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The rise and fall of Canada’s domestic PPE market

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:31:43 GMT

Most Canadian businesses that answered federal and provincial calls during the pandemic to build up a domestic sector for personal protective equipment have collapsed.The association that represents Canadian PPE companies says 90 per cent of those businesses have been forced to close or pivot to other industries because the federal government and Ontario have given contracts to a massive American company and a Quebec operation. “We’ve got an industry that is just running on fumes,” Barry Hunt, the president of the Canadian Association of PPE Manufacturers, said in an interview.“Most of them are out of business and the ones that aren’t out of business are going out of business quickly.”A major issue, Hunt said, is large PPE orders the federal and Ontario governments placed with American company 3M, which has a facility in Brockville, Ont., and Quebec-based Medicom. Hospitals – who buy as larger groups – have also shut out domestic PPE suppliers, he...

Temporary closure of Iqaluit centre highlights need to address food insecurity

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:31:43 GMT

IQALUIT, Nunavut — The executive director of a Nunavut food charity says there’s a need to address the root causes of food insecurity after 500 people in the territorial capital went without a daily meal for a week. The Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre provides a hot lunch on weekdays in Iqaluit, home to nearly 8,000 people. It was forced to temporarily close after the building ran out of fuel in late February, resulting in burst frozen pipes and other damage. Executive director Rachel Blais said centre staff distributed food hampers twice that week, but the closure prevented them from serving about 2,500 meals.“It goes to show the vulnerabilities of the community when such a significant portion of the population is reliant on one single charity,” she said.“We can’t continue to rely on food banks and food charities like Qajuqturvik to provide something as basic as food for such a significant portion of the population.” Nunavut has some of the hig...

Some federal public servants get remote-work extension as others face deadline

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:31:43 GMT

OTTAWA — Some federal government workers will be able to continue remote work for another year, as most face a March 31 deadline to return to the office at least two days a week. A spokesperson for Treasury Board President Mona Fortier says the government will take another year to “assess the benefits” of remote work for call centres at the Canada Revenue Agency and the departments of Immigration and Employment and Social Development.The Procurement Department’s pay centre will also work from home for another year, along with adjudicators for the Immigration and Refugee Board. In December, Fortier announced that all departments would be mandated back to the office at least two days a week to address inconsistencies across the public service. A union representing over 72,000 public servants says they have been told the extensions were needed because of retention and recruitment issues. The president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada says ...

Daily horoscope for March 16, 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:31:43 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Capricorn.Happy Birthday for Thursday, March 16, 2023:You are intelligent, curious, insightful and also psychic. It’s important to you to stay balanced in this life. This year is a wonderful year when you will get recognition for your efforts and your work. You will get a promotion, an award or some kind of acknowledgement or kudos.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★“Hold the phone!” Think twice before you reply to anyone today, because people are quick to take offense and ready to throw back a zinger. This is because people are irritable and a tad grumpy today. Some are just looking for an excuse to fight. Tonight: Seek solitude.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★Be patient today so you will have no regrets. This is because it’s easy to suddenly squabble with a friend or a member of a group. If you get embroiled in an adversarial discussion, it might be hard to mend bridges later...

InvestEU supports sustainable transport in Italy: €3.4 billion to modernize the Palermo-Catania railway line

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:31:43 GMT

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved €2.1 billion to modernise 178 km of the Palermo-Catania railway line in Italy. This will reduce current travel times by a third, linking the two cities with a direct two-hour rail service for freight and passenger trains, with a significant positive impact on economic and social development and sustainable mobility in Sicily. The infrastructure is part of the Scandinavia-Mediterranean Corridor of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).The operation is divided into a direct €800 million loan by the EIB to the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance and a €1.3bn counter-guarantee by the EIB, designed with Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, in favour of the financial intermediaries Intesa Sanpaolo and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti. The €1.3bn counter-guarantee is backed by the InvestEU programme and enables the guarantees to be doubled to €2.6bn. When added to the financing granted to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, this brings the val...

