USA
Faith, foster care and LGBT rights collide at Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court, with newly confirmed conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, will face its first major test on religious liberty and LGBT rights just one day after the 2020 election

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© Tom Brenner/Reuters Judge Amy Coney Barrett holds her hand on the Holy Bible as she is sworn in as an associate justice of the Supreme Court by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on the South Lawn of the White House, Oct. 26, 2020.

The justices on Wednesday will hear oral arguments on whether the city of Philadelphia can enforce a non-discrimination policy for sexual orientation on Catholic Social Services, a leading faith-based child welfare agency that does not work with same-sex foster parents.

Philadelphia refused to renew its contract with CSS for the city's foster care program in 2018 because of the group's refusal to accept gay or lesbian applicants. The agency and several Catholic foster parents sued the city, alleging it targeted their religious beliefs in violation of the First Amendment.MORE: Offering hope to those in foster care

"I was devastated. I just couldn't believe it," said plaintiff Sharonnell Fulton, a foster parent with Catholic Social Services who could no longer accept new foster children after the city severed ties with the organization.

"I have room in my house and time in my life and I want to make a difference," said Fulton, who's fostered more than 40 children over nearly 30 years. "Catholic Social Service does wonderful work and we have children that hurt and we need to serve."© ABC News Catholic foster parent Sharonnell Fulton is a plaintiff in the Supreme Court case challenging Philadelphia's non-discrimination policy applied to contracted foster care agencies.

Lower federal courts rejected CSS claims of religious discrimination, upholding the city's ability to set neutral terms for all contracts involving taxpayer funds. But now the Supreme Court will take another look at whether the city went too far.

"There had been no complaints against Catholic Social Services," said Lori Windham, an attorney with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which is representing Fulton and Catholic Social Services. "No same-sex couple had ever approached them. But if one did, they would help them to find an agency that could serve that family and help them on their foster care journey."

Of the 24 private agencies in Philadelphia's foster care network, Catholic Social Services is the only one that would deny applications from same-sex couples as a matter of faith.MORE: Aging out of the foster care system

"This is a voluntary contract. We don't hold any provider to commit to having to sign if they don't want to adhere to the contract language," said Philadelphia Deputy Mayor Cynthia Figueroa. "The city is pretty straightforward. You've entered into a contract that says very explicitly that you are to serve all and that's mutually applied to all providers."

Catholic teaching says that marriage is between one man and one woman. The church does not consider LGBT families morally compliant.

© ABC News Attorney Lori Windham of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is representing Catholic Social Services in the Supreme Court case challenging Philadelphia's non-discrimination policy for faith-based foster care agencies.

Figueroa, who is Catholic, maintains that even if other organizations will accept LGBT prospective foster parents the city's faith-neutral non-discrimination policy is valid and important.

"There's LGBTQ youth in the system. And I think it sends a very strong message to them that they're supported and protected as children, but as adults, their rights would be discriminated against," Figueroa said of the situation.

Caught in the middle are at-risk Philadelphia children and teens. There are currently 4,300 kids in the city's resource homes, including nearly 1,900 with foster families, according to the Philadelphia Department of Human Services Data Report. About 300 children are in group facilities awaiting placement

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© ABC News Deputy Philadelphia Mayor Cynthia Figueroa enforced the city's non-discrimination policy on Catholic Social Services in 2018 refusing a foster care contract for the agency unless it accepted gay and lesbian prospective parents.

The case has prompted strong feelings from foster families on both sides of the dispute, including those without a direct stake in the case.

"We have kids dying in the street every single day. And you want to fight about who can foster a child? By god, let's get past that," said retired police officer Kevin Bernard, who recently became a foster parent for the first time when he and his wife Patti took in a 5-month-old girl from a family with ties to their non-denominational Christian church.MORE: Coronavirus keeping American couple from their adopted daughter in China

"I'm not a lawyer, but I say this: Catholic Services, they signed a contract and the contract specifically states that you're going to include all types of families," said Paige Davis, who has been fostering Philadelphia children with her wife Shannon for seven years.

The Davises, who are LGBT Catholics but did not attempt to work with Catholic Social Services, say having same-sex parents in the foster system is critical.

Studies show LGBT young people are disproportionately in need of foster care and that many who were removed or ran away from foster placements did so because of a caregiver's hostility toward their sexual orientation or gender identity

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© ABC News Patti and Kevin Bernard of Philadelphia recently became first-time foster parents to a five-month-old girl.

"If we could have been that intermediary between a child transitioning into their adulthood and into their own identity and show them that is safe, we want to be there for those children in order to do that," said Davis. "To eliminate families based on them being same-sex is eliminating a loving home for a child."

But after nearly 200 years of Catholic Social Services working with children and families in Philadelphia, Bernard wonders whether the city's move to cut ties with the agency over its beliefs on homosexuality is fair and constitutional.MORE: 9-year-old boy in foster care receives thousands of adoption submissions

"Freedom is both sides. There's two sides of freedom, right? And this country was founded on religious freedom. And as such, you should be able to help where you can help and still practice your faith," Bernard said. "And so if the church wants to help, but they can't do it in another area, then there should be somebody that can help those people also do that."

