Blockchain could boost economic growth in Canada — but is Canada ready?

Story by Richard Raycraft • CBC - Jul 18,2023



A House of Commons committee says blockchain could create "significant long-term economic and job creation opportunities in Canada" — but experts say Ottawa has a lot of work to do if it wants to seize the technology's potential and avoid possible drawbacks.

In a report last month, the House of Commons standing committee on industry and technology put forward 16 recommendations for the federal government on blockchain. The committee began hearings after it passed a motion last year saying blockchain has "vast potential to bring about innovation and efficiency gains in different industries such as financial services, health care, travel, entertainment, agriculture and many more sectors of our economy."

The committee recommends, among other things, that the government recognize blockchain as an emerging technology, establish a national blockchain strategy, "create a sandbox where entrepreneurs can test technologies unhindered by as yet unadopted regulations" and look into using blockchain in voting and supply chains.

The committee also recommended the government ensure that Canadians' rights are protected as the use of blockchain spreads.

"Witnesses told the Committee about the ways that blockchain technology is already changing the digital landscape and providing significant economic benefits, while also expressing optimism that greater opportunities using the technology lie ahead," the report said.

"Despite this promise, the blockchain industry is also facing many challenges."

What is blockchain?

A blockchain is a digital database or ledger that permits information to be shared securely. It's a network that permits every member, or node, to participate in maintaining and verifying the network.

This is done through cryptography and a verification system known as a consensus mechanism. The nature of blockchain means it can self-validate and secure itself from tampering without the need of an external authority or monitor.

"Nodes in a blockchain network are collectively responsible for maintaining the integrity of the information, creating a decentralized authority that promotes the secure recording and storage of information," the committee report said.

Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin rely on blockchain to authenticate transactions and value. Most blockchain networks — such as the bitcoin ledger — are public and open, meaning anyone can join as a node and participate, but other, more exclusive blockchain networks exist.

"If you're looking at it from the cryptocurrency lens, and you're seeing it from bitcoin's perspective, it's just a ledger of send-and-receive codes," said Koleya Karringten, executive director of the Canadian Blockchain Consortium.

"[It's] much like you would have seen balancing a chequebook back in the day, but a digital form of that. So it's an open, transparent database of records."

Non-fungible tokens (NFT) — digital artifacts such as images whose ownership can't be disputed or forged — also rely on blockchain.

While the most common use of blockchain right now is as a ledger for cryptocurrencies, the committee report said it could eventually see much wider use.

While committee witnesses said they couldn't give an estimate of the blockchain industry's value in Canada, Namir Anani, CEO of the Information and Communications Technology Council, told the committee the global value could be around $1.59 trillion by 2030.

Statistics Canada reports that just 0.3 per cent of Canadian business used blockchain in 2021, though its use increased substantially among medium-sized and large enterprises between 2019 and 2021

Karringten, who testified at the committee hearings, told committee members blockchain could be used to crack down on fraud in the pharmaceutical industry and build resiliency and transparency in Canada's food supply chains — which could, in turn, solve or prevent some international trade disputes.

'Enormous potential'

Victoria Lemieux, a professor of archival science at the University of British Columbia and co-lead of Blockchain@UBC, said blockchain would be a boon for Canada's international trade.

"I've seen that some of our major trading partners are investing and building infrastructure that leverages this technology," she said in an email.

"Support for investments in blockchain technology would have enormous potential for interoperability with these partners."

But while Lemieux said she supports many of the committee's recommendations, she fears Canada is lagging behind some of those partners on government blockchain policy.

"I see Canada as rapidly falling behind. We lack direction and clarity, as the report observes, and this is starting to be a hindrance to our progress, especially compared with many other nations that have blockchain strategies," she said,

"I've spent the past year on sabbatical based in Europe and have seen how the EU, Switzerland, and U.K. are all demonstrating much more commitment and support for this technology."



University British Columbia archival science professor Victoria Lemieux at her lab in April 2022. Lemieux said the EU, Switzerland and the U.K. are ahead of Canada on blockchain. 

(Gian-Paolo Mendoza/CBC)

Karringten agrees that Canada is behind the U.K. on blockchain but added it's far ahead of its largest and most important training partner, the United States. Ethereum, the second most commonly traded cryptocurrency after bitcoin, was developed and created in Canada.

"Canada has come up with some of the best talent blockchain's seen globally," Karringten said.

"We're seeing U.K., EU, American companies starting to open up branches in Canada, so they're now seeing Canada as a market, but we need to do a much better job of getting our story out there."

Cryptocurrency mining has raised concerns about its energy use and possible contribution to climate change. B.C., Manitoba and Quebec have stopped granting new licences to crypto mining operations.

But Karringten said crypto mining could bring environmental benefits.

"The mining industry, if it came into Canada, could actually support building out the infrastructure and being early stage buyers of renewable energy, allowing the government to not have to put in the same level of subsidies needed to get these solar and wind farms off the ground," she said.

Blockchain roadblocks

But some concerns about the technology could hinder development of the blockchain industry in Canada. The committee noted in the report that the cryptocurrency exchange FTX collapsed during the hearings.

According to the RCMP, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre has received reports of cryptocurrency fraud losses totalling $75 million.

Karringten said education needs to be a focus going forward to prevent scams and poor decisions involving blockchain.

"Consumers need to make sure that they're doing their due diligence and their research if they're looking at this industry like an investment opportunity," she said.

One of the report's recommendations is to "establish a public awareness campaign, in consultation with the provinces and the industry, to educate the public about risks related to cryptocurrencies and the benefits of accessing cryptocurrency markets through regulated Canadian entities."

Lemeiux said governments will have to develop an approach that ensures emerging tech like blockchain respects people's rights, such as privacy rights, while avoiding overregulation.

