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Pardon my French [Canadian Politics Thread]

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Posts

  • OmnomnomPancakeOmnomnomPancake Registered User regular
    Everyone in Ontario go download the covid alert app. It will save lives. The government and major corporations already track you and have your data, so let's at least not all die in a horrible plague.

  • RichyRichy Registered User regular
    I downloaded it and look forward to it being available in Québec. Which it probably never will be, because we have a sovereignists-pretending-they're-not-sovereignists government in power.

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  • Space PickleSpace Pickle Registered User regular
    quovadis13 wrote: »
    The hope is that cases are at a reasonably low background level where you can stomp out flare ups when they happen and before they get out of hand. Ontario is running like 180,000-200,000 tests a week, and their plan mentioned something about more nurses and tests. If you can reserve like 20,000 a week for school testing (or something, someone else can figure out a proper number), you can probably stay on top of it reasonably well.

    You are going to get headlines like “15 students test positive at XXXX school”, but you have to hope they can minimize the impact those events will have. It’s a bit promising that Ontario is slowly opening and you are still seeing a general decrease in cases (albeit with some minor ebbs and flows). There are also a lot of counties that usually report a handful, if any, cases each day. Hopefully with almost all of Ontario in phase 3, the trend sticks. We aren’t going to get rid of Covid doing this, but we can hopefully “live” with it with minimal impact. It’s definitely risky, so hopefully things go okay.

    There are approximately 2 million students in Ontario. They can't possibly do enough tests to keep on top of the school situation.

    Phisti wrote: »
    Mine are starting Grade two and SK. Masks are not going to happen, mine will wear them and not play with them, but they need to snack and then have help putting it back on, not going to happen in school this fall. Despite the lack of anything resembling a plan, my school board's absolute milquetoast response to said plan makes it look like they will do exactly what the province asks of them, ie very little.

    The real challenge though is my youngest, at 3 has lost her daycare spot (large municipal daycare dropped from 242 kids (not all at the same time, part time, some days etc. to 46 to meet H&S guidelines, all of which went to essential worker families) to date we have *managed* to work from home because two older sisters helped entertain her. With them in school and her at home, work is out the window.

    This fall will be an unmitigated disaster on many fronts.

    In the boards' defence, they don't have any ability to refuse directives from the ministry. If the senior leadership pushes back enough they'll be fired and replaced.

    Nosf wrote: »
    Sending kids back to school seems unworkable from a "we're not going to let them catch it." If you send them back, the little petri dishes are gonna spread it all over.

    I am an Ontario teacher. I would expect that the plug will be pulled on school this year given the lack of real safety measures.

    Honestly, the best thing that you can do if you're unhappy with the school situation is call your MPP and let them have it, then follow up with a real written letter. If enough people complain they will feel the pressure to improve the situation, especially with how hyper-sensitive Doug Ford is to any criticism.

  • daveNYCdaveNYC Why universe hate Waspinator? Registered User regular
    Caedwyr wrote: »
    I thought this headline was a good summary of the situation.

    Trudeau explains how he missed another chance to avoid trouble. The general gist I got from it all, was that it wasn't necessarily malicious corruption, or self dealing for personal profit. It was just more of a mindset where the rules don't really apply to them.

    It's like he really doesn't grasp the core concept of 'conflict of interest'. Sure his wife, mother, and brother are involved with that charity, but other than that what have the Romans ever done for us?

    Shut up, Mr. Burton! You were not brought upon this world to get it!
  • ElaroElaro Apologetic Registered User regular
    Hey, does the CRA My Account not work for anyone else? I've been trying to get in since about 10:30 this morning and it says "An unexpected error occurred."

    Children's rights are human rights.
  • ArcticLancerArcticLancer Best served chilled. Registered User regular
    edited August 2020
    I can't speak to all CRA services, but I've been having problems with it trying to check on my federal student loan for at least a week (pretty sure two). Every time I use a sign-in partner I get a giant error that cycles back to the CRA services main page.
    8sq5j3dwc2bu.png

    ArcticLancer on
  • EntriechEntriech ? ? ? ? ? Ontario, CanadaRegistered User regular
    I'm in Ontario. Wife and I made the, frankly, rather upsetting decision to homeschool our daughter for Grade 1, rather than sending her back. I'm waiting to see what the school board offers in terms of remote learning, but given how last-minute and ill-prepared this all seems, I suspect we'll be doing a full homeschool curriculum rather than relying on whatever they call their 'remote' option this year.