© ABC News Shannon and Paige Davis of Philadelphia say same-sex parents are essential for foster care programs since LGBT youth make up a disproportionate share of at-risk youth.

Fulton said she hopes the court will agree and allow her to get back to work fostering children through the agency she loves.

"At this age and in my life, I don't want to start all over again with somebody else's rules and regulations who don't respect my religious values. And I believe in what I'm saying," Fulton said. "It would be difficult for me to continue fostering through a new agency."

The Supreme Court is expected to hand down its decision by the end of June 2021.

NASA’s Halloween playlist features new ghoulish sounds from space
Brittany A. Roston - Oct 28, 2020, 

NASA is back with new sounds from various parts of space, giving the public the opportunity to hear new — and somewhat creepy — noises from around the galaxy. The tracks are part of the space agency’s fun Halloween offerings, which also include newly published horror-themed space posters as part of its Galaxy of Horrors artwork series. This year’s audio playlist includes space whistles, moans, and more.

NASA has shared the new space audio on its SoundCloud account, where anyone can listen to space noises produced using data from the Mars InSight lander, the ESA’s Planck spacecraft, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, and the Juno spacecraft. Noises represent things like Jupiter’s magnetosphere plasma waves, sounds from the early universe, a marsquake, and more.

The space agency says these are new sounds made possible using previously collected space data, adding to the growing library of similar noises NASA has released in the past. There are 14 total tracks in this playlist, including one’s featuring Jupiter’s Auroras, a blast wave of high energy from Cassiopeia A, a couple of Martian quakes, plasma waves, ‘Galactic Sonification,’ and more.

A few of the tracks are accompanied by extra details, with NASA explaining, for example, that the ‘Sounds of the Ancient Universe’ track was made possible by the Planck spacecraft, which picked up the fluctuations that happened just after the big bang occurred.

NASA’s SoundCloud account features a number of other playlists, including its Curious Universe podcast, NASA Explorers: Apollo, Watch This Space, InSight Lander Sounds of Mars, Small Steps, Giant Leaps podcast, Rocket Ranch, Gravity Assist, and several other series and audio shows.

The U.S. election could change the cannabis industry.

Is Canada ready?

Erica Alini 

As Americans cast their ballots in one of the most acrimonious U.S. elections in history, Canada's cannabis industry is salivating on the sidelines.

© Getty Images The U.S. election will likely expand the number of states where cannabis is legal and may lead to full legalization. But will Canadian marijuana producers still have a competitive edge by then?

In a historical vote that's stoking worries of post-election violence, easing restrictions around marijuana has surprisingly broad bipartisan support.

Read more: ‘It could be a mess’ — Why U.S. election results could be delayed days or weeks

Polls show U.S. public opinion has turned around on the issue of legalization, with a majority of adults now saying cannabis should be legal for both medical and recreational purposes. Republican lawmakers have sponsored marijuana legislation and co-chaired, along with Democrats, the U.S. Congress's Cannabis Caucus.

3:31
What you need to know about cannabis edibles
https://tinyurl.com/yxreeu8b

The incentives to lift restrictions on cannabis have only increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. For U.S. states battered by the economic downturn triggered by the outbreak, the industry is a source of both jobs and tax revenues.

For many, legalization has also become an issue of social justice, with the war on drugs now seen as a key driver of disproportionately higher rates of incarceration among Black and Brown Americans.

Read more: COVID-19 pandemic a ‘boon’ for legal cannabis in Canada as marijuana industry turns two

A victory by former U.S. vice-president Joe Biden accompanied by Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress could well lead to full federal legalization, several analysts believe.

But restrictions could lift even if President Donald Trump is re-elected and Republicans keep control of the Senate. Five states will vote on legalizing medical or recreational marijuana — or both. That includes New Jersey and Arizona, which are projected to generate sales of up to $400 million each for the recreational market just in the first year, according to estimates by Marijuana Business Daily.

To say that Canada's cannabis producers have been waiting for Nov. 3 with trepidation would be an understatement. Household names such as Canopy Growth and Aurora Cannabis, both of which are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, say they're ready to make the most of whatever opportunity materializes.

Biden and running mate Sen. Kamala Harris favour legalizing medical marijuana and reclassifying cannabis, which federal law currently treats as something akin to heroin and ecstasy. They also support decriminalizing recreational marijuana, which would eliminate jail time for possession under a certain amount, and expunging all previous cannabis convictions.

And the Democratic presidential ticket says it will leave it up to the states to regulate cannabis for adult use.

Biden has so far stopped short of endorsing federal legalization of recreational marijuana. But a Biden White House might still be persuaded to do just that, says Chris Walsh, CEO and president of Marijuana Business Daily.

Read more: Canadians cite systemic barriers to legal medical cannabis

Biden's views on cannabis have already changed significantly, Walsh says, and could shift even more as lawmakers from big, influential states make the case for legalization.

"That could sway him significantly," he says.

There are also many ways in which Washington could de-facto legalize cannabis without quite saying so, Walsh says.

In addition to reclassifying and decriminalizing cannabis, the federal government could change the banking laws, which currently prevent the industry from accessing a range of mainstream financial services, Walsh says.