"The concerns that keep me up at night are ensuring that the development of this technology progresses in a manner that supports human rights and democratic institutions," she said.

IVF success may depend on what season eggs are collected, study finds

Story by Katie Dangerfield • GLOBAL NEWS - July 15,2023

In vitro fertilization process close up. Equipment on laboratory of Fertilization, IVF. Embryo biotechnology fertility treatment. Selective focus© Getty Images

Collecting human eggs for fertility treatment may create more favourable results when performed during the sunny summer season compared to a cloudy fall day, according to new research.

The Australian study, published Wednesday in Human Reproduction, looked at outcomes from frozen embryo transfers over an eight-year period and discovered that the time of year when eggs are collected from a person's ovaries during fertility treatment may be impacted by the season and duration of sunshine.

"What we found is that the time (of the year) you put the embryo back didn't actually seem to have any impact on the live birth rate," Dr. Sebastian Leathersich, an obstetrician and gynecologist based in Perth, Australia, and lead author of the study told Global News.

Instead, the researchers found that if the egg had been collected in summer as opposed to the fall, the odds of having a successful embryo transfer and live birth were 30 per cent higher regardless of when the embryo was implanted in the womb.

Video: From test-tube to AI: How Canadian science could revolutionize fertility services

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is one of the most expensive fertility treatments but the most successful, according to IVF Canada. The process involves removing eggs from ovaries and fertilizing them with sperm in a laboratory before being implanted in the womb.

According to Dr. Evan Taerk, a specialist in reproductive endocrinology and infertility based in Toronto, the methods of performing IVF in Australia are largely comparable to those in Canada.

"Although it's not a complete uniformity, there are a lot of similarities between a cycle (done) in Australia and when you would do, let's say in Montreal or Toronto or Winnipeg," he explained.

During IVF, Leathersich said most clinics will flash freeze the embryo (a fertilized egg) in order to preserve it, meaning a lot of embryos are placed back in the womb having been frozen for months or even years.

Live birth rates are a measure of a fertility treatment's (like IVF) effectiveness in achieving a live-born baby.

In order to see if environmental factors contribute to live birth rates, the researchers looked at outcomes from all frozen embryo transfers carried out at a single clinic in Perth from January 2013 to December 2021. During this time, there were more than 3,600 frozen embryo transfers with embryos generated from 2,155 IVF cycles in 1,835 patients.

They also examined birth outcomes according to season, temperatures and the actual number of hours of bright sunshine.

The overall live birth rate following frozen embryo transfer was 28 births per 100 people. If eggs were collected in autumn, it was 26 births per 100 people, but if they were collected in summer there were 31 births per 100 people.

Video: Can you afford a baby? Fertility advocates call on workplaces to update benefit plans

The researchers also found a 28 per cent increase in the chances of a live birth among women who had eggs collected during days that had the most sunshine compared to days with the least sunshine.

The temperature on the day of egg collection did not affect the chances of successful fertility treatment, the study found. However, the chances of live birth rate decreased by 18 per cent when the embryos were transferred on the hottest days (average temperature of 14.5-27.8 C) compared to the coolest days (0.1-9.8 C).

This is not the only study to find these results.

A 2021 study out of Boston, Mass., yielded similar findings. The researchers found that eggs collected during summer had a higher live birth rate compared to eggs collected in other seasons.

But unlike the study out of Perth, the researchers found that winter had the lowest success rates instead of the fall.

Although the Perth study found that summer may make a difference when eggs are retrieved from an ovary, the reason why is still not known, Leathersich said.

But there are theories, and one of them includes melatonin -- the sleep hormone that helps with circadian rhythm and also has antioxidant qualities.

"What we know is that the levels of melatonin are much higher during winter," he said. "And we also know that egg development takes at least three months, but probably somewhere closer to nine months before that egg is actually released."

It's possible that melatonin exposure in the three to nine months before removal (which land in the winter or early spring), may actually impact the development competence of the egg, he explained.

"And of course, this does require a lot more research and it would be really good to see these sorts of studies replicated in different centers around the world where potentially there's different environmental factors and different patient factors," he added.

Differences in lifestyles between winter and summer months may also play a role, he said.

While recognizing the significance of studies like the one conducted in Perth, Taerk noted it's not without limitations.

"When we say there's an association between summer and an increased rate of live birth rate, is it the sunshine that's doing it? Is it other behavioural factors such as diet, lifestyle, the air quality?" he questioned.

Dr. Taerk also noted the study lacked sperm-related information, which could potentially contribute to the success of IVF treatment.

"Could these same seasonal effects that may be impacting the eggs also be affecting the male factor side?" he asked.

Given the limitations of the study, he said it's important for people considering IVF that delaying the procedure for a different season may come with risks.

"The more time that's delayed the potential impact that can have on the number of eggs retrieved and ultimately IVF outcome," he said. "And I'm not sure we can say at this point that it's going to be beneficial to wait until a specific season to do that."

Video: The highs and lows of IVF

Leathersich and Taerk both agree that more studies need to be conducted in order to further understand and validate the findings.

"I don't think people should be rushing out and canceling winter IVF cycles," Leathersich said. "But really what this does is show the important role that environment plays in egg development and reproductive outcomes.

"And there are many factors that affect activity in the success of fertility treatment, chief among them really being both maternal age and paternal age."

He added that there are several factors within people's control that can positively influence fertility outcomes. These include avoiding smoking, minimizing alcohol consumption, limiting caffeine intake and maintaining a healthy balanced diet.

"We know that IVF treatment is a big burden to patients: a physical burden, a medical burden, psychological burden, and a financial burden," Leathersich said.

"So ongoing research that can reduce the burden of treatment and increase the success of treatment is vital."

Would you eat lab-grown meat? How meat made from cells is picking up steam

Story by Eric Stober • Jun 28, 2023

Pieces of Good Meat's cultivated chicken is shown at the Eat Just office in Alameda, Calif., Wednesday, June 14, 2023. The Agriculture Department issued final approvals Wednesday, June 21 to California firms Upside Foods and Good Meat to sell the products, known as “lab grown” or “cultivated” meat.© AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

Lab-grown meat, also known as "cultivated" meat, may soon be sold to the public in the U.S. after two companies received full approval from the government.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) gave the green light to Upside Foods and Good Meat, allowing the California-based companies to sell their products in restaurants.

It may be a while longer until Canada sees the same style of products, though -- Health Canada told Global News in an email that it has not received any applications for lab-grown meat.

Nevertheless, one cultivated meat company, SCiFi Foods, hopes to be selling in Canada in a year's time, although it has not submitted any applications yet. That's according to co-founder and CEO Joshua March, who spoke about the new style of meat at a panel during Toronto's Collision tech conference.

March said his company's mission is to "electrify the cow," meaning that the huge amount of methane produced from animal farms would be avoided and the main energy drain for cultivating meat would be electricity

Video: How meat grown from animal cells could help tackle climate change

"We are producing essentially real meat," March said Wednesday. "But the prime input becomes electricity."

Those in favour of growing their meat in a lab point to the environmental costs of traditional farm-raised animals and food production, which Our World in Data found in 2019 contributes 31 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions from the food production process.

More broadly, food production is responsible for just over one-quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Marsh explained that cultivated meat is grown from actual animal cells and is done in a bioreactor, which is a big steel tank powered by electricity. He said the end goal is to produce an infinite amount of meat from the cells by feeding them sugar and amino acids.

For the U.S. company Upside, its meat comes in large sheets that are then shaped into more familiar forms, such as chicken cutlets or sausages. Good Meat says it has a "master cell bank" derived from a commercially available chicken cell line that it uses to create meat.

Once cell lines are selected, they're combined with a broth-like mixture that includes amino acids, fatty acids, sugars, salts, vitamins and other substances cells need to grow. Inside the tanks, the cells multiply quickly.

The new technology faces some barriers, though.

March pointed to how expensive it currently is to lab-grow meat, which makes scaling it up to compete with farm-raised meat on a quantity level difficult. But he is hopeful that, like other novel technologies such as solar panels, the cost will eventually go down and it can be done at scale.

Neither Upside nor Good Meat has revealed the price of a single chicken cutlet, but did say it has reduced in price greatly since they started offering demonstrations.

Another barrier is public perception.

While milk alternatives such as oat milk have taken off, meat alternatives still have relatively low adoption among consumers.

March said meat alternatives, such as plant-based meat, have a branding issue that has also been impacted by the "culture wars" happening in North America.

"In America, in the Midwest, they don't want to be told to not eat meat by vegans in California, basically," he said.

Consumers may also be squeamish at the prospect of eating meat that was never technically alive.

An Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research poll found half of U.S. adults said they are unlikely to try meat grown from cells, with most saying it "just sounds weird."

Half said they don't think it'd be safe.

Chris Bryson, the founder and CEO of plant-based meat company New School Foods, said at the panel Wednesday that producers have to "dig deeper" to find why consumers aren't adopting meat alternatives.

"Fundamentally, what we're trying to create is behaviour change," he said. "And that's really hard."

He thinks the key to adoption is to create a product that is better than meat in every way possible, from taste to price to texture and how it cooks.

March still sees cultivated meat as the future, though, especially as the price of meat has gone up and seems like it will continue to do so as there becomes less arable land to host cows due to more extreme weather, pointing to drought conditions in the Midwest for the last five years.

His product, for now, has at least one customer -- he said he eats his company's cultivated meat almost every week and SCiFi has done more than 100 lab tastings.

"It's fun."

-- with files from The Associated Press.

What is NIMBYism and how is it affecting how much housing is getting built?

Story by Vanessa Balintec • CBC - Thursday, July 19,2023

A housing crisis is well underway in Canada, and experts say the problem is only made worse by residents who oppose new housing developments.

While the sentiment, known commonly as Not In My Backyard (NIMBY), existed long before the housing shortage became pronounced, experts say counteracting it is more important now than ever before.
Why does Nimbyism exist?

Residents passionate about their communities want to have a say in what gets built and where, said Geoff Kettel, the president of the Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods, an Ontariowide coalition of resident associations.

Concerns range from a condo development casting shadows on existing properties to whether or not local hospitals, schools and other services can keep up with growth in the local population, he said. But voicing them, often through public consultations, comes with the risk of being labelled a NIMBY, which Kettel called "pejorative."

"We're regular citizens," said Kettel. "Everybody has the right to express themselves and to be part of the community."

Resident associations don't want to stop development altogether, Kettel said, adding many want to help "moderate" growth and encourage new projects to be in line with local neighbourhood character.

NIMBY sentiment is particularly directed toward affordable housing projects proposed in existing neighbourhoods, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

Leslie Evans, executive director of the Federation of Calgary Communities, an umbrella organization of more than 100 community associations, says affordable housing developments often stir fears of increased crime rates and lower property values among locals, which aren't proven to be true.

And while there will always be people who are "stuck" with NIMBY views, they're a minority, she said, adding that most residents often become more open to development after learning how it benefits the community.

"Labelling them NIMBY is a good way to dismiss people that may or may not have legitimate concern," said Evans.

"Lots of that is they don't necessarily understand what it is and how to build great communities. To build great communities, we need diversity of people and housing."

How prevalent is the problem?

Jim Dunn, director of independent academic network the Canadian Housing Evidence Collaborative, says it's hard to quantify the number of potential housing units that could have been built but weren't because of NIMBY sentiment.

