Canada loses 3 million jobs in less than two months due to pandemic

   Canada column for Sunday, May 10/20

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   By Jim Fox

   The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the loss of three million jobs in less than two months across Canada.

   Statistics Canada reported almost two million people lost their jobs in April on top of the one million in March.

   This pushed up the unemployment rate to its second-highest level on record at 13 percent from 7.8 percent in March.

   As of this weekend, there have been more than 66,000 cases of COVID, with 4,500 deaths.

   Concerning reopening the economy, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said no one should be asked to work in unsafe conditions.

   Lifting restrictions will occur “very, very gradually” and transmission of the disease will be carefully monitored, he added.

   Trudeau is also pointing to the billions of dollars in aid to laid-off workers including $2,000 a month for those unable to find jobs while employers are offered wage subsidy funds to keep jobs.

Canada quickly moves to ban 'assault-style weapons' after killing of 22 in Nova Scotia

   Canada column for Sunday, May 3/20

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Less than two weeks after Canada’s most deadly shooting rampage, the government is taking aim at gun owners with an outright ban on assault weapons.

   Now banned are 1,500 models and versions of “assault-style firearms” that can no longer be legally used, sold or imported.

   This includes the AR-15 rifle and the Ruger Mini-14 that was used to kill 14 women at Montreal’s Ecole Polytechnique university in 1989.

   “Every single Canadian wants to see less gun violence and safer communities,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

   The government was reacting to the rampage by denturist Gabriel Wortman who killed 22 people and wounded three with unlawful weapons from the U.S. and one from Canada in rural Nova Scotia on April 18.

   There is a two-year amnesty period to allow current owners to receive compensation for turning in designated firearms or keep them through a “grandfathering process.”

   Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, a former Toronto police chief, said “these guns have no legitimate civilian purpose.”

Gun laws under review in Canada after attacker kills 22 in Nova Scotia

   Canada column for Sunday, April 26/20

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   The Canadian government plans to tighten gun laws after the country’s worst case of violence in which 22 people were gunned down and three wounded in rural Nova Scotia.

   Gabrielle Wortman, 51, attacked friends, neighbors and strangers in an overnight rampage in five towns after beating his girlfriend in the resort community of Portapique.

   She escaped from their home that he set on fire and hid in the woods until police rescued her.

   It’s not clear if gun laws would have changed anything as the denturist with a fascination with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police had unregistered weapons.

   These included pistols and long-barrelled weapons, said Supt. Darren Campbell, four of which were obtained in the U.S. and one in Canada.

   Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged to “ensure that we’re strengthening gun control.”

   Complicating the search for Wortman was that he was driving a replica police cruiser and wearing a police uniform.

   Victims included Mountie Constable Heidi Stevenson, corrections officers, nurses, a firefighter and teacher while Constable Chad Morrison was wounded. Wortman died in a shootout with police at a gas station.

Senior's homes being attacked by the novel coronavirus outbreak in Canada

   Canada column for Sunday, April 19/20

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   The deadly novel coronavirus outbreak is picking on vulnerable seniors in long-term care homes across Canada.

   The number of deaths from COVID-19 nears 1,200 with seniors in homes the hardest hit.

   Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said under consideration are additional supports for provinces in tackling outbreaks in the homes.

   “We need to do a better job of being there for them,” he added.

    This includes a request by Quebec Premier Francois Legault to receive relief from medically trained soldiers.

   As well, Quebec has recruited 2,000 retired doctors after Legault put out the call to help out in overburdened homes.

   Trudeau also warns against reopening the economy too early as it would be “absolutely disastrous.”

   It will be “a while before the U.S.-Canada border reopens,” he added.

   With much of Canada’s economy at a standstill, the government has announced more financial help for small businesses and replacement income for laid-off workers, along with support payments of $2,000 in each of the next four months.

Canada's battle against virus outbreak could take months, Trudeau says

   Canada column for Sunday, April 12/20

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   It could take months of “determined effort” to control the novel coronavirus outbreak, with the number of deaths likely to double this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

   With the current stringent measures in place, it is predicted by Dr. Theresa Tam, chief public health officer, the pandemic could take 4,400 lives over its course.

   “We must minimize the population infected in order to keep deaths, ICU admissions and hospitalizations as low as possible,” she added.

   As of this weekend, there were 509 deaths and 20,765 confirmed and presumptive cases across Canada.

   Things cannot return to “our former normal situation until we have developed a vaccine and that could take 12 to 18 months.” Trudeau said.

   “The spread of the virus appears to be moderating somewhat and Canada could bring the epidemic under control by the end of summer if social distancing and other measures are strictly adhered to,” Tam said.

Trudeau asks U.S. to allow medical viris supplies to reach Canada unimpeded

   Canada column for Sunday, April 5/20

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Canada is taking a strong stand against an order from the White House to cut off supplies of medical equipment to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

   Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it would be a “mistake” to block shipments of U.S.-made 3M respirators and masks to Canada and Latin America.

   President Donald Trump said he would enable the Defense Production Act to require 3M to prioritize the supply for Americans.

   The company agreed to the order but cautioned, as did Trudeau, that the action could backfire and “end up hurting Americans as much as it hurts anybody else” through retaliatory actions.

   Both countries receive essential supplies and products from each other as well as health-care professionals.

   There are “thousands of nurses and health workers” from Canada who cross the border to work in Greater Detroit hospitals, Trudeau said.

   Canada is reporting 12,000 cases of the virus and 152 deaths including 20 at the Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon, Ontario.

   The U.S. totals were 258,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 6,600 deaths.

Canada opposes U.S. suggestion to post troops along the Canadian border to intercept immigrants

   Canada column for Sunday, March 29/20

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Canadian leaders reacted with anger over a suggestion the United States was considering sending troops to the Canada-U.S. border to intercept illegal migrants.

   The idea – said to be no longer considered and in response to the coronavirus pandemic – was to track down migrants before they crossed the border into the U.S. at unofficial crossings.

   It’s now a policy for Canada to return the migrants, mostly from Mexico, to the last country where they were before arriving to seek asylum at non-regular crossings.

   “Canada and the U.S. have the longest unmilitarized border in the world – it is very much in both of our interests for it to remain that way,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

   “This is an entirely unnecessary step, which we would view as damaging to our relationship," said Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.

   The two countries have a mutual ban in place on non-essential travel across the border, which includes trips for recreational purposes.

   Canadian health officials have reported more than 4,700 confirmed and presumptive cases, with 55 deaths.