    If anyone's curious, Oak Meadow seems to offer a decent, book-oriented program. Entirely secular. That's what we're considering right now.

  • Ed GrubermanEd Gruberman Registered User regular
    edited August 2020
    This thread about the WE stuff is pretty worrying and links to a Canadaland article about the the WE charity:

    EDIT: I guess the short of it is that the WE charity appears to be pretty shady. It doesn't seem clear to me that the PM's family knew it was shady but their ties to it have definitely put a spotlight on the org.

    Ed Gruberman on
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    SteamID: edgruberman GOG Galaxy: EdGruberman
  • OmnomnomPancakeOmnomnomPancake Registered User regular
    I automatically assume most large, international charities have tonnes of corruption they can get away with. There were reports that WE Charity was shitty before, but I'm glad they get the spotlight.


    In other news, it was 33° yesterday on the northern regions of Canada, where it touches the Arctic Ocean. We are on track for the 4.3° increase by 2100, and this is likely the end of the human race at our current rates.


    BUT HEY, OTTAWA AND ALBERTA JUST MADE A DEAL CUTTING MORE ENVIRONMENTAL OVERSIGHT ON OIL DEVELOPMENT
    https://globalnews.ca/news/7248860/alberta-ottawa-deal-environmental-monitoring-oilsands/

  • Disco11Disco11 Registered User regular
    I automatically assume most large, international charities have tonnes of corruption they can get away with. There were reports that WE Charity was shitty before, but I'm glad they get the spotlight.


    In other news, it was 33° yesterday on the northern regions of Canada, where it touches the Arctic Ocean. We are on track for the 4.3° increase by 2100, and this is likely the end of the human race at our current rates.


    BUT HEY, OTTAWA AND ALBERTA JUST MADE A DEAL CUTTING MORE ENVIRONMENTAL OVERSIGHT ON OIL DEVELOPMENT
    https://globalnews.ca/news/7248860/alberta-ottawa-deal-environmental-monitoring-oilsands/

    You guys have no idea how much Jason Kenney hates environmentalists.

    Also teachers, doctors, scientists.... essentially Kenney hates smart people.

    PSN: Canadian_llama
  • ArcticLancerArcticLancer Best served chilled. Registered User regular
    "Person who thinks they are smarter than everyone else harbours unreasonable hatred of any people smarter than them."

  • RichyRichy Registered User regular
    BUT HEY, OTTAWA AND ALBERTA JUST MADE A DEAL CUTTING MORE ENVIRONMENTAL OVERSIGHT ON OIL DEVELOPMENT
    https://globalnews.ca/news/7248860/alberta-ottawa-deal-environmental-monitoring-oilsands/

    It may not be good for our long-term economic development, nor for our international reputation, nor for the environment, nor for future generations... but the votes he'll lose across the country for doing this will be more than offset by the votes he'll gain from grateful Albertans who'll support the Liberal party in droves next election.

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  • mrondeaumrondeau Montréal, CanadaRegistered User regular
    Richy wrote: »
    BUT HEY, OTTAWA AND ALBERTA JUST MADE A DEAL CUTTING MORE ENVIRONMENTAL OVERSIGHT ON OIL DEVELOPMENT
    https://globalnews.ca/news/7248860/alberta-ottawa-deal-environmental-monitoring-oilsands/

    It may not be good for our long-term economic development, nor for our international reputation, nor for the environment, nor for future generations... but the votes he'll lose across the country for doing this will be more than offset by the votes he'll gain from grateful Albertans who'll support the Liberal party in droves next election.
    I'm starting to think that Trudeau might actually be plain stupid and bad at politics.

  • El SkidEl Skid The frozen white northRegistered User regular
    We’re seriously considering going down to one income this Fall, because for medical reasons we can’t have Covid in our house, so our kid can’t be heading back to in-person school till Covid is over.

    April-June was such a shitshow with both of us working and trying to educate her...ugh. But on just one income we’d be barely scrapong by, meaning one major expense and we’d be in trouble, and we own both a house and a car, so really thats just a matter of time.

    I really hope they figure out a vaccine soon, though I know it’ll probably be at least a year at this point. And we’re among the lucky ones because we haven’t gotten covid, and our jobs are secure. I think I’m with Gabe from the recent comic,,,just put me to sleep and wake me up in a year or two :-/

  • DeciusDecius I'm old! I'm fat! I'M BLUE!Registered User regular
    Richy wrote: »
    the votes he'll gain from grateful Albertans who'll support the Liberal party in droves next election.