But people can look at municipal land use maps for a sense of how neighbourhoods have been allowed to develop over time, Dunn said, pointing to Toronto's "yellowbelt."

Huge swaths of the city's residential areas, shown in yellow, were historically zoned strictly for single-detached or semi-detached homes. That changed this year after city council voted to allow the development of two, three and four-unit multiplexes throughout.

"A huge part of Nimbyism was actually enshrined in zoning legislation," said Dunn, adding that local politicians are put in a "bind" having to choose between supporting outraged constituents and increasing housing supply.



Areas shaded in yellow on the City of Toronto's land use map signify land slated for residential use. These areas were historically designated for single-family, detached home development until recent months when multiplexes became permitted citywide. (City of Toronto Official Plan)© Provided by cbc.ca

Recent data shows people are feeling and seeing the effects of NIMBY legislation and sentiment.

According to a November survey commissioned by non-profit Habitat for Humanity Canada, 54 per cent of Canadians feel that NIMBY sentiment is one of the main barriers to making affordable housing available in neighbourhoods, with almost three in four agreeing that people worry about the impact of affordable housing on their property values and neighbourhood.

"It's actually a really big problem, and it's a problem in every Canadian community," said Julia Deans, the non-profit's president and CEO. Habitat for Humanity Canada helps low-income families access affordable housing.

Kevin Lee, the CEO of the Canadian Home Builders' Association, said despite existing "appetite" to build more within existing neighbourhoods, Nimbyism discourages developers from trying to build. In many cases, local opposition to housing developments can "delay and sometimes completely derail projects."

"You're going to have so much opposition that it's just ... not worth the effort," said Lee.

Who is the problem affecting?

CMHC says some Canadians don't have the means of accessing the housing market, which is particularly more common in certain groups, such as people with disabilities. The latest data from the federal government shows more than 250,000 people are on affordable housing waiting lists across the country.

Peter Waldkirch, a director of housing advocacy group Abundant Housing Vancouver, says that the people who are hurt the most and pushed out because of Nimbyism are those without "power" in society, such as low-income earners, immigrants and young people.

In contrast, he said, those with NIMBY views often have more wealth, power and resources to advocate for their wants compared to the general population and those looking to move into affordable housing developments.

But their advocacy may be helping drive the very same system emptying their neighbourhoods and businesses and keeping their children and grandchildren from becoming homeowners, he said.

"I think a lot of NIMBYs don't realize the harm they are causing."

CMHC has said at the current pace of construction, Canada is still short on housing supply. It projects almost 2.3 million housing units will be added to the market by 2030, bringing the country's total housing stock to 19 million — but that's 3.5 million units short of achieving "housing affordability for everyone living in Canada."

And when housing does get built, Waldkirch said it's further from cities and their cores and into the "least desirable parts," far from jobs and amenities, impacting the community in ways beyond housing.

"It's bad for affordability, it's bad for environment and it's bad for the economy," said Waldkirch.

How do we counteract it?

Deans says Habitat for Humanity has leveraged different methods to get communities on board with affordable housing projects.

In Calgary, the local chapter has sent personalized letters from families moving into new affordable housing buildings to local residents, she said. In Winnipeg branch conducts door-to-door canvassing, public meetings with local residents and councillors and invites neighbours to help build the very housing units incoming families will inhabit.

"That gives them an investment in that home, too," said Deans. "Sometimes communities need a reminder of what their priorities might be."



Volunteer builders with Habitat for Humanity Canada help construct community houses through the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Winnipeg in 2017.

 (Submitted by Habitat for Humanity Canada)

Dunn says the rise of pro-housing groups and the relaxing of local land zone restrictions may be a sign NIMBY sentiment is becoming less common. But to keep the momentum going, he suggests giving people less "recourse" in legislation to oppose developments and making it easier to finance and build new developments, like Toronto multiplexes.

"There will be improvement, but there's still some obstacles to overcome," said Dunn.

That's why Waldkirch says it's important for neighbours who say "yes" to development to publicly support new housing projects. This is especially the case for renters and young people, who he said have been "extremely under-represented" in municipal elections and in housing planning processes.

"Get engaged. Show up and say 'yes' to housing," said Waldkirch.

"It's easy for people to show up and say 'no' to housing, and that's how it's been for decades."

Lee says at this point in the housing shortage, more housing units of all types are needed everywhere, not just in certain places, adding that's why builders, municipalities and provinces need to commit to reducing Nimbyism and "build smartly upwards, inwards and outwards."

"It's definitely not about building a whole bunch of towers. It's not about building a whole ton of single family homes as far as the eye can see either," said Lee.

"It's finding that happy balance."

How Indigenous-owned record labels are changing the music industry in Canada

Story by Jenna Benchetrit • CBC -  Jul 4, 2023

Shoshona Kish — the Ojibwe-Anishnaabe artist who forms one half of the Indigenous musical duo Digging Roots — remembers the moment that lit a fire in her.

While on tour with her bandmate and husband Raven Kanatakta, the musicians finished a set at the Glastonbury Festival in England with a traditional round dance.

Their son — who'd been travelling around the world with them as they toured — was in awe, having watched several thousand people participate in the custom.

"After the show he was so excited and he said, 'You know, I can see this happening with 40,000 people someday,'" Kish said.

That unwavering belief in Indigenous music and artists led Kish and her business partner and fellow musician Amanda Rheaume to found Ishkōdé Records, one of several Indigenous-owned record labels that have emerged across Canada in the last few years.

"That's what I have my eyes set on as a metaphor that [we're] going to continue to grow this," she added. "We're going to continue to find each other from all of our communities and support all of these gorgeous stories that are being told."

The music industry in Canada is more hospitable than ever to Indigenous artists, partly due to an emergence in recent years of Indigenous-owned infrastructure committed to managing and marketing people from the community, according to artists, label owners and industry leaders.

