that an employee becomes infected with COVID-19, they may be entitled to federally funded paid sick leave of up to $500 a week for two weeks. Workers can also access Canada’s Recovery Caregiver Benefit of up to $500 per week for up to 26 weeks if they are unable to work because they must care for their child under 12 years old or a family member who needs supervised care.

Over the summer, the government enacted a new regulatory amendment that put non-unionized employees on Infectious Disease Emergency Leave during the COVID-19 outbreak any time their hours of work are temporarily reduced by their employer due to COVID-19, ensuring businesses aren’t forced to terminate employees after their ESA temporary layoff periods have expired. As part of the Safe Restart Agreement, the federal government is funding a temporary income support program that allows workers to take up to 10 days of leave related to COVID-19, preventing the risk of further spread in the workplace and allowing workers to focus on their health. and the COVID-19

Quebec’s L’actualité’s Magazine People of 2020 : Employees of residential and long term care centres (CHSLD)

The Quebec magazine L’’actualité chose their persons of the year in its January/February edition. Employees of CHSLD’s were amongst those selected and all of us can draw both knowledge and inspiration from the role they played in Quebec’s health care system during COVID-19.

One of the personal support workers covered was Patricia Hotte who has worked in a CHSLD for 35 years. For years she said personal support workers were ignored but this year we have been transformed from zeroes to heroes.

Since the month of March 2020 COVID-19 has claimed more than 80% of Quebec COVID victims.

One liberal deputy of the Quebec National Assembly spent two weeks at a CHSLD in Montreal and he said about women working in CHSLD’s, “These women are superhuman. They are full of common sense and compassion in performing their work.”

In Quebec these personal care workers have paid a price as in the 13 professionals that have died since March 8 have been “guardian angels” as the personal support workers have been referred to in Quebec.

Guardian angels are almost all from minority groups and suffer from sexual harassment,, insults and racism and consequently a very high turnover rate with 65% of such workers leaving their work after 5 years.

The Quebec government has gone on a hiring spree for guardian angels setting a goal of having 10,000 in Quebec, 6,700 have already been hired and will be placed in advanced training,

In June the Quebec government proposed an hourly salary increase for guardian angels from $22.35 to $26.89 but union negotiations failed. One union official Alain Croteau noted, “We call them our guardian angels but despite that they are badly exploited. This racialized group suffers from high unemployment rates and thy have inherited jobs no one else wants.”

Bravo for Quebec for its efforts in trying to increase staffing of long- term care workers and trying to increase their salaries.

(The author translated the quotes from French)

The Quebec magazine L’’actualité chose their persons of the year in its January/February edition. Employees of CHSLD’s were amongst those selected and all of us can draw both knowledge and inspiration from the role they played in Quebec’s health care system during COVID-19.

One of the personal support workers covered was Patricia Hotte who has worked in a CHSLD for 35 years. For years she said personal support workers were ignored but this year we have been transformed from zeroes to heroes.

Since the month of March 2020 COVID-19 has claimed more than 80% of Quebec COVID victims.

One liberal deputy of the Quebec National Assembly spent two weeks at a CHSLD in Montreal and he said about women working in CHSLD’s, “These women are superhuman. They are full of common sense and compassion in performing their work.”

In Quebec these personal care workers have paid a price as in the 13 professionals that have died since March 8 have been “guardian angels” as the personal support workers have been referred to in Quebec.

Guardian angels are almost all from minority groups and suffer from sexual harassment,, insults and racism and consequently a very high turnover rate with 65% of such workers leaving their work after 5 years.

The Quebec government has gone on a hiring spree for guardian angels setting a goal of having 10,000 in Quebec, 6,700 have already been hired and will be placed in advanced training,

In June the Quebec government proposed an hourly salary increase for guardian angels from $22.35 to $26.89 but union negotiations failed. One union official Alain Croteau noted, “We call them our guardian angels but despite that they are badly exploited. This racialized group suffers from high unemployment rates and thy have inherited jobs no one else wants.”

Bravo for Quebec for its efforts in trying to increase staffing of long- term care workers and trying to increase their salaries.

(The author translated the quotes from French)

Canada Cuts Loopholes: No More “subsidized COVID Vacations”

Government of Canada to ensure that international travellers cannot access recovery benefits during mandatory quarantine

From: Employment and Social Development Canada

News release

January 11, 2021              Gatineau, Quebec              Employment and Social Development Canada
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Government of Canada has strongly urged Canadians to stay home to stop the spread of COVID-19. As Canadians continue to make difficult but important sacrifices for their health and their communities, the Government of Canada has been there to support them every step of the way, including through the creation of three new benefits for workers who do not qualify for EI: the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) and the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB).

The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, along with the other recovery benefits, was never intended to incentivize or encourage Canadians to disregard public health advice. Rather, these benefits were put in place to ensure Canadian workers could continue to make ends meet during the pandemic, and that no Canadian would have to make the choice between putting food on the table or going to work sick. 

To ensure these important benefits provide the targeted support Canadians expect, the Government of Canada is taking immediate action to ensure all three benefits – the CRB, CRCB, and CRSB – do not incent people to disregard the clear public health advice against travelling abroad. The Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, will be proposing legislation so that, retroactive to January 3, 2021, all international travellers who need to quarantine upon return to Canada, including people returning from vacation, visiting loved ones, and attending to real estate matters abroad, will not be eligible to receive support from any of the Canada Recovery Benefits for the period of their mandatory quarantine. Individuals who are exempt from the mandatory quarantine requirements under the Quarantine Act, such as health care workers who need to cross the border for work,will be eligible to apply following their return to the country.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will update the application process for the three recovery benefits on Monday, January 11. For claims covering a period beginning on or after January 3, 2021, applicants will need to indicate whether they were self-isolating or in quarantine due to international travel. Over the coming weeks, the CRA will delay processing claims for individuals who are self-isolating or in quarantine because of international travel until the legislative process is complete to ensure those who receive the benefit meet the latest eligibility criteria.

The Government of Canada continues to strongly urge all Canadians to avoid non-essential travel and to follow all public health and international travel guidelines. Canadians across the country are doing their part to protect their loved ones, communities, health care workers and all of those on the front lines of this pandemic. This important change will ensure the COVID programs we have in place support those efforts, and are there for Canadians who need them most. 

Quotes

“The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit was created to provide workers with a paid sick leave option. We did this so that workers did not have to choose between going to work while impacted by COVID-19 and putting food on the table. The benefit was not intended to encourage Canadians to disobey public health and international travel guidelines. We have heard Canadians and are tightening the eligibility criteria for our COVID recovery benefits. We will ensure that these measures have no unintended consequences and will target individuals who travel for discretionary and non-essential purposes. This is not the time to travel abroad, and if you make the choice to do so, you will not be eligible for these benefits during your mandatory quarantine period.”

– Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough