Yukon raises pay to draw in more EMS volunteers in rural communities


CBC
Mon, February 5, 2024 

Ryan Soucy, the deputy chief of technical operations at Yukon Emergency Medical Services, stands in the ambulance bay at Yukon EMS headquarters in Whitehorse.

 (Anna Desmarais/CBC - image credit)

The Yukon Government is increasing the on-call honoraria for volunteer community responders.

As of Jan. 1, the department of Health and Social Services increased the on-call honoraria from $3.71 per hour, to $7.70 per hour.

"An increase was needed," said Yukon Emergency Medical Services' (EMS) acting chief Ryan Soucy. "We wanted to increase it to assist with recruitment and retention. As well as just to let them (volunteers) know that they're a valued member of the organization."

On top of the honoraria's increase, community responders also earn operational pay of up to $30.74 per hour for time spent in training or responding to EMS calls.

In rural communities, emergency medical services provided by staff paramedics are available on a Monday to Friday daytime schedule. But, if a medical emergency happens in the evening or on the weekend, the on-call volunteer paramedics are dispatched. In instances when an on-call paramedic isn't available, a paramedic from Whitehorse travels to the community by land or air.

An ambulance parked on in Dawson City, Yukon. In fall, firefighters here said they were having to respond to medical calls, because paramedics weren't available. Dawson City, Yukon is has struggled to maintain a consistent level of emergency medical services. (Chris MacIntyre/CBC)

Soucy said it's still to early to see if this will attract more volunteers but said he's optimistic.

"Two of the communities that we've identified hoping this will help with recruitment in is Pelly Crossing, and potentially Teslin," Soucy told CBC News.

"We're actively recruiting in all of our communities but we're hoping that this will increase incentives to come out to volunteer."

Sense of fulfilment

The town of Watson Lake's Fire Chief Joey Cherpin told CBC News that he supports the increase, and the government's reasons behind it.

Cherpin said his department has responded to calls meant for emergency medical professionals when none were available. He said having more volunteers would free up his crew for fire emergencies.

"Often times it's with lift assists or heavier hands on calls where the two person staffing isn't going to be adequate anyway," he said. "We don't mind providing that support in those cases however when there's staffing issues and then we are fulfilling the services of EMS that's when there's an issue."

Cherpin said many of the first responders in town do so as their second job.

He said the increase will make it a bit more worthwhile.

"Having that honoraria bumped up, that's huge for somebody who can now have a bit of that passive income," he said. "Might get called out once or twice in a shift kind of thing but still have a bit of passive income and be comfortable but also get that sense of fulfilment from serving their community."

If Watson Lake, for example, sees one or two more volunteers join up as a result of the raise, that will be a big help, Cherpin said.

"A wise member of the EMS in Watson Lake told me that at the end of the day all you have to do is be nice to people, and take them to the hospital. And they're very successful at what they do."

'Significant improvement'

Dawson City, Yukon is another community that has struggled to maintain a consistent level of emergency medical services.

So much so that former Yukon EMS paramedic Mike Ellis decided to start the Dawson City Ambulance Association (DCAA), to advocate for consistent ambulance and emergency medical services in town. The group is made up of former EMS volunteers and medical professionals who want to fill in the gaps when there is no ambulance service or on call paramedics available.

He said his association is currently in discussions with Yukon EMS about how it can compliment the city's ambulance services after hours. The association is ready to start providing ambulance, and medical services as soon as they work out the kinks around how emergency calls would be dispatched to the DCAA.

In the meantime, Ellis said the pay increase is a proactive approach to entice potential community responders.

"It's a significant improvement," he said. "It would be nice to think that it may make a difference for some people as community responders because they may be able to make it a bigger part of their income."

Ellis told CBC News that Yukon EMS should also take compensation for the volunteers one step further.

"I think what would be really positive to see is if that increase in the honoraria came with similar representation for things like employment conditions ... [like the ones] that are applied when you're a unionized, employed member of staff," he said.

Union representation, he said, would help the responders if there are workplace issues.

"So to allow people to have that representation if there are problems. .. (like) the way that management deals with you, as a paid community responder, because that does feel different than being truly a volunteer."

Ellis echoed Cherpin's comments saying that any method to attract more volunteer first responders is a good thing.

He said that ensuring all Yukoners in Whitehorse and the surrounding communities have access to the health care they need will create for a stronger territory.

Marine Stewardship Council pauses new standards for seafood sustainability


CBC
Tue, February 6, 2024

The Marine Stewardship Council rates the sustainability of seafood by providing a blue check mark to products that meet its standards. It's now reworking its latest rules after complaints from Canadian and other fisheries organizations. (Marine Stewardship Council - image credit)

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), whose blue check mark is a global symbol of seafood sustainability, has been forced to pause and rework its latest fisheries standard less than a year after it was launched.

The London-based non-profit organization is responding to complaints by fishing industry groups around the world, including major players in Atlantic Canada, that the new standard is vague and unworkable.

"There have been challenges and that's why we are taking the action we are today to make sure there's clarity. So people can see the bar they need to meet and can do so efficiently," said Jay Lugar, head of fisheries outreach at MSC in Canada.

"We missed the mark in some of the elements and some of the clarities I think that were needed in version three of the standard, which is why we're undertaking this pause,'" Lugar said.

The move is being greeted with relief by one Canadian industry group representing multiple Atlantic fisheries and scorned by an environmental organization.

MSC said it will introduce an updated standard in July and then conduct an independent review of new requirements for evidence, the most contentious element in the new standard.

Previous standard OK for now

"Among the issues to be addressed is whether the framework can be applied in a more efficient manner, leading to less complexity and cost. Input from [non-governmental organization] and industry stakeholders will be sought in the course of the review,' MSC said in a Jan. 31 announcement.

Jay Lugar is the head of fisheries outreach at the Marine Stewardship Council in Canada. (CBC)

Fisheries wishing to recertify will be allowed to use the previous standard for another two years until February 2026, as will new fisheries wishing to enter the MSC program.

The updated version will be mandatory by 2030.

"We have all had significant concerns," said Steve Devitt, director of sustainability with the Atlantic Groundfish Council. It represents five MSC certified fisheries in the region, including the southwestern Nova Scotia haddock fishery and halibut harvesters throughout much of Atlantic Canada.

As an example, he said a new requirement to prove that damage from ghost gear is "demonstrably absent" can't be met.

Confusion over ghost gear

"How do you prove that? Well, it's essentially impossible to prove that a loss, a piece of lost gear, has zero impact. We don't know how to do that," Devitt said.

"That phrase in particular is a concern to us and requires clarification. Are you talking about the gear itself? Are you saying that there should be no lost gear?"

Steve Devitt is the director of sustainability with the Atlantic Groundfish Council. (CBC)

Lugar from MSC said confusion over ghost gear will be fixed.

"That is one particular element that we are definitely going to address in this amended version," he said.

Lugar said refinements can be made "without adjusting the sustainability performance level."

"We don't want to see fisheries just leave because they get frustrated. We want them to continue to try and achieve sustainability outcomes," he said.

Environmental group rejects industry claims

A Halifax environmental group said the Marine Stewardship Council has taken a step back.

Shannon Arnold, associate director of marine programs at the Ecology Action Centre, rejects industry claims.

Shannon Arnold, left, is an associate director of marine programs at the Ecology Action Centre. (Moira Donovan/CBC)

"The requirements that these industry groups are complaining about the most, like providing better information about what they're pulling from the water, how they're fishing, what are their impacts on the environment and endangered species and showing that they have clear evidence that they're even complying with rules that are out there already," Arnold said.

"This has been coming down the pipeline for a decade. You know, it's not a surprise that this is going to be required and a lot of it is achievable."

Questions around testing the new standard

MSC took four years to develop the new standard after what it called "the most comprehensive review in 25 years."

But Devitt said it was introduced without "hardcore" testing it on actual fisheries.

Opinions differ on what happened when a certified Canadian fisher was tested under the new standard.

Devitt said it came across a number of issues under the new rules "that caused the overall scoring to essentially fail the fishery."

Lugar said the test was not an adequate assessment and the results were "misleading."

"After further dialogue with the people involved in that testing, they realized that in actual fact it does pass."

Neither would identify the fishery.

2-year extension

The two-year extension will allow the Maritime lobster fleet to recertify as a sustainable MSC fishery in 2025 under the older standard.

Geoff Irvine of the Lobster Council of Canada said in December the fishery would not meet the third-party monitoring required in the new standard.

"It's a gold-standard program. But we also know that we may not be able to stick with MSC. So we're looking at other options and there's some active things happening there," Irvine told CBC News.

Devitt said fisheries in Canada and around the world were left wondering whether they could meet the new 200-page standard as written.

"We're pleased to see that the MSC have recognized they need to put the brakes on this and have some consideration about what the outcome of this could be in the worldview," he said.

"If all of a sudden fisheries that perform very highly against the gold standard, because the MSC standard is the gold standard for eco-certification for wild capture fisheries, it would not look good to have those fisheries significantly change, their performance be significantly changed without any actual change in the practice of the fishery."

2nd round of rotating strikes for Sask. teachers to begin Wednesday


CBC
Sun, February 4, 2024 

On Wednesday, about 4,300 teachers will be involved in the rotating strikes, and the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation estimates about 65,000 students will be affected. 

(Liam O'Connor/CBC - image credit)

The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation has announced its latest round of job action amid the ongoing bargaining impasse with the provincial government.

The federation gave 48 hours of notice for strikes that will begin in various provincial communities starting Wednesday, it said in a Sunday news release.

About 4,300 teachers will be involved in the strike, with approximately 65,300 students will be affected, according the release.

"[The] government thinks they can wait us out, but they have failed to account for the most important factors," federation president Samantha Becotte said in the release.

"Teachers are fed up and are united."

The following teachers' local associations will be taking strike action on Wednesday:

• Creighton Teachers' Association, including Creighton School Division.

• Northern Area Teachers' Association, including Northern Lights School Division.

• Prairie Spirit School Division, including Prairie Spirit School Division.

• Saskatoon Teachers' Association, including Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools and Saskatoon Public Schools.

The rotating strike also includes Conseil des écoles fransaskoises schools and Saskatchewan Distance Learning teachers.

Teachers have already taken job action three times since the current contract dispute started, including two province-wide one-day walk outs, and rotating full-day strikes.

The teachers' union and government both claim the other side is holding up negotiations.

The federation says the province is refusing to bargain on class size and complexity, but the government maintains the true issue is over salary proposals.

Teachers want a two percent annual wage increase, and also to account for inflation they want their salaries to be tied to the Consumer Price Index.

The province says the index isn't a part of other collective agreements, and they are offering a seven per-cent raise over three years.

Quebec's order of nurses shelves university degree requirement for nurses


CBC
Sun, February 4, 2024 

The Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ), which regulates nursing in the province, says it will concentrate its efforts on improving the licensing exam at the end of a nurse's studies. (CBC - image credit)

Quebec's order of nurses is changing course, saying it will temporarily suspend its plan that would have required nurses to hold a university degree before working in the profession.

The Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ), which regulates nursing in the province, says it will concentrate its efforts on improving the licensing exam at the end of a nurse's studies.

In May 2022, the order announced it wanted new nurses to obtain a university degree. However, since then, the exam nursing students have to pass to enter the field has come under fire for its high failure rate, with some nurses calling for a change in how future nurses are tested.

Quebec's largest nurses' union, the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ), welcomes this decision.

"The FIQ invites the OIIQ to now focus its energies on the fundamental problems of the nursing profession," said FIQ president Julie Bouchard. "These problems were denounced by the OIIQ in the past. For example, the employer moving nurses from one care unit to another without adequate preparation."

Bernard Tremblay, the head of the Quebec federation of CEGEPs, also welcomes the order dropping the university requirement, citing a labour shortage and a seven per cent drop in registrations for nursing programs in 2023.

Tremblay says attracting young people to the profession is a challenge. He says he wants Quebec's Health Ministry Ministry of Health to better promote CEGEP level nursing diplomas so the province's next generation of nurses can apply in "full confidence" that they will be able to practise.

Quebec currently has about 81,000 nurses, 53 per cent of whom have a bachelor's degree.

The OIIQ has also suspended its plan to use the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) exam, which is used in the United States and Canada's other provinces to obtain a licence to practise.

"It's recommended that nursing candidates not wait for the NCLEX-RN to register for the professional exam," said Alexandre Banville, head of the president's office at the order.

The next exam is scheduled for March 26 and will be open to all candidates, regardless of how many times they have failed it.

In November, Quebec's office of professions announced it wanted to force the OIIQ to review the admissions exam.

In January, the OIIQ's annual report showed that it has been issuing fewer permits in 2022-2023 than in the last decade.

Protesters in Montreal's South Shore march against Northvolt battery plant project


CBC
Sun, February 4, 2024 

Demonstrators in McMasterville, Que., told CBC on Sunday that the provincial government needs to be fully transparent with Quebecers over the Northvolt EV battery plant project. (Chloë Ranaldi/CBC - image credit)

On Sunday, protesters marched through the streets of McMasterville, Que., on Montreal's South Shore, carrying banners and rattling noisemakers.

They showed up to oppose Quebec's plan to go through with the Northvolt EV battery plant without an independent environmental study.

Patrick Bonin, climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace Canada, said the government is setting a bad precedent by ignoring calls for an independent environmental assessment and fast-tracking the project.

The government's recent raising of the Bureau d'audiences publique sur l'environnement (BAPE) evaluation threshold is "unacceptable," Bonin said, and a sign that Quebec is willing to bypass independent environmental studies, even amid a climate crisis.

In September, Premier François Legault said the project would not be subject to an evaluation by the BAPE as it didn't meet the threshold. However, that threshold changed only one year ago.

In February 2023, the threshold to trigger a review for cathode manufacturing increased from 50,000 to 60,000 tonnes. The Northvolt plant's production capacity would be 56,000 tonnes.

The process, Bonin said, lacks transparency and also threatens to destroy thousands of trees and vast stretches of wetland, putting endangered species in the region at risk.

He also cited other concerns such as the amount of river water that would be used, the quantity of electricity that would be needed, and the impact on traffic the new plant would create.

"We need to make sure that if they go forward with this project that we avoid all the impact," Bonin said. "And at the moment we don't have this information. They are bulldozing the site without providing the proper expertise and proper information for people."

Protesters voiced concern about the impact the plant might have on the region's wetlands. (Chloë Ranaldi/CBC)

'How can we be confident?'

Sylvie Cantin, was also among the protesters. As a member of Mères au front Rive-Sud, a group that brings together mothers and grandmothers to protect the environment on behalf of their children, she also wants answers.

"Right now the government is not responding to any of our questions," said Cantin. "So how can we be confident that this is good?

McMasterville resident Lucie Lamontange said that rules have been "pushed aside." She said she will continue to oppose the project until Quebec reverses course and conducts the BAPE study.

"They shouldn't have anything to hide from us if they're that green," she said. "All the wetlands around here are at stake."

The Conseil central de la Montérégie (CSN) union, which helped organize the demonstration, echoed a similar message.

"The land granted to Northvolt in Montérégie is one of the last wetlands in the region and an important refuge for heavily threatened biodiversity," the CSN said in a press release. "The rush to issue both national and local permits for the felling of 8,000 trees has done irreparable damage to the site and demonstrates political incoherence."

Public info sessions to come

Several weeks ago, lawyers with the environment group Centre québécois du droit de l'environnement (CQDE) urged a Quebec Superior Court judge to suspend construction, saying the city of Saint-Basile-le-Grand, Que., lacked the authority to greenlight the cutting of wetland trees to make way for the Northvolt plant.

In January, a Quebec Superior Court judge rejected CQDE's request for an injunction to stop work at the site.

The judge acknowledged the destructive nature of the plant's construction on wetlands but said the company had taken steps to make up for it, like investing $4.7-million to restore other wetlands and pledging to plant 24,000 new trees for the 8,730 living trees it would cut down and the 5,365 dead ones that would be removed.

Earlier in January, Northvolt said the plant site was sabotaged by an anonymous group after nails were driven into trees set to be cut down.

Quebec's Environment Ministry told CBC that the Northvolt plant is part of a shift to a greener approach in the province.

"What we're creating in Quebec with the battery industry is promising for our energy transition, for the economy and for our decarbonization objectives," a spokesperson for the ministry said in a statement.

Public consultations were held last fall, the ministry said, and public information sessions will be announced in the coming days.

Strike averted: Transit union, city of Windsor reach tentative deal

CBC
Sun, February 4, 2024 

Riders of Transit Windsor's Dominion bus line up at the downtown Windsor terminal in a January 2024 file photo. (Chris Ensing/CBC - image credit)

A tentative deal has been reached between the union representing Transit Windsor workers and the city, averting a strike just hours ahead of a 12:01 a.m. deadline.

The city of Windsor says buses will be running on their usual schedule Monday morning.

"We're absolutely thrilled to have this deal done ahead of any disruption to service for our community," Mark Winterton, Windsor's acting commissioner of infrastructure services said in a media release just after 9 p.m. on Sunday.

"It's been a marathon of negotiating to get here but we have a tentative agreement that we can present to city council and that Local 616 can take to their members."

Amalgamated Transit Union international vice-president Manny Sforza said in a media release that "both sides worked hard to come to an agreement." He called it a "fair and reasonable deal for our members."

The city says no details of the deal will be made public before it can be seen by city council and the union's membership.

The union says transit workers will see the contract in the coming days.

The ATU had previously issued a 72-hour strike notice on Jan. 11, 39 days after the union said it had entered into a legal strike position.

Last week, the union said transit workers would be on strike as of 12:01 a.m. on Feb. 5 if a deal couldn't be reached.

The union has said giving workers 10 federally mandated paid sick days was a key sticking point in the negotiations.

ATU Local 616 president Dragan Markovic said Sunday that "members now have a pathway to the middle class and the federally mandated sick days they deserve for the essential public service they provide."

Carney raises $10bn to back net zero projects

Tim Wallace
Mon, 5 February 2024 

Mr Carney said the successful fund raising proves there is money to be made in the shift to net zero - Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg

Mark Carney has raised $10bn (£8bn) for an eco-friendly investment fund, as the former Bank of England governor seeks to boost funding for net zero projects.

Mr Carney has criticised Rishi Sunak’s environmental policies and thrown his support behind the Labour Party in recent months, as he ramps up his campaign to bring more money into green investments.

His new fund has already bought a renewable energy company which runs on-shore wind farms in Scotland and the north of England, and is building solar projects across the country.

The new fund has raised $10bn so far, and follows a previous vehicle which raised $15bn from investors.

Mr Carney, now chairman of Brookfield Asset Management, is understood to have helped bring in international backers including pension funds, insurers and high-net-worth families.

Brookfield said the new fund will invest in renewable energy, nuclear power, carbon capture and storage, and renewable natural gas, which can be made by processing manure through an anaerobic digester and harvesting the resultant methane.

Mr Carney, who served at the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020, said the fund proves there is money to be made in the shift to net zero.

“We have demonstrated beyond doubt the breadth and scale of attractive investment opportunities in the transition to a net zero economy,” said Mr Carney.

“By going where the emissions are, the Brookfield Global Transition Fund strategy is aiming to deliver strong risk-adjusted financial returns for investors and make meaningful environmental impacts for people and the planet.”

The former governor, who gave speeches on greening the financial system while at the Bank of England, has mounted a series of projects promoting net zero investments.

He helped launch the Net-Zero Insurance Alliance (NZIA) in his capacity as a UN climate envoy. The initiative aimed to encourage the insurance industry to assess, and then reduce, its impact on the environment.

But the NZIA suffered a series of blows last year as criticism from US politicians and anti-ESG (environmental, social and governance) campaigners led some, largely American, companies to quit the group.

In Davos last month, Mr Carney criticised Mr Sunak’s decisions to water down some of the British Government’s net zero plans.

“What I didn’t like, at least what it looked like to me, is that policies were being taken off the table certainly without replacements being put in and they were being done for purely political signalling purposes,” he said.

Some environmental restrictions, including the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, have been pushed back by several years by the Prime Minister.

Last year Mr Carney endorsed the Labour Party ahead of the general election. At Labour’s party conference in October he appeared in a video message in which he praised Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, as “a serious economist”.

“She understands the economics of work, of place and family,” he said. “It is beyond time we put her energy and ideas into action.”

Ex-central banker Carney backs Trudeau to lead Liberals in Canada's next election

https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2024/01/ex-central-banker-carney-backs-trudeau.html

Growing number of Conservative voters think Canada gives 'too much support' to Ukraine, poll suggests


CBC
Tue, February 6, 2024 

This photograph, shared by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the social media platform X on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, shows Ukrainian prisoners of war reacting after a prisoner exchange at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. 

As the grim two-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine approaches, a new poll suggests Canadians' engagement with the conflict is waning and support for Ukraine is weakening — especially among Conservatives.

A survey released Tuesday morning by the Angus Reid Institute says a quarter of Canadians believe Canada is offering "too much support" to Ukraine in its fight, up from 13 per cent who said the same thing in May 2022.

Conservative supporters are a driving force behind that result, according to the poll.

The percentage of Canadians who voted for the Conservative Party in the last election, and who now say Canada is doing too much to assist Ukraine, has more than doubled — from 19 per cent in May 2022 to 43 per cent now — according to the public opinion research group's findings.

"It's ... a massive jump," said Shachi Kurl, president of Angus Reid Institute. "This has the potential to be something of a political Gordian knot for Pierre Poilievre."

Sorting out the reasons behind the shift is largely an exercise in speculation at this point, said Kurl.

On the one hand, she said, there's a longstanding tradition of support for the military among Conservative voters. That position may be in tension with Conservative support for small governments and lower taxes, she added.

"I don't want to overemphasize it … but what is burgeoning, what is starting to sort of grow from out of the weeds into a fairly healthy seedling here, is this almost the Trump-esque, 'Canada First' mentality," she said.

"That mindset of conservative is not representative of the majority of the Conservative Party base in the country, or the entirety of the base. It is a minority, but it is a passionate, vocal and growing minority."

The poll suggests the belief that Canada is giving Ukraine too much is also growing among NDP and Liberal voters. The percentage of voters who think Canada is doing too much for Ukraine jumped from 5 to 10 per cent among 2021 Liberal supporters, and from 5 to 12 per cent among 2021 NDP supporters.

Since early 2022, the federal government has committed more than $2.4 billion in military assistance and more than $352 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

An emotional debate about trade with Ukraine

The poll landed a day after another emotional debate in the House of Commons over a bill to implement an update to the Canada-Ukraine free trade deal.

The Liberals accused Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party of abandoning Ukraine when Conservative MPs voted against the bill in November. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has attributed the opposition to "American MAGA-influenced thinking."

Poilievre, whose party has maintained a large polling lead over Trudeau's Liberals for months, has said his party still supports Ukraine and its objection is to the mention of "carbon pricing" in the legislation.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre address the national Conservative caucus on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre addresses the national Conservative caucus on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

"I really think it speaks to how pathologically obsessed Trudeau is with the carbon tax that, while the knife is at the throat of Ukrainians, he would use that to impose his carbon tax ideology on those poor people," Poilievre said in November.

The trade agreement imposes no obligation on the Ukrainian government to introduce a carbon tax.

Last week, Poilievre called on the Liberal government to donate to Ukraine tens of thousands of surplus air-to-ground rockets that are slated for disposal.

The Angus Reid poll suggests Canadians, by a three-to-one ratio, believe the Conservatives' vote against the Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement will undermine Canada's reputation on the world stage. Half of likely Conservative voters believe there will be no effect at all, the poll says.

Kurl said elections based on foreign policy issues are rare in Canada, but for the first time in months Poilievre's opponents have something to talk about.

"He's spent little to no time on the defence and it has enabled him to stay very disciplined in terms of message and stay very focused in terms of a relentless attack on the government. And I'm not saying that those attacks in some cases haven't been cogent, or that they haven't been the result of really a litany ... of own-goals on the part of this government," said Kurl.

"But, you know, for the first time we we may be seeing something that puts Poilievre on the defence ..."

Canadians' interest dwindling

The Angus Reid Institute's survey suggests the number of Canadians closely following news of the conflict has dropped from 66 per cent in May 2022 to 45 per cent now.

"Overall, Canadians are checking out of this conflict," said Kurl.

"And you can see that those who are less engaged are much more likely to also say, you know, we're helping too much, we've fulfilled our commitments."

The poll suggests Canadians remain divided on the role Canada should play in the war going forward.

One third of respondents agreed Canada should support Ukraine "as long as it takes," while one-in-ten believe that support should continue for only another year.

Foreign Minister Melanie Joly speaks to the media during a press conference with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Kyiv, Ukraine on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. 

(AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletk)

Another 30 per cent are uncertain, while 20 per cent say they believe the war should end now with negotiations for peace initiated by Ukraine.

Just five per cent of respondents want Canada to end its support entirely.

The Angus Reid Institute conducted the online survey from Jan. 29 to Jan. 31, 2024 using a randomized sample of 1,617 Canadian adults who are members of Angus Reid Forum.

For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Ukraine is so desperate for arms, it's itching to get its hands on Canada's 83,000 decommissioned rockets

Kwan Wei Kevin Tan
Mon, February 5, 2024 

A Ukrainian general is asking Canada for its decommissioned CRV7 ground attack rockets. A spokesperson for the Canadian military told Global News that the 83,303 rockets were pending disposal.

Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images

One man's trash is another man's treasure.


Canada has decommissioned over 83,000 CRV7 ground attack rockets.


Ukraine now hopes Canada will give them the decades-old rockets instead of disposing of them.

Ukraine's military spy chief is asking Canada for its decommissioned rockets to replenish its dwindling supply of arms.

"We need a lot of equipment, both ammunition, munitions in general, artillery munitions — lots of types of equipment," Kyrylo Budanov told Canadian media outlet Global News in a report published on Monday.

Budanov, who heads Ukraine's military intelligence, has his sights set on Canada's decommissioned CRV7 ground attack rockets.

A spokesperson for the Canadian military confirmed with Global News that they have 83,303 CRV7 rockets that are pending disposal.

But the Canadians have yet to hand over the rockets, as they had concerns over the safety and stability of the decades-old CRV7s.

A representative for Canada's defense minister, Bill Blair, told Global News they needed to ensure that the CRV7s were "operationally effective and safe to transport to Ukraine before any potential donation."

"We have no concerns," Budanov said in response to the Canadian's apprehensions.

The Ukrainians aren't the only ones grappling with arms shortages. Their foes, the Russians, had to turn to the North Koreans for missile launchers and ballistic missiles.

Ukraine has been heavily reliant on Western support for its war efforts. The US has provided over $43 billion in security aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded them in February 2022.

Representatives for Canada's Department of National Defence did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.

Budanov asks Canada to hand over 83,000 decommissioned rockets

Olena Goncharova
Mon, February 5, 2024 


Kyrylo Budanov, the chief of Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR), hopes that Canada could hand over to Ukraine tens of thousands of rockets that are awaiting demolition at one of the country's military bases.

More than 83,000 CRV7 ground attack rockets are warehoused at Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot Dundurn, south of Saskatoon. Canada no longer has any use for them, and has selected a private contractor to demolish the rockets.

Speaking with the Global News outlet, Budanov said donating the rockets will help Ukraine fend off Russian forces and save Canadian taxpayers the cost of destroying them.

The CRV7s would be deployed in Ukrainian attack helicopters and ground launchers to target Russian tanks and artillery, according to the intelligence chief. Ukraine has engaged in discussions with Canada on this matter but is still awaiting a decision.

Canada's opposition Conservative Party has asked the government to send decommissioned rockets to Ukraine instead of destroying them, according to the CBC report on Feb. 2. Canada's Department of National Defense has confirmed that the donation is under consideration.

Canadian officials mentioned they were examining the request but raised concerns about the age of the CRV7s, suggesting they could have become unstable over the decades, posing risks during handling and transportation.

Experts who talked to the Global News pointed out that rocket propellant has a finite lifespan and may become unstable after many years. However, given that CRV7s use solid fuel, they might still be considered safe if stored correctly and not exposed to moisture or contamination.

The Canadian government has committed more than $1.7 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion on Feb. 24 2022, which includes missiles as well as ammunition for small arms, artillery and battle tanks.

Read also: Canada-Ukraine security agreement could be finalized in weeks, Canadian FM says

Ukraine seeks Canadian aid with decommissioned CRV7 missiles

The New Voice of Ukraine
Tue, February 6, 2024 

CRV7 is a Canadian unguided aerial missile

Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian Military Intelligence (HUR), urged Canada to provide decommissioned CRV7 missiles to counter Russian threats, as reported by Global News on Feb. 5. These missiles are vital for Ukrainian attack helicopters and ground launchers to deter Russian tanks and artillery.

While discussions between Ukraine and Canada continue, Canadian officials express concerns over the outdated nature of CRV7s and potential safety risks during use and transport. However, experts suggest that proper storage can mitigate these risks.

Read also: Poland gears up for further military aid to Ukraine

As tensions escalate along the eastern border, Canada’s Department of National Defense considers including CRV7 missiles in a future military aid package to Ukraine.

This potential aid reflects Ukraine’s determination to defend its sovereignty against Russian aggression, pending diplomatic negotiations.

South Korea donates 10 demining machines to Ukraine in humanitarian gesture

Germany unveils new military aid package for Ukraine, including tanks, drones, and communication terminals

Canadian business considers investment opportunities in Ukraine's transport sector

Ukrainska Pravda
Tue, February 6, 2024 

Photo: Ministry of Infrastructure

Canadian businesses are considering launching investment projects to develop Ukraine's transport sector.

Source: Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development following a meeting between Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov and Canada’s Ambassador to Ukraine Natalie Tsmoc

Details: The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the main priorities for the recovery and development of Ukraine's transport sector and to attract private capital.

"We already have a solid track record of cooperation, in particular within the framework of the Support to Ukraine's Reforms for Governance (SURGe) project funded by the Government of Canada. Together with experts, we formulate and implement state policy on recovery, regional development and decentralisation.

At the same time, the transport sector remains one of the most attractive sectors for investment despite the war – we are focusing our attention on increasing the export capacity of land transport and waterways, both in the long and short term," Kubrakov said.

According to the ministry, Canada is currently considering investing into the following parts of the transport sector:

• Rail transport, including multimodal transport;

• The modernisation of Ukrainian Black Sea ports;

• Development of land border crossings;

• Assistance in the rapid resumption of civil aviation;

• Shipbuilding

P.E.I. growing potato partnership with Ukraine

CBC
Sun, February 4, 2024 

(Submitted by Wayne Easter - image credit)

P.E.I. is helping Ukraine rebuild its economy by sharing its expertise in a field it is known for around the world — growing potatoes.