From Ishkōdé Records and Red Music Rising in Toronto, to Land Back Records in Vancouver — plus Hitmakerz, a label specializing in Inuit musicians with offices in Iqaluit, Toronto and Ottawa — Indigenous musicians are building their own foundation within Canada's music industry after years of feeling excluded from or limited by the system's unspoken glass ceiling.



Digging Roots pose with an award for Contemporary Indigenous Artist of the Year during the Juno Awards in Edmonton on Saturday, March 11, 2023.

 (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press)© Provided by cbc.ca

Labels born out of necessity

Launched in June 2021, Ishkōdé Records was born out of necessity: when Rheaume and Kish were up-and-coming musicians, they said the lack of supports for Indigenous artists compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts was stark.

"The journey of being an artist and moving in different music spaces, it was just so painfully obvious that there was such a big gap [between] the Indigenous artists and ... non-Indigenous artists," said Rheaume, a Métis singer-songwriter.

"The goals are really to bridge that gap, to shatter glass ceilings and open up opportunities for Indigenous artists that have been systematically and routinely left out or shut out of spaces and conversations and career opportunities."

Related video: How Indigenous-owned record labels are changing Canadian music (cbc.ca)  Duration 2:27   View on Watch

Ishkōdé Records partnered with Universal Music Canada in 2021 for a distribution deal meant to amplify Indigenous voices.

Kish, for her part, felt that the competitive nature of the music industry made it exceedingly difficult for Indigenous artists who were subject to quotas or tokenism when applying for opportunities.

"ForIndigenous folks, there was often just the one spot at the festival or there was the one opportunity," she said. Once somebody got it, it meant that everyone else was back at square one — and it's generally still the case that non-Indigenous people are deciding which Indigenous voices are heard in mainstream music, she added.

"I think that there are all of these sounds and all of these ideas that perhaps, you know, a major label doesn't know how to sell yet and perhaps mainstream radio doesn't trust that their listeners will want to hear it," Kish said.

"We all deserve to hear more and I think it will light up a whole bunch of dark spaces when we get to hear all of those stories and sounds."

Support rooted in community

Alan Greyeyes prefers to think of himself as a helper — not a manager. Based in Winnipeg and a member of the Peguis First Nation, Greyeyes is the director of Sākihiwē festival, an annual Indigenous arts and music event. He also runs a talent management agency to support Indigenous artists.

"I think [that] a big part of what we do on the Indigenous side of the music industry is really figure out ways to best support the development of artists, but also the strengthening of their families. And sometimes the existing norms within the music industry kind of conflict with how we support Indigenous families," he said.

More recently, a steady stream of Indigenous artists have been receiving more exposure through music festivals, radio play, and institutional recognition like the Juno Awards or the Polaris Prize.



Aysanabee performs at the Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards in Ottawa on June 6, 2023. He was the first act signed by Ishkōdé Records.

 (Courtesy of the SSIMAs)

Jeremy Dutcher has won both the aforementioned prizes. Aysanabee, the first act signed by Ishkōdé, is on the 2023 Polaris longlist. Acts like The Halluci Nation and Snotty Nose Rez Kids are headlining festivals and nabbing nominations and wins at the Junos. Artists like these, who have successfully transitioned from discovery acts to headliners, can sell tickets, Greyeyes said.

"I think there's still a long way to go in terms of just challenging stereotypes across the board," Greyeyes said. "We encounter racism in almost every part of the work that we do in the music industry."

"When the artists are in partnership [and] are working with people that understand their struggles and how far they've come, I think it just becomes a much healthier relationship," he said.



'As Indigenous people, we have to go through crazy things, like people not believing our stories. There's large groups of people who don't believe our pain,' said Jeremiah Manitopyes, known by his stage name Drezus. 

(Julie Debeljak/CBC)© Provided by cbc.ca

Jeremiah Manitopyes, known by his stage name Drezus, is a Plains Cree artist from Saskatchewan. He's released past records with his group Team Res Official through a label, but is now an independent solo artist. Nothing is more important to an artist's livelihood than community support, he said.

"As Indigenous people, we have to go through crazy things, like people not believing our stories. There's large groups of people who don't believe our pain," he added.

"We have to take care of each other in a different way," he said. "I feel like if there's Indigenous people involved at any level of industry that you're participating in as an Indigenous person, there's just … more understanding about what we've been through and what it took to get there."

Corus joins growing Canadian boycott of Meta over news blocking

Story by David Baxter • Monday, July 17,2023

The Corus logo at Corus Quay in Toronto 

© Tijana Martin/ The Canadian Press

Bill C-18: Canada won’t be ‘intimidated’ by Google or Meta, Rodriguez says

Corus Entertainment says it is suspending advertising on Meta platforms, like Facebook and Instagram, over that company’s response to Bill C-18, better known as the Online News Act.

The move marks the latest in a row that has seen Meta and Alphabet's Google announce plans to block Canadian news content on their platforms over the legislation, which has been billed as a way to help a media sector that has seen billions of dollars in advertising revenue siphoned to online tech giants over recent years.

Bill C-18 forces big internet companies and streaming platforms to compensate Canadian news outlets for content appearing on their platforms.

The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) is happy to see media companies standing up to big tech with advertising boycotts, saying the future of journalism in Canada is at stake.

“I think one of the things that you have to recognize right now is that, you know, it's probably close to 70 per cent of advertising in Canada is going to these foreign digital players. And that's money that is just being funnelled directly out of our economy,” CAB president Kevin Desjardins said.

“So, you know, if you take out those advertising dollars out of the Canadian economy, there aren't the resources that are there to help support the news going forward.”

The bill, which received royal assent just before Parliament went on summer break, is expected to take effect at the end of the year.