Miss Manners: Was it improper how the bride announced the news?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:31:43 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My niece was recently married for the second time, and as she had a formal wedding the first time, she chose to have a small, intimate ceremony in her garden this time. She invited her parents and her brother, but no other family members.This seems reasonable for a second marriage. However, I found out about her wedding through a neighbor, who saw it online. I called her to congratulate her, and she said that she hoped to have a reception sometime in the future, to which extended family would be invited.I don’t know what to expect. Should I sign up for the social media platform on which my neighbor saw the news, just in case she announces the reception in the same way she announced the wedding? Is there a kinder way to announce a wedding to which very few were invited, and to extend an invitation to a future reception?GENTLE READER: The problem with your niece’s modest (and, as both you and Miss Manners agree, praiseworthy) approach to sharing her good...

Bad luck or poor defense? The Warriors’ 3-point issue is a trend worth watching

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:31:43 GMT

Coach Steve Kerr and Draymond Green, in particular, blame the Warriors’ road woes this season to a lack of defensive effort. But effort was no issue in their loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.“That game felt right out there tonight,” Kerr said. “Doesn’t mean we always made the right play, but it’s a game of mistakes. I felt like we really competed and gave ourselves a chance. Clippers were too good tonight.”The Warriors made fewer missed rotation and miscommunication blunders this day in LA than in their previous road losses — of which they now have 27 with a nine-game losing streak away from home.But as the sample size grows, a more obvious trend has emerged.“The biggest thing, when you look at the numbers, is 3-point defense at home is dramatically better than it is on the road,” Kerr said after the Warriors’ home win against Phoenix.It’s true: Where opponents shoot 40.7% on 3-pointers on their hom...

Dear Abby: His family doesn’t know we’ve been sneaking around

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:31:43 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My niece’s mother-in-law of 32 years, “Helen,” died seven months ago. I have been quietly seeing her widowed husband for about three months now.For a long time, “Wayne” and I knew each other only casually. After Helen’s death, my niece, her husband and their children went on vacation because Helen’s illness had been a long, drawn-out ordeal. I was tasked with giving Wayne a nightly call to check on him, which I did. We realized we had a lot in common and, as they say, the rest is history.The problem is telling his children and grandchildren. He and Helen were married 59 years but didn’t have a happy marriage for the last 23. Should we tell them or continue keeping it a secret?UNEXPECTED LOVE IN THE EASTDEAR UNEXPECTED: Although you have no reason to be sneaking around, in my opinion you should stay quiet for another few months — until it has been a year since Helen’s passing. At that point, Wayne should tell the ...

San Diego State Aztecs play the Charleston (SC) Cougars in first round of NCAA Tournament

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:31:43 GMT

Charleston (SC) Cougars (31-3, 16-2 CAA) vs. San Diego State Aztecs (27-6, 15-3 MWC)Orlando, Florida; Thursday, 3:10 p.m. EDTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: San Diego State -5; over/under is 141.5BOTTOM LINE: The No. 18 San Diego State Aztecs play in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament against the Charleston (SC) Cougars.The Aztecs have gone 15-3 against MWC opponents, with a 12-3 record in non-conference play. San Diego State is 5-0 in games decided by less than 4 points.The Cougars’ record in CAA games is 16-2. Charleston (SC) averages 11.7 turnovers per game and is 3-0 when winning the turnover battle.TOP PERFORMERS: Matt Bradley is scoring 12.9 points per game with 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the Aztecs. Jaedon LeDee is averaging 9.8 points and 5.2 rebounds over the last 10 games for San Diego State.Dalton Bolon is averaging 12.4 points for the Cougars. Ante Brzovic is averaging 13.8 points and 7.4 rebounds over the last 10 games for Charleston (SC).LAST 10 GAMES: Aztec...

Police investigating shooting on I-95 in Fort Lauderdale

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:31:43 GMT

An investigation is currently underway in Fort Lauderdale after a shooting took place on Interstate 95 at Broward Boulevard following reports of shots fired received by authorities just after midnight, Thursday. Live video footage revealed a white car on the side of the highway that had been riddled with bullets.The driver of the vehicle was rushed to a local hospital after being trauma alerted; their current condition is unknown. Officials from the Florida Highway Patrol and the Broward Sheriff’s Office were both on the scene conducting their investigation, which caused northbound lane closures for several hours before the expressway was reopened to traffic.Details surrounding the shooting incident are limited and authorities are yet to release any further information on what led to the incident or if any arrests have been made. If you have any information on this crime, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may...