Razom Invest Canada, a P.E.I.-based company headed by former Malpeque MP Wayne Easter, began teaching Ukrainians how to plant and harvest potatoes on a large scale last year.

Easter said the idea came about in 2022 at a Rebuild Ukraine conference in Toronto.

"The prime minister of Ukraine spoke there and he said this: He said the economic front is as important as the military front in terms of Ukraine's future, and businesses and Canadian investors need to be in Ukraine now."

An early crop of potatoes from a field in Luhyny, Ukraine.

An early crop of potatoes from a field in Luhyny, Ukraine. (Submitted by Wayne Easter)

Potatoes are a food staple in Ukraine, but there is currently a shortage there because of the war with Russia.

"They imported something like 40 per cent of their potatoes from Belarus, and they're not on good terms [with] Belarus at the moment, so that's opened up some opportunity," Easter said in an interview with Island Morning host Mitch Cormier.

The first crop was grown and harvested in the town of Luhyny, in western Ukraine, with the help of equipment brought in from the Netherlands.

But there was a glitch. Easter said they couldn't use P.E.I. seeds because of the ongoing export restrictions imposed by the Canadian Food and Inspection Agency.

So they were forced to buy their seed from Scotland. It yielded a crop "equivalent to one of the better crops on Prince Edward Island" that is in storage and being sold into the local food chain, he said.

Razom is now hoping to expand to other farming industries in Ukraine in hopes of developing further trade relations.

"Prince Edward Island has a lot of expertise in the agriculture area," Easter said.

Easter spent about 40 days in Ukraine, and his partner about 100. He said the Ukrainian farmers are eager to continue the project.

He plans to go back to the country in March to help plan for the upcoming planting season.

"It was a real joy to work with the Ukrainian people and to work with the people on the farm.... There's an agrologist on this farm we're working, and to see his smile and be so proud of this crop…."

The war with Russia is mainly in the eastern part of Ukraine, but it limits what can be done with their cash crops along the Black Sea. But Easter said many grocery stores are stocked similar to how they are in Canada.

"Ukrainians are getting on with their lives, and, yes, there are air raid sirens, and, yes, there's missiles coming into the west, and it is a country at war. But they're getting on with their lives and the West has to be there in every way they can be to help the Ukrainians out."

Budanov: Enigmatic Ukraine spy chief behind attacks inside Russia

AFP
Mon, February 5, 2024 

Months before Russia's invasion Kyrylo Budanov predicted a large-scale attack when the rest of the world was in denial about Moscow's intentions (Handout)

Enigmatic and unflappable, spy chief Kyrylo Budanov has built up a legendary reputation in Ukraine with a series of daring operations against Russia.

Referred to as the man "without a smile" by Ukrainian news outlet NV, the 38-year-old is credited with attacks in occupied areas and deep inside Russia.

He is now among the rumoured contenders to replace popular military commander in chief Valery Zaluzhny if President Volodymyr Zelensky dismisses him.

Budanov was unknown to the public when he was appointed to head of the GUR military intelligence service in August 2020.

The war has changed all that.

At an international conference in Kyiv in September 2023, he received a standing ovation even before his speech and officials crowded to take his photo.

- Injured three times -

Originally from Kyiv, he did his initial studies at the faculty of airborne troops in Odesa.

When Russia stoked a separatist conflict in the east of the country in 2014, he was deployed there.

The only scrap of information about his activities there that has been made public is that he took part in a commando raid in Moscow-annexed Crimea in 2016 in which some Russian agents were killed.

Budanov himself does not say much about his service except for revealing that he was injured three times -- including once with shrapnel close to his heart.

A gunshot wound to the elbow has left him with a visible stiffness in his right arm.

According to a GUR spokesman, he has been the target of "more than 10" attacks.

In 2019, his car exploded in Kyiv -- an attack attributed at the time to Russian security services.

He became one of Ukraine's youngest generals aged 35.

Months before Russia's invasion in February 2022, he predicted a large-scale attack when the rest of the world was in denial about Moscow's intentions.

Since the war began, he has given interviews from a spartan office -- sometimes with a map of a fragmented Russia visible behind him.

"We are going to win against the 'great and invincible' Russian army like David won against Goliath," Budanov has said.

He is described by supporters as a master of asymmetrical warfare.

But his prediction that Ukrainian troops would enter Crimea in 2023 failed to materialise and the front line has remained largely static since the end of 2022.

- Attacks on Russia -

Budanov, dubbed "Buddhanov" by Ukrainian media for his calm demeanour, has claimed several operations inside Russia, including a drone strike in January on an oil refinery in St Petersburg -- far from the front line.

Moscow also accuses the GUR of orchestrating an explosion in October 2022 that partially destroyed the bridge linking the occupied Crimean peninsula to Russia.

Budanov and his men are favourite targets for the Kremlin.

Since the start of the invasion, Russia has at least twice targeted the military intelligence headquarters in Kyiv, claiming in May 2023 to have killed Budanov.

According to the GUR, his wife Marianna was poisoned last November but survived.

That has failed to stop Budanov.

"The number of attacks against Russian infrastructure will probably multiply," he said on February 1.

A few hours later, his agency claimed to have sunk a Russian warship in Crimea.