Washington could also rethink its tax treatment of cannabis companies, he adds. While marijuana businesses pay federal taxes, they're excluded from tax breaks and financial aid programs.

Those measures, taken together, "would accomplish much of what legalization would," Walsh says.

2:15
Legal cannabis vaping products ignite health concerns
https://tinyurl.com/yxreeu8b

State ballots

Even without much change coming from Washington, the state ballots could make a significant difference, according to Walsh.

Mississippi voters will decide on a medical marijuana program. South Dakota will be voting on both medical and recreational legalization. And Montana, Arizona and New Jersey have ballot initiatives on legalizing recreational cannabis.

Read more: New Zealand votes against legalizing cannabis, preliminary results show

New Jersey, in particular, is seen as a crucial vote, with cannabis advocates hoping legalization there will trigger a domino effect in the state's populous neighbours.

If adult-use cannabis becomes legal in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York state would have to "think long and hard about what they do," says David Culver, U.S. head of government and stakeholder relations for Canopy Growth.

"They want to make sure that they're capturing the tax revenue associated with cannabis, the general economic impact and the jobs, because they're going to be significant," Culver says.

In general, legalization across an ever-larger number of states continues to shift the public perceptions on cannabis, showcases the tax-revenue potential of the industry and forces a growing number of federal lawmakers to reconsider their stance on the issue, Culver says.

If the legalization initiative passes in South Dakota, for example, "you're going to see the federally elected officials, which are all Republican, have to take a second look at cannabis to try to figure out what their policy position is going to be," he says.

If all five measures pass, medical use of marijuana will be legal in 38 states, plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, and adult-use in 14 of those, plus D.C.

Does Canada still have a competitive advantage?

Canada's major cannabis producers are studying various election outcomes as they weigh their next move.

Full legalization would unlock the world's largest cannabis market.

For Canopy, it would green-light the acquisition of Acreage Holdings, an American cannabis chain. That would give Canopy, which has a policy of only operating in markets where cannabis use is federally permitted, a ready-made foothold in the U.S. market.

Down the line, legal recreational marijuana will likely attract deals and link-ups from a variety of industries, Walsh says.

"Once those floodgates open, you're going to see a mad rush," he says. "Beverage companies, tobacco companies, food companies, mainstream industries, Big Tech, Big Ag (agriculture) will come in at a much higher level than they have so far in the U.S."

Aurora CEO Miguel Martin believes Canadian producers will have an edge in the race to conquer that new market.

After two years of operating under Canada's federal cannabis framework, the country's marijuana industry has gained valuable experience, according to Martin.

"Those lessons on manufacturing, labelling, sales and marketing, all of those principles ... will be very applicable to the U.S. market," he says.

Not everyone is so optimistic, however.

In Brad Poulos's eyes, Canada has squandered the opportunity to develop a lasting competitive advantage in the global cannabis market.

"The Americans have the advantage," says Poulos, a consultant and professor of entrepreneurship and strategy at Ryerson University in Toronto. "They are allowed to do everything that it takes to create a world-class cannabis brand."

In Canada, he says, the rules on advertising of marijuana products are so stringent they've made it impossible for the industry to develop global cannabis brands, he says.

Walsh, though, is more upbeat.

Working under a federal legal framework means Canadian companies have often been able to attract better talent than in the U.S., where working in the industry still carries a stigma, he says.

And Canada's marijuana producers have also been able to tap the U.S. capital markets, while American companies often still struggle to attract funding in a sector with high up-start costs, he notes.

"There's a lot of good growth in Canada's market. There's a lot of potential down the road," he says.

The U.S. election could change the cannabis industry. Is Canada ready?

By Erica Alini Global News
Posted October 30, 2020 

Two years after cannabis legalization in Canada, what has changed? – Oct 17, 2020

As Americans cast their ballots in one of the most acrimonious U.S. elections in history, Canada’s cannabis industry is salivating on the sidelines.

In a historical vote that’s stoking worries of post-election violence, easing restrictions around marijuana has surprisingly broad bipartisan support.

Polls show U.S. public opinion has turned around on the issue of legalization, with a majority of adults now saying cannabis should be legal for both medical and recreational purposes. Republican lawmakers have sponsored marijuana legislation and co-chaired, along with Democrats, the U.S. Congress’s Cannabis Caucus.

What you need to know about cannabis edibles – Jan 10, 2020

The incentives to lift restrictions on cannabis have only increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. For U.S. states battered by the economic downturn triggered by the outbreak, the industry is a source of both jobs and tax revenues

For many, legalization has also become an issue of social justice, with the war on drugs now seen as a key driver of disproportionately higher rates of incarceration among Black and Brown Americans.


READ MORE: COVID-19 pandemic a ‘boon’ for legal cannabis in Canada as marijuana industry turns two

A victory by former U.S. vice-president Joe Biden accompanied by Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress could well lead to full federal legalization, several analysts believe.

But restrictions could lift even if President Donald Trump is re-elected and Republicans keep control of the Senate. Five states will vote on legalizing medical or recreational marijuana — or both. That includes New Jersey and Arizona, which are projected to generate sales of up to $400 million each for the recreational market just in the first year, according to estimates by Marijuana Business Daily.

To say that Canada’s cannabis producers have been waiting for Nov. 3 with trepidation would be an understatement. Household names such as Canopy Growth and Aurora Cannabis, both of which are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, say they’re ready to make the most of whatever opportunity materializes.

Federal legalization

Biden and running mate Sen. Kamala Harris favour legalizing medical marijuana and reclassifying cannabis, which federal law currently treats as something akin to heroin and ecstasy. They also support decriminalizing recreational marijuana, which would eliminate jail time for possession under a certain amount, and expunging all previous cannabis convictions.

And the Democratic presidential ticket says it will leave it up to the states to regulate cannabis for adult use.

Biden has so far stopped short of endorsing federal legalization of recreational marijuana. But a Biden White House might still be persuaded to do just that, says Chris Walsh, CEO and president of Marijuana Business Daily.

READ MORE: Canadians cite systemic barriers to legal medical cannabis

Biden’s views on cannabis have already changed significantly, Walsh says, and could shift even more as lawmakers from big, influential states make the case for legalization.

“That could sway him significantly,” he says.

There are also many ways in which Washington could de-facto legalize cannabis without quite saying so, Walsh says.

In addition to reclassifying and decriminalizing cannabis, the federal government could change the banking laws, which currently prevent the industry from accessing a range of mainstream financial services, Walsh says.

Washington could also rethink its tax treatment of cannabis companies, he adds. While marijuana businesses pay federal taxes, they’re excluded from tax breaks and financial aid programs.

Those measures, taken together, “would accomplish much of what legalization would,” Walsh says.

2:15Legal cannabis vaping products ignite health concernsLegal cannabis vaping products ignite health concerns – Dec 17, 2019

State ballots

Even without much change coming from Washington, the state ballots could make a significant difference, according to Walsh.

Mississippi voters will decide on a medical marijuana program. South Dakota will be voting on both medical and recreational legalization. And Montana, Arizona and New Jersey have ballot initiatives on legalizing recreational cannabis.


READ MORE: New Zealand votes against legalizing cannabis, preliminary results show

New Jersey, in particular, is seen as a crucial vote, with cannabis advocates hoping legalization there will trigger a domino effect in the state’s populous neighbours.

If adult-use cannabis becomes legal in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York state would have to “think long and hard about what they do,” says David Culver, U.S. head of government and stakeholder relations for Canopy Growth.

“They want to make sure that they’re capturing the tax revenue associated with cannabis, the general economic impact and the jobs, because they’re going to be significant,” Culver says.

In general, legalization across an ever-larger number of states continues to shift the public perceptions on cannabis, showcases the tax-revenue potential of the industry and forces a growing number of federal lawmakers to reconsider their stance on the issue, Culver says.

If the legalization initiative passes in South Dakota, for example, “you’re going to see the federally elected officials, which are all Republican, have to take a second look at cannabis to try to figure out what their policy position is going to be,” he says.

If all five measures pass, medical use of marijuana will be legal in 38 states, plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, and adult-use in 14 of those, plus D.C.
3:38US election misinformation: How foreign interference, voter fraud conspiracies could affect the pollsUS election misinformation: How foreign interference, voter fraud conspiracies could affect the polls – Oct 29, 2020
Does Canada still have a competitive advantage?

Canada’s major cannabis producers are studying various election outcomes as they weigh their next move.

Full legalization would unlock the world’s largest cannabis market.

For Canopy, it would green-light the acquisition of Acreage Holdings, an American cannabis chain. That would give Canopy, which has a policy of only operating in markets where cannabis use is federally permitted, a ready-made foothold in the U.S. market.

Down the line, legal recreational marijuana will likely attract deals and link-ups from a variety of industries, Walsh says.

“Once those floodgates open, you’re going to see a mad rush,” he says. “Beverage companies, tobacco companies, food companies, mainstream industries, Big Tech, Big Ag (agriculture) will come in at a much higher level than they have so far in the U.S.”

Aurora CEO Miguel Martin believes Canadian producers will have an edge in the race to conquer that new market.


After two years of operating under Canada’s federal cannabis framework, the country’s marijuana industry has gained valuable experience, according to Martin.

“Those lessons on manufacturing, labelling, sales and marketing, all of those principles … will be very applicable to the U.S. market,” he says.

Not everyone is so optimistic, however.

In Brad Poulos’s eyes, Canada has squandered the opportunity to develop a lasting competitive advantage in the global cannabis market.

“The Americans have the advantage,” says Poulos, a consultant and professor of entrepreneurship and strategy at Ryerson University in Toronto. “They are allowed to do everything that it takes to create a world-class cannabis brand.”

In Canada, he says, the rules on advertising of marijuana products are so stringent they’ve made it impossible for the industry to develop global cannabis brands, he says.

Walsh, though, is more upbeat.

Working under a federal legal framework means Canadian companies have often been able to attract better talent than in the U.S., where working in the industry still carries a stigma, he says.

And Canada’s marijuana producers have also been able to tap the U.S. capital markets, while American companies often still struggle to attract funding in a sector with high up-start costs, he notes.

“There’s a lot of good growth in Canada’s market. There’s a lot of potential down the road,” he says.