    You're joking right?

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    I never finish anyth
  • mrondeaumrondeau Montréal, CanadaRegistered User regular
    Decius wrote: »
    Richy wrote: »
    the votes he'll gain from grateful Albertans who'll support the Liberal party in droves next election.

    You're joking right?
    The problem with sarcasm is that if you didn't use it, you would have to clearly say what you mean, and that would be boring.

  • CanadianWolverineCanadianWolverine Registered User regular
    Sarcasm in text can be easily conveyed by a /s but for some reason or other that I don't fathom, people refuse to use it.

    Also, there is no where to go buy down in Alberta, they've already pretty much maxed out their share of the electorate in their ridings, have you seen how wide the margins are there? So yeah, I should hope Rich was joking.

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  • Disco11Disco11 Registered User regular
    Sarcasm in text can be easily conveyed by a /s but for some reason or other that I don't fathom, people refuse to use it.

    Also, there is no where to go buy down in Alberta, they've already pretty much maxed out their share of the electorate in their ridings, have you seen how wide the margins are there? So yeah, I should hope Rich was joking.

    I moved a week ago and had to go back to do a walkthrough with the landlord... Took the opportunity to fonally tell off my neighbor that is super conservative and is obsessed with Trudeau. He has a sticker this sticker on his truck

    Alberta_Saskatchewan_Trudeau_Dont_Bite_The_Hand_That_Feeds_You_Decal_Sticker__90631.1548533365.jpg?c=2?imbypass=on

    Asked him if it's ok if I pulled that off and put one of JT since we are have-not province.

    The police were nearly called he lost his fucking mind.... It was glorious.

    PSN: Canadian_llama
  • BouwsTBouwsT Wanna come to a super soft birthday party? Registered User regular
    Disco11 wrote: »
    Sarcasm in text can be easily conveyed by a /s but for some reason or other that I don't fathom, people refuse to use it.

    Also, there is no where to go buy down in Alberta, they've already pretty much maxed out their share of the electorate in their ridings, have you seen how wide the margins are there? So yeah, I should hope Rich was joking.

    I moved a week ago and had to go back to do a walkthrough with the landlord... Took the opportunity to fonally tell off my neighbor that is super conservative and is obsessed with Trudeau. He has a sticker this sticker on his truck

    Alberta_Saskatchewan_Trudeau_Dont_Bite_The_Hand_That_Feeds_You_Decal_Sticker__90631.1548533365.jpg?c=2?imbypass=on

    Asked him if it's ok if I pulled that off and put one of JT since we are have-not province.

    The police were nearly called he lost his fucking mind.... It was glorious.

    Holy shit, that's amazing. What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall for that interaction...

    Between you and me, Peggy, I smoked this Juul and it did UNTHINKABLE things to my mind and body...
  • ShadowBladeShadowBlade Registered User regular
    Ok, this was clearly a plant question right? Are there no enforceable rules against something like this up here?

    This world needs a new philosophy. No more, "Could be worse..." I say SHOULD BE BETTER!
  • Disco11Disco11 Registered User regular
    BouwsT wrote: »
    Disco11 wrote: »
    Sarcasm in text can be easily conveyed by a /s but for some reason or other that I don't fathom, people refuse to use it.

    Also, there is no where to go buy down in Alberta, they've already pretty much maxed out their share of the electorate in their ridings, have you seen how wide the margins are there? So yeah, I should hope Rich was joking.

    I moved a week ago and had to go back to do a walkthrough with the landlord... Took the opportunity to fonally tell off my neighbor that is super conservative and is obsessed with Trudeau. He has a sticker this sticker on his truck



    Asked him if it's ok if I pulled that off and put one of JT since we are have-not province.

    The police were nearly called he lost his fucking mind.... It was glorious.

    Holy shit, that's amazing. What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall for that interaction...

    He's a prick.

    Also, he never picks up after his dog when it's on a walk.... For me, personally, that's a universal sign that you are a bad person. Just speaks to a "me, me,me" attitude that's so prevalent in this province.

    https://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/health/four-terminally-ill-canadians-get-special-exemption-to-use-psychedelic-therapy-1.5051357

    As a big believer in psychedelics for mental health, this is awesome.

    PSN: Canadian_llama
  • ZibblsnrtZibblsnrt Registered User regular
    Ok, this was clearly a plant question right? Are there no enforceable rules against something like this up here?

    Given Ford's use of claques earlier in his government I'm going to go with "no, there aren't."

