N.L. election chaos a case study in COVID campaigning
OTTAWA—Even for Newfoundland and Labrador, a place with a colourful and controversial political history, the latest electoral plot twist enters Twilight Zone levels. You see, by now, the provincial election was supposed to be done, and the winner, likely incumbent Premier Dr. Andrew Furey, was going to go about the mundane business of governing. But […]
Persistent labour abuses abound in supply chain, and the pandemic has made it worse
From sweat shops that continue to churn out cheap clothes and electronics, to the recent controversy over personal protective equipment being made under horrendous conditions, Canadian companies are likely importing billions of dollars of risky products every year. The problem is much more widespread than most Canadians realize. New research by World Vision shows that, […]
Indigenous groups wary but hopeful as consultations start on co-developing distinctions-based health legislation
The Liberal government’s promise to co-develop distinctions-based Indigenous health legislation is being welcomed as an opportunity solidify jurisdiction by some Indigenous groups, who are also cautious of Ottawa’s approach to consultations. For many, self-determination and the provincial and territorial transfer of health service delivery to Inuit, Métis, and First Nations is the key outcome. Any legislation […]
With renewed investment in diabetes research, Canada can be home to the next breakthrough again
When Banting and Best co-discovered insulin in 1921, they made it possible to successfully treat type 1 diabetes (T1D). Up until that point, life was short for those diagnosed with the disease. Over the past 100 years, insulin has saved millions of lives. However, it remains the only effective treatment for diabetes. As Banting once […]
Canadians would be much better served by a cooperative, coordinated, and sustained pandemic response
OTTAWA—About 40 years ago, I found myself at the Calgary Stampede and spent a couple of hard-earned, oil-patch dollars at a carnival booth that used a machine to examine handwriting and graph a line against a number of personal attributes. When the machine was graphing my line above “procrastinate” it went so high that it […]
Pharmacies eager to help with vaccination efforts, but details still in flux
As vaccine doses “trickle” into the country, pharmacies are gearing up in anticipation that they will be enlisted in the vaccine campaign, says one industry expert. While timelines of when sites will be brought into the fold remain up in the air, some pharmacies can be ready within four days of getting approval from authorities, […]
Prison authorities falling short on transparency in reporting COVID-19 data
The Correctional Service Canada isn’t known for being transparent. A case in point is its recent stonewalling of an expert panel led by Anthony Doob appointed by the Government of Canada to examine its compliance with legislation that purportedly meant to abolish segregation in federal penitentiaries. It should come as no surprise that tracking the […]
Government’s response to crisis in long-term care must include robust data-driven change
More than 19,000 people in Canada have died from COVID-19—more than 17,000 of them aged over 60 years. The majority of those deaths occurred in long-term care homes. This crisis continues now, even after governments and operators have put in place emergency strategies and, in some jurisdictions, creative solutions to address staff shortages. For example, […]
Cross-country COVID response too easily swayed by political winds of change
CALGARY—The Weeknd walking deliriously through a candescent, mirrored hallway in his Superbowl halftime performance is a metaphor for Canada’s COVID response. The incompetence delivered as a train wreck is breathtaking and frankly, globally embarrassing, yet easy to see coming. This week, Alberta, Quebec, and Ontario are lifting COVID-19 restrictions, which will only be reversed in […]
Why healthy aging must be the upshot of the COVID-19 pandemic
Last month, while the world was distracted by political turmoil and the pandemic’s roaring second wave, a very significant proclamation came and went with little fanfare. The United Nations General Assembly launched 2020-2030 as the Decade of Healthy Ageing, calling for a decade of concerted global action to extend the health and well-being horizons of […]