© 2020 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

SASK ELECTION

Mandryk: Mail-ins win NDP Leader Meili his seat, but now he really has to deliver

© Provided by Leader Post Postal workers like this one appear to have delivered NDP leader Ryan Meili a win in Saskatoon Meewasin.

The “Meili-in” ballots have been counted. The Saskatchewan NDP leader appears headed back to the legislature.

Mail-in ballots in Saskatoon Meewasin have put NDP leader Ryan Meili on the top, sparing the Saskatchewan NDP the dubious distinction of becoming the first Official Opposition party in Canada to lose its leader in three consecutive general elections. This is what’s cause for celebration in New Democrat ranks these days. Wither, the once-mighty NDP machine?

Alas, one party’s minor victory is about to become another party’s punchline.

One can already hear the Saskatchewan Party heckles in the chamber of the Saskatchewan Legislature next month: “Hey Meili! Did you check your mail this morning to see if you’re still here?” “Hey, Meili! What’s your campaign song next time? Please, Mr. Postman?” “What do we now call the rest of your caucus? The Marvelettes?”

It is a cruel place.

And it might be about to get a little crueler for the NDP and Meili if he doesn’t break the current cycle by rebranding himself and his party.

After being 86 votes behind Sask. Party candidate Ryland Hunter on election night, the first 1,065 of a potential 1,656 mail-in votes counted in Meewasin showed Meili pulling 206 votes ahead. It appears the NDP, at least in Meewasin, won the campaign to get the mail-in vote — perhaps unsurprising, since New Democrats seemed more concerned about voting in person during COVID-19.

Some found it a bit presumptuous for Meili to declare victory after Wednesday’s first round of mail-in ballot count voting with a potential 591 mail-in votes yet to come. But it was surely enough to demonstrate a trend in the remaining mail-ins to be counted that provided valid. Hunter conceded late Thursday afternoon.

And let’s face it: The NDP badly need a win of some sort right now.

They lost fortress-like Saskatoon Riversdale and their 2016 gain in Prince Albert Northcote. They lost ground in Regina north of Dewdney Avenue with the defeat of Northeast incumbent Yens Pedersen. Mail-ins allowed Aleana Young — who had a baby the day before election day — to overcome a 178-vote election night deficit and take Regina University from Tina Beaudry-Mellor. Mohammad Fiaz appears to have held on to Regina Pasqua.

But even with Young’s win over the one-time Sask. Party leadership hopeful and even with modest Saskatoon gains in Eastview and University, the NDP are still only at 13 seats — exactly what they had when the 28th Saskatchewan legislature was dissolved.

However, they will at least have their leader in the house . Neither rain nor sleet nor snow nor a disjointed platform shall keep Ryan Meili from his deliveries in the legislature. Having him there is better than not.

As my colleague and Vanier Scholar Merelda Fiddler observed on our CBC election night panel, having to restart the cycle of picking a new leader after the election, introducing him or her to the voting public and getting behind that new leader’s direction and policy shift has been a destructive cycle for the NDP.

Far better would be for all New Democrats — old guard and new — to sheath their swords and get it together.

The 2020 election results can be directly tied to dissension between old and new and left and right since Meili’s selection as leader as 2018 — no place more so than in Regina Walsh Acres, where booting incumbent Sandra Morin stands as a reason why the NDP caucus has one less badly needed seat.

But it’s mostly up to Meili to fix things.

That the Sask. Party probably isn’t all that broken up to see Meili back might have something to do with the fact they already defined him this campaign as too left-wing to be trusted by mainstream Saskatchewan.

If Meili wants to hang around, he is going to have to work on that image; that begins with new approaches and policies that address a broader band of voters and their concerns.

His future and that of the party now depend on it. If he doesn’t, Meili may soon be marked “return to sender.”

Mandryk is the political columnist for the Regina Leader-Post and Saskatoon StarPhoenix.

SASK. ELECTION

Minister Beaudry-Mellor concedes to NDP's Aleana Young in Regina University

The NDP has knocked off a Saskatchewan Party cabinet minister and bumped up its likely seat count to 13, after Regina University incumbent Tina Beaudry-Mellor conceded defeat to challenger Aleana Young on Thursday.

© Provided by Leader Post 

Saskatchewan New Democratic Party candidate Aleana Young speaks to media in Regina on Oct. 24, 2020. The next day, she gave birth to her first child.

Young, who gave birth to a daughter on Sunday, said she always knew the race would be close and didn’t think she’d know the victor until the final count next week.

“I had sincerely been looking at Nov. 7, so had essentially given myself this week to just really enjoy sitting in my new baby bubble and spending time with my husband and my new daughter,” she said.

That’s what she was doing until about 1:05 p.m. Thursday, when she saw a Facebook post from her opponent. “The good people of Regina University have chosen and I would like to congratulate Aleana Young on both of her deliveries,” Beaudry-Mellor wrote.

Young said the next three hours were “particularly bonkers,” as phone alerts streamed in.

But Thursday was bittersweet for the NDP in Regina. The closely fought race of Regina Pasqua looks out of reach, as challenger Bhajan Brar failed to catch up to Saskatchewan Party incumbent Muhammad Fiaz. Brar acknowledged that it’s now hardly possible for him to prevail, and said he was preparing to concede to his opponent.

New results in both races came as election workers count 40,214 mail-in ballots that arrived on or before election night, province-wide. By late Thursday afternoon, they had finished their tallies for all 61 constituencies.

The NDP saw its share of the vote rise from 29.12 per cent on election night to 30.78 per cent in the updated count, while the Sask. Party saw its share drop from 62.95 to 61.57 per cent. The new vote share is barely better for the NDP than in 2016.

There are still potentially 21,000 mail-in ballot packages that were sent to voters but weren’t returned as of election night. They’ll be counted on Nov. 7. But there’s little chance they’ll change the game in Regina University or Regina Pasqua.

Young was trailing by 178 votes in University on election night. But after election workers counted 1,370 mail-in ballots over two days, she has built up an advantage of 226 votes over Beaudry-Mellor.

There are still 444 mail-in ballot packages out there. But Beaudry-Mellor read the tea leaves. She thanked her staff and campaign team, and promised to continue supporting the Saskatchewan Party. Beyond that, her plans are simple.

“I am going to take some time to be with my kids and my dogs and to reflect,” Beaudry-Mellor added. “I’ll see you around soon.”

Young said her daughter, Hara, will likely make a few appearances in the legislative assembly, where rules were recently changed to allow MLAs to bring their young children.

Results for Regina Pasqua came just hours after Young got the news. Brar was trailing Sask. Party incumbent Muhammad Fiaz by 576 votes on election night. The updated count tightened the race somewhat, with Brar now behind by 386 votes.

But Brar told the Leader-Post that it doesn’t look possible for him to make up the difference, even with about 800 ballots potentially out there. He would need roughly 75 per cent of them if they all arrive, and he’s sure they won’t.

He had earlier predicted victory and told the Leader-Post that it would belong to the people of his constituency. But he would not blame them for his defeat.

“It is not the people’s fault. It is my fault,” he said. “I could not convey my clear message to the people.”

awhite-crummey@postmedia.com

Florida unions reach out to infrequent voters in final stretch of campaign

Florida-based union members who lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic are making their final push to get out the vote for Joe Biden days before the election.

© CBS News / LaCrai Mitchell seiu-members-meet-downtown-before-canvassing-nearby-neighborhood.png

They're targeting infrequent voters — who in some cases haven't cast a vote since 2008 — and hoping that sharing their personal stories will help get more of them to the polls. With over 7.3 million votes already cast in Florida, where polls show Biden and President Trump are virtually tied, hospitality and fast-food workers are trying to have one more conversation with some of the 7 million Floridians who are registered but haven't voted yet.

High numbers of voters who did not cast a ballot in the last election are turning out in battleground states this year. In Florida, 25.8% of Democrats who have voted early in Florida so far did not vote in 2016, according to the Democratic elections data firm TargetSmart. Among Republicans, 21.8% of the total who've voted so far did not not in 2016.

Most of the members of UNITE HERE, a union representing 34,000 hospitality workers in Florida, were laid off at the start of the pandemic. Seven months later many still haven't returned to their jobs, says Wendi Walsh, the union's state political director. She said UNITE HERE scrambled to get its members access to unemployment benefits and then ultimately hired some who were willing to share their stories with voters as canvassers.

They are "incredibly focused on how they've been treated over these last several months, both by Governor DeSantis and by Donald Trump," said Walsh.

Florida Republicans in the state shut down their in-person voter mobilization efforts during the pandemic, but not for as long as Democratic groups did. Walsh said in June, UNITE HERE took an "educated risk" and restarted its in-person get-out-the-vote efforts. It consulted health professionals, hired hundreds of laid-off members, and a couple dozen began door-knocking again. The group has helped fill the in-person voter engagement gap left by Democratic organizers who were still holding mainly virtual events due to COVID-19.

"As much as we were having some success on the phones...you really can't replace looking someone in the eye and talking to them about their vote," said Walsh.

In September, Biden made his first in-person visit to Florida as the Democratic nominee after the coronavirus forced him to cancel a trip in March. He was here again Thursday, during the last full week of the campaign. By the time Biden landed here in mid-September, Mr. Trump had already been to Florida — now his official residence — at least 10 times since the year began.

More than 300 UNITE HERE members are working as full-time canvassers — making $684 per week — and 500 volunteers are calling voters and sending texts. Since they returned to the field three months ago, none have tested positive for the coronavirus.

CBS News joined UNITE HERE members during a socially-distanced canvass in Central Florida. Lizbeth Concepcion, 33, is a housekeeper at Disney and a Hurricane Maria refugee. Like other Puerto Rican voters in Florida who are working to defeat President Trump, Concepcion said some of his past comments and actions towards the island will be top of mind as she votes. Concepcion is a paid canvasser who said she's also knocking doors in part because of the discrimination she's felt as a member of the LGBTQ community and because of the racism she's experienced.

"I feel like I'm doing something big for this society, and I enjoy it a lot," said Concepcion.

"When I knock at the door, I tell them about my story," said Francesca Clerizier, a 51-year-old mother of six who'd lost her job at Disney before joining UNITE HERE as a canvasser. "I tell them please go out to vote. If you don't want to go to vote, vote for me, because I need it for my kids. I need it for my life."