  • RichyRichy Registered User regular
    Québec's education minister is holding a press conference now to announce the plan to reopen schools in the fall.

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  • ImperfectImperfect Toronto, Ontario, CanadaRegistered User regular
    There are a lot of places opening schools early - I'm hoping a month of examination of how that goes (already poorly) will put a halt to all the September-based ideas.

    Or at least, I'm hoping Quebec has a better plan for opening schools than Ontario's, and I'm hoping Ontario learns their lesson in time?

  • RichyRichy Registered User regular
    Highlights, from what I heard:
    • Depriving kids of school is worse than covid, both for their education and for their social skills. So keeping schools closed is out of the question.
    • Limited school openings we had already did not lead to an increase in covid. "School cases" that were detected were mostly cases where the kids were contaminated from somewhere else and detected in school, so not school-based propagation. Moreover, data right now indicates that kids are less susceptible to covid and less likely to propagate it.
    • Sanitation measures like handwashing and masks will be enforced, and are expected to reduce propagation of both covid and other infections that occur every year in schools.
    • Masks mandatory in common areas in schools for both adults and children above 10 years old. Not mandatory (but allowed at the student's discretion) in class. Not mandatory outside.
    • Masks mandatory in school buses and public transit for kids above 10 years old.
    • Masks will be provided to teachers and staff, since it's now part of their professional equipment. Masks will not be provided to kids, on the basis of "it's like a backpack, it's required but parents have to buy and provide them". But low-income students will receive help from charity organizations "like for backpacks".
    • Classes will be the students' "bubble". Interactions will be limited between students of different classes.
    • Classes remain of the usual size. Suggestions for smaller classes were shot down.
    • Students will remain with their classmates, there will be no students switching from one group to another for a class (such as an elective). Teachers will move from one class to the other to teach their topic.
    • When students need to use a special classroom (such as for arts and sports), the room must be cleaned between each group. No cuts to arts or sports by the government, but individual schools may cut them if they cannot implement appropriate sanitation measures.
    • No distanciation (and as mentioned before, no masks) in class. But masks and 1 meter distance when interacting with students from other classes.
    • Different building entrances and different recreation times for different classes to minimize contacts. When multiple classes are outside at the same time, they are encouraged to remain with kids of their own classes.
    • E-learning (not homeschooling) available from education service centers with educators that will follow the students' progress remotely, but limited for students that are more at risk and have a doctor's note to prove it.
    • If a student tests positive in a school, parents will be informed, and will be told if it's in the same class or not. But seems that's only so parents will be more vigilant about symptoms. Doesn't seem like it will lead to closures.
    • Covid cases will happen as long as we don't have a vaccine. Plan is to limit propagation.

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  • darkmayodarkmayo Registered User regular
    Richy wrote: »
    Highlights, from what I heard:

    Moreover, data right now indicates that kids are less susceptible to covid and less likely to propagate it.


    sadly, recent evidence and studies are showing that might not exactly be the case in regards to propagation
    https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/children-often-carry-more-coronavirus-than-adults-study-67785
    https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2768952

    As well we arent really sure about lasting effects even if the kid didnt have a severe response to Covid

    Class sizes is going to get us, among many many other factors that aren't talked about.

    we really dont want to be following Israels lead.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/04/world/middleeast/coronavirus-israel-schools-reopen.html

    or the States lead,
    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/06/us/north-paulding-high-school-coronavirus-georgia.html



    Guess we will see what happens 2 weeks after schools open. I really want to be wrong on this.

    Switch SW-6182-1526-0041
  • NosfNosf Registered User regular
    I predict an enormous rise in cases, masks in the halls but not in the classroom, where you're gonna have 20 odd kids sitting and breathing the same air. Be sure to go home and hug the grandparents after kids.

  • mrondeaumrondeau Montréal, CanadaRegistered User regular
    We can also expect quite a few teachers to quit, because they don't want to die. I rather doubt they will be reassured by those measures, and by the rather obvious lack of giving a shit the government is showing.

    Also, not providing masks and basic backpacks is stupid.

  • InfidelInfidel Heretic Registered User regular
    It's almost like kids haven't been super harmed to date because we closed the fucking schools?

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  • PolaritiePolaritie Sleepy Registered User regular
    Infidel wrote: »
    It's almost like kids haven't been super harmed to date because we closed the fucking schools?

    Paradox of prevention...