Google says it will block Canadian news content when that happens. Meta has already begun running tests on how to end Canadian news sharing on its platforms. A statement from the company says it will block links prior to the legislation taking effect.

Video: Discussing Bill C-18; the Online News Act

Corus is the parent company for Global News, along with Canadian entertainment brands like Home and Garden Television (HGTV), The History Channel, the Food Network and animation studio Nelvana.

“Corus has decided to suspend all advertising across our own brands and trademarks with Meta, and we are encouraging our partners and clients to do the same,” the company said in a statement.

Earlier this month, Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez announced the government will stop all advertising on Facebook and Instagram in response to Meta blocking news content. The minister called Meta’s actions “unreasonable” and “irresponsible."

The government spends about $10 million advertising on the platforms, Rodriguez said, and added that money will be shifted to other ad campaigns.

Rodriguez noted that he is more pleased with Google, which he says remains in discussion with the government on what big tech regulation can look like.

Canadian media companies Quebecor, TorStar, CBC, Bell Media and Cogeco have all announced similar pauses to advertising on Meta platforms, and Meta has begun rolling out intermittent blocks on accounts run by Canadian media outlets on its platforms like Instagram

“The fact that these internet giants would rather cut off Canadians’ access to local news than pay their fair share is a real problem, and now they’re resorting to bullying tactics to try and get their way. It’s not going to work,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last month at a press conference.

“We will continue to make sure that these incredibly profitable corporations contribute to strengthening our democracy, not weakening it.”

Google says C-18 is “unworkable” as passed. The company says charging just two companies a fee for hosting links amounts to a “link tax” and creates uncapped financial liability. Google notes it was prepared to help support news – pointing to its Google News Showcase program, which has deals with more than 150 publications in Canada, including Global News.

Meta says ending the sharing of Canadian news links amounts to a business decision.

ONE LAW FOR US ONE LAW FOR COPS

Hamilton police officer will serve probation for kicking 'helpless' Indigenous man in head, judge says

Story by Samantha Beattie • Jun 29

Hamilton police officer Brian Wren will serve 18 months of probation for assaulting an Indigenous man under arrest.

At Wren's sentencing Thursday, Ontario Court Justice Bruce Pugsley described Wren's actions as "assaulting a helpless prisoner."

Wren was the acting sergeant of a plainclothes police unit when he assaulted Patrick Tomchuk last May.

Tomchuk was already laying on the ground, "unresisting and possibly unconscious," handcuffed and restrained by several other officers when Wren kicked him in the head and face multiple times, Justice Pugsley said.

Wren kicked Tomchuk so hard, he broke his own toe, Justice Pugsley noted.

"There was no need of any assistance from the defendant," Justice Pugsley told the court over a Zoom call. "The force used by the defendant was not in any way reasonable. A person can die from being kicked in the head."
Judge rejects Wren's request for discharge

Justice Pugsley rejected the defence's request that Wren be granted a discharge — a finding of guilt but with no registered conviction when he completes his probation. This type of sentence would mean Wren doesn't have criminal record, making it more likely he could continue working as a police officer, Justice Pugsley said.

"A discharge would send the wrong message that there's a sentencing path for police and another for the public," said Justice Pugsley. "Consider if the roles were reversed, if a member of the public was found guilty of kicking a police officer in the head and on the ground."


Patrick Tomchuk was assaulted by Hamilton police officer Brian Wren last May. He attended Wren's sentencing hearing at the John Sopinka Courthouse on June 5, 2023. (Samantha Beatite/CBC)© Provided by cbc.ca

Wren is currently suspended from the Hamilton Police Service. There will be a disciplinary hearing at a later date where Hamilton police will determine if Wren will be fired or continue on as an officer.

Tomchuk and his family were not present for the sentencing, however at the hearing earlier this month, he told CBC Hamilton he would be "disgusted" if Wren didn't serve jail time.

Sentence 'lowest end of the spectrum'

Both the Crown and defence recommended Wren serve 18 months of probation, which Justice Pugsley said on Thursday was at the "lowest end of the sentencing spectrum."

While judges have the power to order harsher sentences, Justice Pugsley declined to do so. He said he considered that before this assault, Wren had a "unblemished and fine record" as a police officer. Justice Pugsley also said Wren pleading guilty to assault showed he was taking responsibility for his actions.

Wren's defence previously said Wren is Indigenous and requested a Gladue report be prepared.

Gladue principles require circumstances in an Indigenous person's life to be taken into consideration during sentencing.

Aboriginal Legal Services declined Wren's request for the report due to lack of evidence of his Indigenous identity, Justice Pugsley said on Thursday. While he was prepared to take into consideration Wren's Métis heritage, it appeared to have little impact on his upbringing, actions or police career.

Are current cooling standards in long-term care enough? Advocates say no

Story by Naomi Barghiel • Jul 7, 2023

A resident of a long-term care home stops to look at renderings of the new Richmond Lions Manor-Fentiman care home before a provincial government news conference announcing the project, in Richmond, B.C., on Thursday, June 22, 2023. The eight-storey building will have 144 long-term care beds and 14 hospice beds and be built on the site of a former care home in Richmond's Steveston neighbourhood. Construction will begin in 2025 and is expected to be complete in 2028. 

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck©

How renters face challenges during extreme heatwaves

As the country breaks heat wave records this week, some advocates are raising concerns about a lack of funding and clear and consistent mandates across Canada to keep vulnerable residents in long-term care homes cool.

It is currently the responsibility of each province and territory’s government to develop and enforce standards for individual long-term care facilities, which includes air circulation and temperature control. Many provinces’ policies are informed by national standards recently updated this year, but they are not mandatory.

Some advocates say the inconsistency is part of what has led to some long-term care homes operating without proper cooling measures needed during hot weather.