Concepcion and Clerizier have helped UNITE HERE members connect with more than 100,000 Biden supporters viewed as "low propensity" — those who are less likely to vote and haven't participated in recent presidential elections. These voters receive multiple phone calls and face-to-face visits from the union, Walsh said, to keep pushing them to vote. So far, her team has made 5.3 million phone calls and has knocked on nearly 350,000 doors.

Other groups like the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) are also hitting the pavement again. In January, it launched a $150 million program — the largest in its history — to reach infrequent voters in Black, LatinX, and Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

© Provided by CBS News

SEIU members meet before canvassing in neighborhood in Orlando, Florida.

 / Credit: CBS News / LaCrai Mitchell

Alphonso Mayfield, 42, an executive committee member for Florida for All, a group of progressive partner organizations, said SEIU has knocked on 519,000 doors since September.

CBS News joined SEIU on a humid Saturday afternoon in downtown Orlando, where an organizer gathered members for canvassing. Using her iPad, she pulled up a list of addresses of voters in the area. Ten minutes later, the group approached a yard adorned with a Biden-Harris sign and a "Yes on #2" sign. The person on their list had in fact moved, but the middle-aged woman who answered the door said her family had already voted for Biden, eliciting a chorus of cheers from the SEIU members.

After about 30 minutes, the group came across a registered voter who hadn't cast his ballot yet.

"We're trying to get people to go out and vote for the minimum wage to be $15," said Jamelia Fairley, a fast-food employee who was canvassing. "You'll vote yes on Amendment two?" she asked the voter. He said he would, and the SEIU group behind her cheered again.

© Provided by CBS News 

SEIU member Josephy Gourgue knocks on doors in downtown Orlando

Most of the neighborhood encounters were friendly, and they came across no undecided voters. At one home, a resident shooed the canvassers away from a neighbor's yard, accusing them of soliciting, but this didn't faze them.

"The Joe Biden-Harris policy is better suited for the working class. He's talking about raising the minimum wage," said Joseph Gourgue Sr., a 61-year-old wheelchair attendant at the airport who makes $9 an hour.

Fairley, 25, is a leader in the Fight for 15 campaign, an effort to increase the minimum wage in Florida to $15 an hour. She brought her young daughter with her as she knocked on doors to promote the pay hike.

"It's hard living off of $10 an hour because I still can barely afford rent and food on the table," said Fairley. She added, "We're trying to make a change and the only way we can make a change is if we go out and vote."

Coronavirus, consolidation taking toll on energy jobs

By Jennifer Hiller

© Reuters/ANGUS MORDANT FILE PHOTO: 

A long exposure image shows the movement of a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Oil and gas companies worldwide are taking an axe to their employment rolls, shedding workers to survive what is expected to be a prolonged stretch of weak demand.Exxon Mobil Corp said it will cut its workforce by 15%, or about 14,000 people, along with oil majors Chevron Corp and Royal Dutch Shell Plc .

All told, more than 400,000 oil and gas sector jobs have been cut this year, according to Rystad Energy, with about half of those in the United States, where several big exploration companies and most large oil service companies are headquartered.

Coronavirus has devastated swathes of the global economy, with energy, travel and hospitality among the industries hit hardest. Energy companies were already struggling with weak returns, particularly those operating in U.S. shale regions, but have had to double down on cost cuts as investors pressure companies to improve margins.

© Reuters/Jim Tanner FILE PHOTO: A combination of file photos shows the logos of five of the largest publicly traded oil companies BP, Chevron, Exxon, Mobil Royal Dutch Shell, and Total

"The COVID-era reality across the oil industry is austerity on an epic scale. There is no escaping the fact that this means, among other things, job losses," said Pavel Molchanov, analyst at Raymond James. In addition to Exxon, Chevron Corp, Australia's Woodside Petroleum Ltd and Canada's Cenovus Energy Inc all announced plans in recent weeks to cut staff.

Global fuel demand slumped by more than a third in the spring. While consumption has recovered somewhat, it remains lower than a year ago with major economies resuming lockdowns to contain the pandemic.

Video: US would look different without fracking for natural gas, energy secretary says (Fox Business)  https://tinyurl.com/y4fv9bt5

The downturn has been particularly harsh in the United States, the world's largest crude oil producer. The nation has recorded the most deaths from coronavirus, and the damage from the pandemic has sent unemployment to about 8%.

U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette said it is unlikely to return to the peak, near 13 million barrels per day, reached in 2019, largely through the use of fracking technology used by shale companies. The shale industry has been hit hard by the pandemic because it is easy for oil firms to cut staff and spending in the sector.

Fracking has become a hot-button issue in the U.S. presidential campaign. Democratic challenger Joe Biden wants to limit fracking on federal lands, while incumbent President Donald Trump has pushed for more drilling, and argues Biden's position would destroy jobs.Consolidation is helping drive job cuts. Chevron plans to eliminate roughly 25% of the staff acquired with Noble Energy, which it acquired this month. Shell said its oil output likely peaked last year, and it plans to cut roughly 10% of its workforce. Cenovus said it will cut 25% after it buys rival Husky Energy Inc .

In Australia, more than 2,000 oil industry jobs have been cut since March, including at Exxon and Chevron. Top independent gas producer Woodside said earlier this month that it would cut around 8% of its workforce.