Budanov: Ukraine sunk Russian missile corvette on Feb. 1 with 6 naval drones

Alexander Khrebet
Sun, February 4, 2024 


The Russian missile corvette Ukraine reported to have sunk off the coast of occupied Crimea on Feb. 1 was destroyed using six naval drones, Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) chief Kyrylo Budanov said on Feb. 4.

Ukraine's military intelligence reported on Feb. 1 that it had sunk the Ivanovets, a Tarantul-class Russian corvette that formed part of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, after it sustained "direct hits to its hull" and was irreparably damaged.

According to Budanov, the mission was undertaken by one of HUR's special units, Group 13, using Maritime Autonomous Guard Unmanned Robotic Apparatuses (MAGURA) V5 – multi-purpose naval drones that can be used for surveillance, reconnaissance, detecting and eliminating mines, search and rescue missions, and combat.

"As a result of the damage, the ship (to the Ivanovets) rolled astern and sank. According to preliminary data, the search and rescue operation conducted by the enemy was not successful," Budanov told the War Zone media outlet on Feb. 4.

Read also: These are the most important Russian ships destroyed by Ukraine

ONTARIO

Essex Community Living support staff want an end to long overtime hours

"We're working 50, 60, 70 hours a week just to earn a livable wage."


CBC
Tue, February 6, 2024

Community Living Essex supports about 700 people across the county and has around 640 direct support workers. (Google Maps - image credit)

Disability support worker Amanda Hodgkins says a "staffing crisis" at Community Living Essex County has her "pretty close" to her breaking point.

In June 2022, Hodgkins says she worked 35 hours straight at her designated group home as there were no other staff members who could relieve her. She says she was given no notice that she'd be required to work multiple consecutive shifts and that she missed out on her kids' end-of-year soccer tournament.

"We have a passion to create change in the lives of people we support, but we are not being acknowledged or appreciated and we don't have that work-life balance," she said.

"We're working 50, 60, 70 hours a week just to earn a livable wage."

Throughout her work day, Hodgkins helps people with mental, developmental or learning disabilities manage their medications, develop relationships and take part in community activities.

Amanda Hodgkins is a direct support worker at Community Living Essex County. She says that in June 2022 she worked 35 hours due to poor staffing.

Amanda Hodgkins is a direct support worker at Community Living Essex County. She says that in June 2022 she worked 35 hours due to poor staffing. (Submitted by Amanda Hodgkins)

Hodgkins says it's not uncommon for her and her colleagues to work multiple shifts in a row, as there might not be any staff to fill in for ones who call in sick. When no additional staff are available, she says their workload also significantly increases.

The union that represents workers like Hodgkins, CUPE local 3137, is currently in bargaining with Community Living Essex County to secure a contract. The local president Paul Brennan told CBC News that the issue of staff working long hours is a "persistent" one that they are looking to address.

"You might not have brought any toiletries and found out you're stuck for the night, you might be working at a location that is a little further out and you don't have enough meals to carry you to the next, so yeah [working long hours] is very disruptive in our members' lives," said Brennan.

Community Living Essex County's executive director, Karen Bolger, told CBC News that Hodgkins working 35 hours is "totally against what we do."

"We don't want that to happen, we feel horrible that it did happen to that employee. We don't find it's safe or it's good for anybody," said Bolger.

She added that at the time this took place several of their homes had been in COVID-19 outbreaks, which might be why some staff were unable to come in to work.

Bolger says they have on-call employees who can fill in, but she added that the organization is looking to "beef up" that list.

Recruitment challenges

During the pandemic, Bolger says quite a few staff members left the organization. Since then, she says its been difficult to hire new people.

"Recruitment is a significant issue for developmental service organizations across the province and our organization we have dedicated substantial human and financial resources to recruiting new employees," she said.

She says Community Living Essex County has about 640 unionized direct support workers who help care for about 700 people with developmental disabilities across the county.

Karen Bolger is the executive director at Community Living Essex County. 

(Jennifer La Grassa/CBC)

Bolger says that the organization is mostly funded through the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. The ministry provided them with $38.7 million for their 2023/2024 budget, says Bolger.

She says that there hasn't been a base funding increase since 2008, and that her and other organizations under Community Living Ontario are calling for a five per cent base budget increase to help with inflating operational costs.

Getting this additional funding, says Bolger, would then allow the organization to allocate more money to wages.

In an email to CBC News Monday, the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services said that it recognizes "the concerns of the sector and the impact on workers, and we acknowledge that these challenges can impact the support provided to those who depend on our services."

For 2023/2024, the government said it is investing $3.4 billion in developmental services, which is an increase of $841 million over 2018/2019.

It said it's also working on helping the sector with recruitment and retention strategies.

Workers have been without contract for nearly 1 year

Workers with the organization have also been without a contract since March 2023.

Bolger says that the earliest the union could meet was five months after the contract had expired in August. She didn't want to get into the specifics of the contract, but says bargaining is going well and she'll be meeting with the union again later this month.

CUPE local 3137 told CBC News that higher wages and getting stuck at work are two main issues the union is discussing.

According to Brennan, the collective agreement doesn't allow workers to collect overtime unless they've been working more than 14 consecutive hours.

He says he hopes to have a contract by the end of the month.