    Steam: Polaritie
    3DS: 0473-8507-2652
    Switch: SW-5185-4991-5118
    PSN: AbEntropy
  • talmeirtalmeir Registered User regular
    Richy wrote: »
    Highlights, from what I heard:
    • E-learning (not homeschooling) available from education service centers with educators that will follow the students' progress remotely, but limited for students that are more at risk and have a doctor's note to prove it.

    I lurk a lot, and I read over dh’s shoulder a lot (El Skid). Please pardon me just popping up.

    I take great issue with this approach, particularly with the quoted point, above. It isn’t only about high risk children, but the people with whom they live. I have several comorbidities that mean Covid is likely to seriously impair me for life, if not outright kill me. To paraphrase my specialists, it’s better we pay years of psychotherapy to assist in social behaviour issues than to (functionally or literally) lose a parent because a school district insisted she was healthy enough to attend.

    We live a life of great privilege in this house. We can adjust if we lose an income. We are able to advocate for ourselves and our child. If push came to shove, we would homeschool.

    I can’t imagine how it must feel to be someone who is rendered voiceless by our society (lower income, immigrant experiences, or otherwise silenced) trying to balance this whole situation. E-learning should be offered to any and all that wish to take that route.

  • PhistiPhisti Registered User regular
    edited August 2020
    Has anyone yet done the math on providing a device, service and an internet connection for every student who's family cannot afford it? Probably far less than the extra funds for cleaning and masks, staff and of course the lawsuits.

    I know not every kid can be home because of family situations / age / working parents, but almost anything is better than contagion for all.

    Phisti on
  • RichyRichy Registered User regular
    Phisti wrote: »
    Has anyone yet done the math on providing a device, service and an internet connection for every student who's family cannot afford it? Probably far less than the extra funds for cleaning and masks, staff and of course the lawsuits.

    I know not every kid can be home because of family situations / age / working parents, but almost anything is better than contagion for all.

    Providing a device and internet access to every family who cannot afford it isn't even a cost to society, it's a benefit. It will allow parents to job-hunt, send our resumes, and get in touch with employers. And it will allow kids to study, learn, and build a better future for themselves. It's something we should be doing regardless of covid.

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  • NosfNosf Registered User regular
    Some school boards already do this, I know locally they were doing it with those 4g hubs especially for rural kids with shit internet / no internet. Rogers does a 5 bucks a month internet package with a wifi router for whatever folks. Some of our clients have it.

    That said, all I've heard is that e-learning sucks and is a miserable failure so far.

  • PhistiPhisti Registered User regular
    If what I am hearing from teacher friends in Finland and Sweden, in school learning sucks too, it's more hand washing, trying find ways to teach without getting close to kids (help hold a pencil etc.) ... basically school is just daycare without the same health and safety provisions.

  • Disco11Disco11 Registered User regular
    Phisti wrote: »
    If what I am hearing from teacher friends in Finland and Sweden, in school learning sucks too, it's more hand washing, trying find ways to teach without getting close to kids (help hold a pencil etc.) ... basically school is just daycare without the same health and safety provisions.

    This is the role school has held in society since double-income households have become the norm IMO.

    PSN: Canadian_llama
  • PhistiPhisti Registered User regular
    I agree to an extent, although schools have functionally still tried to teach kids (or some have at least) now that pretense is out the window.

  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    Disco11 wrote: »
    Phisti wrote: »
    If what I am hearing from teacher friends in Finland and Sweden, in school learning sucks too, it's more hand washing, trying find ways to teach without getting close to kids (help hold a pencil etc.) ... basically school is just daycare without the same health and safety provisions.

    This is the role school has held in society since double-income households have become the norm IMO.

    It's both.

    And the role of daycare in teaching children should not be underestimated either. Socializing children in a supervised environment is SUPER SUPER important.

  • AegisAegis Fear My Dance Overshot Toronto, Landed in OttawaRegistered User regular
    edited August 2020
    Hmmm, I guess Service Canada is still lumping all regular EI claims under CERB?

    My contract wasn't extended at the end of July, and I finally got around to applying to EI, not expecting anything for another month. But from the status I see, it looks like it got accepted as the EI Emergency Benefit type, so yay?

    That was a lot less painless than I figured.

    Aegis on
    We'll see how long this blog lasts
    Currently DMing: None :(
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  • ArcticLancerArcticLancer Best served chilled. Registered User regular
    Can anyone with a more level head than I have right now validate this as an idea? Because boy is it giving me strong "Another reason to hate Halifax government" vibes.
    Secondary suites will create more affordable, accessible housing, Halifax councillor says

This discussion has been closed.