Mohammad Barkindo, secretary general of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, recently expressed concern that the pace of oil demand is below expectations, potentially requiring major producers to maintain production cuts.

Not all companies are throttling back. PetroChina Co Ltd <601857.SS>, Asia's largest oil and gas producer, reported a 350% surge in profit from a year earlier.In an outlook released earlier this month, BP Plc laid out two scenarios that suggest world oil consumption, roughly 100 million barrels per day, peaked last year. BP Plc recently cut about 50% of its exploration team as it shifts operations towards renewable energy development. Currently, futures markets suggest crude prices may not advance beyond $40 a barrel for at least two more years due to weak demand, and that could limit hiring.

"The practical reality is when you have oil prices in the $30 to $40 range, I don't think many companies have the luxury to wait for a recovery," said Alex Pourbaix, chief executive at Cenovus.

(Reporting By Jennifer Hiller; Additional reporting by Ron Bousso in London, Rod Nickel in Winnipeg, and Sonali Paul in Melbourne; Writing by David Gaffen; Editing by Marguerita Choy)

Federal government unveils rules for $750-million emissions reduction fund

OTTAWA — Oil and gas companies that use federal cash to help cut methane emissions from their operations won't have to repay every penny if they eliminate the methane emissions entirely.  

© Provided by The Canadian Press

Natural Resources Minister Seamus O'Regan unveiled rules for the $750-million emissions-reduction fund first announced by the federal government at the end of April.

"Any time we are able to help companies reduce emissions … that is a very good investment for Canada and is a very good investment for Canadians," said O'Regan.

"It's an incredibly effective way for us to reach our targets."

Methane has more than 80 times the global-warming potential of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period and accounts for more than one-tenth of Canada's total emissions each year.

Almost half of them come from the oil and gas sector.

Canada has committed to cutting methane emissions between 40 and 45 per cent by 2025, but current regulations are only expected to cut 29 per cent by then.

The government has not estimated yet what emissions will be cut through this new program, but said up to half the cost of the loan can be forgiven if a project eliminates methane emissions.

If projects only cut some but not all emissions, the entire loan will have to be repaid.

Several environment groups were critical of the government for tentative agreements it reached with Alberta and Saskatchewan on methane emissions, which the groups argue won't be as strict as the regulations Canada laid out.

The equivalency agreements on methane emissions with Alberta and Saskatchewan will allow them to use their own regulations instead of having to follow Ottawa's.

But Environmental Defence, the David Suzuki Foundation and the Environmental Defense Fund, asked the government not to finalize those agreements until they can be improved to get Canada closer to its target.

Dale Marshall, national climate program manager at Environmental Defence, said the reason Ottawa can't say how many emissions this fund will cut is because it's not tying the cash to meeting the regulations.

"That's the difference with regulations," he said. "The level of reductions doesn't depend on industry coming forward with proposals. It ensures that every oil and gas facility is doing what is needed, especially given that these are very, very cost-effective."

Patrick McDonald, climate director at the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, said the new program offers some flexibility which is good, but how much impact it will have will depend on what companies apply and get accepted.

He said most companies are already looking to move to cut methane emissions, with or without regulations.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 29, 2020.

Mia Rabson, The Canadian Press

Judicial discretion for mandatory minimum sentences for murder would save $8.3M: PBO

Bill S-207, which would also apply to mandatory minimum sentences for other crimes, is being debated in the Senate.

OTTAWA — The parliamentary budget office says allowing judges to use their discretion on whether to apply a lesser sentence for murder could save the federal government $8.3 million per year

.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

Independent Sen. Kim Pate last month reintroduced legislation that would let judges deviate from mandatory minimum penalties, including for murder, which carries a sentence of life in prison.

Pate and advocates who support the proposed legislation say mandatory minimum penalties do not allow judges to consider extenuating circumstances such as abuse and systemic racism in the criminal justice system.

The parliamentary budget office says that based on a similar law in New Zealand, it expects about three per cent of murder convictions would result in lesser sentences due to exceptional circumstances.

HARPER CONSERVATIVE GOVT BROUGHT IN AMERICAN STYLE MINIMUM SENTENCING 2006-2016

The result would be fewer people in long-term custody at federal correctional institutions as well as in parole programs, which is where the cost savings would come from.

Pate welcomed the budget officer's findings, saying the money saved by her bill could go to supporting marginalized communities.

“Over 50 years of evidence, including findings of the Supreme Court of Canada, make clear that mandatory minimum penalties do not deter crime,” Pate said in a statement Thursday.

“Mandatory sentences fail to respond to the individual and community circumstances in which crime exists and create more harm," she said.

"In both human and fiscal terms, they are one of the most costly and least effective ways of trying to make our communities safer."

Bill S-207, which would also apply to mandatory minimum sentences for other crimes, is being debated in the Senate.

Asked about the issue at a House of Commons committee Thursday, Justice Minister David Lametti said the principle of cabinet confidence limited what he could say.

“I’m well aware of Sen. Pate’s bill, and I’ve discussed it with her,” Lametti said, adding the subject of mandatory minimums was “on my radar screen.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 29, 2020.