Deborah Millar-Jervis and husband Robert Jervis were faced with a choice. They could continue paying roughly $1,600 US a month for health insurance or leave the United States and move to Canada. The staggering, and rising, cost of their insurance did not include doctors visits, dental care, prescriptions or the deductible amount they had to meet before accessing coverage. So, four years ago, the couple packed up their home in Blaine, Wash., and moved four hours north to Penticton, B.C. “We loved living there [in the U.S.], we had a…
Read MoreCanada-U.S. Border Closure To Be Extended Beyond June 21, Sources Say | CBC News
The Canada-U.S. border closure to all non-essential traffic will be extended beyond the June 21 date set last month, sources tell CBC News. Sources with direct knowledge of the situation have confirmed to CBC News that Canada and the United States are holding talks about extending the border restrictions but the agreement has yet to be signed. Both countries reached an agreement in March to temporarily close the border to non-essential travel — meaning no recreational visits — while keeping it open to commercial traffic and essential workers who cross…
Read MoreHouse Lawmakers Question Homeland Security Over Protester Surveillance | CNET
House Democrats on the Oversight Committee on Saturday called for the Department of Homeland Security to explain how it has conducted surveillance of protesters demonstrating against racial discrimination and police violence. “This Administration has undermined the First Amendment freedoms of Americans of all races who are rightfully protesting George Floyd’s killing,” said lawmakers in their letter to acting Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf. “The deployment of drones and officers to surveil protests is a gross abuse of authority and is particularly chilling when used against Americans who are protesting…
Read More5 Green Infrastructure Projects Engineers Recommend To Boost COVID-19 Economic Recovery | CBC News
With at least two million jobs lost across Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy officially in recession, more stimulus is expected from the federal government to get the economy moving again. To date, the government has spent more than $145 billion on direct support for Canadians related to COVID-19. Beyond what has already been pledged for stimulus, experts say additional investments in infrastructure, especially related to clean technology, are one of the best ways to get people back to work and to leave a lasting legacy. Read full story here:…
Read MoreNew Normal: Are Canadians Ready To Go Cashless After Coronavirus? | CTV News
TORONTO — As the pandemic loomed, Lillian Elliott and her partner Sheryl Davies headed to the ATM to stock up on a bit of cash. They haven’t touched it since. The residents of Montague, P.E.I. had made it a habit of budgeting using cash in envelopes but since fears of transmission of COVID-19 has given widespread pause to handling bills and coins, the two have entirely shifted to using a credit card for expenses. “I just don’t want to be touching money right now,” says Elliott, but she can’t foresee…
Read MoreCOVID-19 Could Set A New Norm For Surveillance And Privacy | CNET
App developers are creating tools to monitor people when they shop and work, despite lacking proof that it works or has safeguards to protect your data. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people interact and fostered more concern over our health. But that shift in mindset means daily activities like going grocery shopping or simple acts like standing in an elevator will come with even more surveillance strings attached. The response by governments and the tech industry to the coronavirus outbreak has already raised many concerns about privacy from…
Read MoreWhat Is Contact Tracing? Here’s What You Need To Know About How It Could Affect Your Privacy | CBC News
For weeks, Canadians have been hearing public health officials talk about the importance of testing and tracing: Test to know who has COVID-19; trace to know who might be infected so you can test them, too. There have been significant efforts on both fronts to improve capacity. And part of that effort has taken contact tracing into the digital age. What does that involve and what does it mean for your privacy? Read full story here: What Is Contact Tracing? Here’s What You Need To Know About How It Could…
Read MoreLiberals Hasten High-Speed Broadband Access Plan In Response To Pandemic | CBC News
As more Canadians find themselves living online while stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Liberal government is accelerating its strategy to increase high-speed broadband coverage in rural Canada. A spokesperson for Rural Economic Development Minister Maryam Monsef said the government is consulting with telecommunication providers, rural municipalities and others about how best to move up plans to improve access to high-speed Internet in rural and remote communities. “The current crisis has reinforced the fact that high-speed Internet access is no longer a luxury,” said Marie-Pier Baril in a…
Read MoreCOVID-19: What Is Digital Contact Tracing And Is Canada Using It? | CTV News
TORONTO — Canadian officials are turning their attention to digital contact tracing to prevent the spread of coronavirus, a strategy experts warn may come with significant privacy concerns. Officials in Newfoundland and Labrador are the latest in Canada to suggest the use of voluntary contact tracing apps that would use cellphone data to monitor people’s movements and warn them of any contact with COVID-19 positive patients, eliminating an arduous task usually performed manually by public health departments. Citing examples from Singapore and South Korea — two countries actively engaged in…
Read MoreOil Prices Dip Into Negative Territory As Market Crashes | Roadshow
The US oil market witnessed history as the price dived under $0 a barrel for the first time as the coronavirus pandemic bites. US oil prices crashed below $0 a barrel on Monday and spiraled into negative territory for the first time ever. In a historic crash, oil futures opened at their lowest level since 1983. With hundreds of millions of people around the world staying at home to stop the spread of COVID-19, travel by car or plane is nearly nonexistent. Factor in a major lag in manufacturing and…
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