“We obviously need to make it a standard rule that we have central heating and cool air in all of these facilities,” said Vivian Stamatopoulos, a long-term care advocate and professor at Ontario Tech University.

“We know there's a well-known correlation between high ambient temperature and negative health, particularly among seniors. The fact that we don't have basic standards at every facility, knowing that climate change is real and knowing that we are only going to see more extreme health-related events in the next few years ... this is clearly an area where elected officials dropped the ball.”

The federal government announced in February that they will be investing $198.6 billion over 10 years to improve health services for Canadians with a focus on key health priorities, including helping Canadians age safely and with dignity.

"As a government, we will continue to our work with provinces and territories to help all Canadians, including seniors, get the care they deserve when and wherever they need it," Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos said in a press release.

"We will also always ensure that those who live or work in LTC homes do so in a positive, safe, and quality environment.”

The federal government’s 2021 budget included $3 billion in funding over five years to support provinces and territories in their efforts to improve long-term care in their jurisdictions. The government also provided close to $850,000 in funding to the Health Standards Organization (HSO) and the CSA Group to develop the most recent national standards released in January this year.

Experts with HSO said in January that the new standards will only be useful if the government puts them into practice and makes sure they are followed.

However, the National Institute on Ageing revealed in a report released Wednesday that some provinces are falling far short of the national standards.

The institute’s report found that only 25 of the 117 criteria laid out in the national standards could be found in the policies of all provinces and territories, as of December 2022.

“It reminds us that there’s a lot to be done,” said Dr. Samir Sinha, the report’s co-author and director of health policy research at the institute.

According to an email from CSA Group to Global News Thursday, the standards include long-term care home building systems, such as HVAC and medical gas systems, along with catastrophic event management involving extreme temperature conditions.

The organization along with HSO issued the updated guidance for operating care homes in light of the deadly and tragic toll the COVID-19 pandemic took on Canadian residents and their quality of life.


CSA confirmed that the standards are intended only as a guide to be referenced in legislation.

“Although our hope is that the standard is mandated, even as a voluntary standard, it is intended to serve as important guidance for long-term care stakeholders that are building new long-term care homes or enhancing the safety and quality of life in existing homes,” said a spokesperson for CSA.

Environment Canada issued several heat warnings this week, with temperatures surpassing 30 C in most jurisdictions. Warnings remain in place Friday morning for eastern Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and some parts of the East Coast.

Ontario is one of the provinces making big steps toward progress. Last summer, Global News reported that 90 long-term care homes in Ontario still did not have air conditioning installed in resident rooms. The government then promised to crack down on homes that weren't complying with the province's legislation passed in June 2021, requiring air conditioning to be installed in all resident rooms.

The province saw improvement this year partly by passing legislation that allows the government to slap heavy fines on non-complying homes, and by conducting an "inspections blitz," the Ontario ministry told Global News in an email Thursday.

Now, 99.5 per cent of all LTC homes in Ontario are equipped with air conditioning in residents’ rooms.

Currently, air conditioning in British Columbia long-term care homes is not compulsory. While most of the province’s long-term care facilities are equipped with HVAC systems, they are not required in residents’ rooms.

B.C. seniors’ advocate Isobel Mackenzie says she wants the province to follow Ontario’s lead.

“I think that there is merit to saying you need to have a cooling system sufficient to ensure that the temperatures in residents' rooms never fall below ‘this’ and never rise above ‘this’ and then regulate and inspect against that standard. That isn't our current approach,” Mackenzie said.

“I do think we should look at these absolute temperature standards, both in terms of maximum heat and in terms of maximum coldness in a particular resident's room and then work our way towards compliance from that point.”

Though it is stated in the province’s Community Care and Assisted Living Act that each facility must ensure temperatures in each bedroom, bathroom and common room are “safe and comfortable,” the Ministry of Health says aging buildings pose a challenge to making air conditioning a requirement.

“In some cases, forced air directly in resident rooms is possible, in other cases, central air through common rooms and hallways is the most achievable upgrade. In these cases, fans are placed at resident doorways to ensure that resident rooms remain at cool temperatures,” a spokesperson from the Ministry of Health explained.

The federal government announced in March that "in the coming months" it would "move forward with consultations and engagement with stakeholders and Canadians on the Safe Long-Term Care Act," which was first pledged by the Liberal party during the 2021 election.

According to a press release, any legislation will be based on the new standards set by the HSO and CSA Group.

It remains to be seen how the federal legislation will be framed.

Canadian Association of Long-Term Care (CALTC) CEO Jodi Hall says the federal government could do more to help LTC homes meet standards through proper funding.

“As we move forward in long-term care to continuously enhance person centered care … it is essential that there is on-going investment by all levels of government to modernize existing homes, replace when needed, and develop new homes that addresses the current demand for long term care,” Hall told Global News in an emailed statement.

“A Federal infrastructure fund that specifically allows long-term care homes to access funding for infrastructure investment and adapt energy efficient systems would go a long way to make necessary improvements in homes across the country.”

Mackenzie says one opportunity for change lies within the National Building Code. According to the government of Canada’s webpage, the code “sets out technical requirements for the design and construction of new buildings, as well as the alteration, change of use and demolition of existing buildings.”

Mackenzie says there is “definitely” a role the government could play in deciding how they use the code to positively impact long-term care infrastructure in the short term and long term. Short term, the government can use the code to support care homes and make the necessary accommodations to ensure residents truly are cool and comfortable.

Mackenzie says that in the future, the government could make air conditioning and proper cooling part of the building code in new buildings.

“I think that’s a reasonable approach,” she said.

-- with files from The Canadian Press.

Can Canada double health-care worker immigration? Pressure is mounting

Story by Uday Rana • Jun 28, 2023

A health-care worker in the emergency department at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children on Nov. 30, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young© Provided by Global News

As Canada stares down a potential crisis in its emergency rooms this summer, the federal government is planning to double the number of health-care professionals it welcomes each year.

But the vow comes as backlogs in processing immigration applications rose last month, and as Ottawa has unveiled multiple new high-profile streams to attract highly skilled newcomers.

"This is a big change in the way that we are going to attract health-care workers to this country," said Immigration Minister Sean Fraser on Wednesday.

Fraser said the health-care workers could come through the federal Express Entry program, which is designed to bring highly skilled immigrants to the country.

Express Entry is a points-based pathway to permanent immigration that grants entry to the candidate with the highest points, regardless of what profession they are in. Now, though, Fraser said the process will offer a "streamlined and efficient" path for people in key sectors.

He said the federal government is now focusing on five key sectors facing labour shortages: health, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) professions, agriculture, transportation and skilled trades.

But the first sector to benefit from this new process would be health care

Fraser said the government was inviting 500 skilled health-care workers to immigrate to Canada through the Express Entry process on Wednesday.

By July 5, he said the government will invite 1,500 more.

‘Frightening’ shortage of Canadian family doctor residents alarms experts | Watch (msn.com)

“We expect this new process is going to allow us to double the number of health-care workers that come through the federal express entry system as soon as this year," Fraser said.

Fraser said that between 2017 and 2022, Canada welcomed around 21,000 health-care workers — a rate of just over 4,000 workers a year.

The goal now is to get around 8,000 new health-care workers a year.

The new system, the minister said, will have to be accompanied by faster visa processing times. Fraser said that while the pandemic, accompanied by the two refugee crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine, hampered operations, IRCC has worked to improve backlogs.

“We went to work over the past couple of years by adopting new technologies, including advanced analytics, the embrace of AI in certain aspects of our operations. We also added enormous numbers of resources by hiring 1,600 people to help process applications more quickly and we started reducing administrative barriers," he said in a response to a question from Global News.

Canada’s immigration backlog rose for the month of May, with officials saying more kinds of applications are being tallied even as the department gets better at handling claims within the target timeframes.

Fraser said the measures are working.

“A new economic migrant coming to Canada is back to the six-month standard under the federal Express Entry system. Family reunification is back to the one-year standard we enjoyed before COVID-19. Work permits and study permits are back to the 60 days we enjoyed before the pandemic,” he said.

Video: B.C. government offers help to address Surrey Memorial staffing crisis

Staffing shortages are expected to add to the strain of emergency rooms across Canada, experts have warned.

In May, Niagara Health said its urgent care centres in southern Ontario will no longer operate overnight as it faces physician staff shortages. The hospital in Minden, Ont., permanently closed the local ER due to a strain in staffing. In the same month, 180 ER doctors across Calgary penned an open letter sounding the alarm over the state of emergency care in that city.

Experts have warned that the crisis will be most acutely felt in rural areas.

Last week, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said the country’s “already quite burdened” ERs were likely to face an influx of patients seeking treatment for health conditions triggered by wildfire smoke, which has been wafting across the country from hundreds of major fires.

End criminalization of undocumented migrants, UN envoy urges

Story by Uday Rana • Jun 30, 2023

People take part in a rally for migrant rights in Christie Pits park in Toronto on Sunday Sept. 18, 2022. Migrant rights groups are urging Canada to implement suggestions of a United Nations Special Rapporteur to “end the criminalization” of undocumented migrants.

© THE CANADIAN PRESS/Holly McKenzie-Sutter

Migrant rights groups in Canada are urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to implement the suggestions of a United Nations Special Rapporteur, who this week said countries should create regularization programs (pathways to permanent residency) for undocumented migrants.

“Regularization is a tool of protection and inclusion that benefits migrants, their families, destination countries and communities,” Felipe González Morales, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, told the Human Rights Council. “States must provide options for permanent residence, citizenship and meaningful participation of migrants in host societies.”

He urged governments across the world to “end the criminalization” of undocumented migrants.

The Migrant Rights Network, a migrant-led advocacy coalition based in Canada, welcomed the call.

“For decades now, undocumented migrants and their organizations have called for regularization as the single-most effective policy program to ensure rights and justice for undocumented migrants. Over 500 civil society organizations have joined us, now the United Nations is adding their voice; what more will it take for Prime Minister Trudeau to do the right thing?” asked Syed Hussan, Migrant Rights Network Secretariat.

“We call on Prime Minister Trudeau to ensure permanent resident status for all undocumented people, migrant workers, students and families without delay.”

González Morales, in a report released at the end of his tenure, noted that undocumented migrants are subject to discrimination, abuse and exploitation as a direct result of the lack of regular migration status. Regularization, he said, would improve their access to social protection, health care, decent work, education, adequate living conditions and family reunification.

Undocumented immigrants in Canada are typically people who arrived on temporary authorization such as a work or refugee claimant permit. Once the permit runs out, should the person decide to stay in Canada, they essentially become undocumented. An undocumented person loses access to many basic services.

Head of refugee advocacy group blasts SC decision on Safe Third Country Agreement: ‘The U.S. is not a safe country for refugees’

“Regularization processes must be accompanied by anti-discrimination policies to ensure the full enjoyment of their human rights,” González Morales said.

"I urge governments to end the criminalization of irregular migrants and promote solidarity and change the narrative on migration and combat xenophobia, racism and discrimination," he said.

The Migrant Rights Network estimated that as of October 2022, there were around 500,000 non-status people currently residing in Canada, many of whom live under very precarious circumstances.

“Without permanent resident status, undocumented people are unable to assert rights at work or access basic health care. They face discrimination and exploitation because of the well-founded fear of deportation. Non-status people are part of communities,” a report by the group read.