ETA Canada Travel Pass News

There is direct evidence that the pandemic has adversely affected the mental health of Canadians.

According to a report released by the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association on the 15th, life, health, and retirement-related insurance claims totaled $113 billion last year, nearly $10 billion more than in 2019.

The association believes that the main cause of the increase in claims is the deterioration of the mental health of customers.

According to the report, a total of $580 million in mental health benefits were paid out last year through individual and group health insurance benefits, a 75% increase over 2019.

Despite the growing importance of mental health-related support, some businesses are ignoring it. According to a study by Benefit Canada, which deals with workers’ pension and health benefits, only 19 percent of Canadian companies increased their support for their employees’ mental health last year, according to a study.

The Bank of Nova Scotia has increased the mental health insurance limit for eligible employees and their dependents from $3,000 to $10,000 per year. Coca-Cola Canada also expanded its mental health insurance coverage from $1,500 to $5,000 per year.

Meanwhile, some insurers are of the opinion that it is difficult to estimate the extent of the pandemic’s damage to Canadians’ mental health from the amount of claims alone.

According to a report by Sunlife Financial, the effects of large-scale disasters such as SARS and Corona on mental health are not immediate.

Police doubled the bounty for reporting a gondola cable cut in a popular Vancouver suburban tourist attraction.

The police announced on the 14th that they would raise the bounty for reporting to $500,000 when they released a late-night infrared video showing the criminal cutting the cable two years ago on the 14th.

The gondola where the incident occurred is on the peak of Mount Squamish, about an hour’s drive from Vancouver. It is a tourist attraction where you can ride a gondola to see the surrounding mountainous terrain and the coast.

The gondola cable was cut twice within a year, but the culprit is still unknown.

In August 2019, gondolas that had been suspended in the air due to cable cuts were found falling to the ground in a pile. At that time, the cable was cut sharply. It was a crime aimed at killing people.

The operator resumed operations in February 2020 after completing restoration work at a cost of 5 million dollars but reopened in May of the same year after a temporary suspension due to the corona crisis.

However, four months later, the on-site security team found the site where the cable had been cut with precision and reported it to the police.

When the same incident was repeated for the first time in a year, the police offered a bounty of $250,000 to provide clues to the investigation, but this time it was raised to $500,000.

The highest number of speeding tickets for surveillance cameras from June to July

The Toronto High Park area, famous for speeding vehicles and frequent traffic accidents, accounted for more than 10% of traffic violation tickets caught by speed cameras in June and July.

According to data released by the City of Toronto on the 6th, out of a total of 43,412 tickets issued by a total of 50 cameras installed in the city, 4,539 tickets, the most for a single camera, were issued at Parkside Drive south of Algonquin Avenue.

This straight road down the east side of High Park connects Bloor Street, Queensway, Lakeshore Boulevard, and the Gardiner Highway.

The area has been frequently cited by locals as a speeding problem, and in October of last year, a 71-year-old man and a 69-year-old woman were killed by a speeding vehicle.

First introduced by the City of Toronto in July 2020, 50 surveillance cameras are currently installed in 25 locations in the city, changing locations every few months.

The Toronto City Council recently approved 25 additional cameras, for a total of 75 cameras.

Some Canadians are arguing that Canada should become independent from the British monarchy after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

They see Canada as an opportunity to sever ties with the British royal family and transform it into a republic in which the prime minister can act as head of state.

Immigrants from Commonwealth countries have also paid tribute to the queen while criticizing the monarchy’s role in atrocities perpetrated during her past colonial rule.

Famod Chabra, president of the Indo-Canada Association, said: “I respect the Queen, but when the British Empire ruled India, it caused the deaths of many.”

Monir Hossein, chairman of the Bangladesh-Canadian Parliament, also said that “Queen Elizabeth II has made a significant contribution to the modern world” but criticized “the British Empire made Bangladesh her colony”.

Meanwhile, in a wave of her mourning over her death as Queen Elizabeth II, calls for the abolition of her monarchy are also spreading on social media and the like.

Some argue that the transition for Canada to a republic will not be easy. The reason is that the constitutional amendment process can cause national political chaos.

However, there are many cases in which a country that was part of the Commonwealth in the past changed its system to a republic. Ireland and India became republics in 1948 and 1950 respectively. As of 2022, 36 of the 56 member states of the Commonwealth are republics, more than those maintaining a constitutional monarchy like Canada.

Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away peacefully, was head of the Commonwealth throughout her reign of 70 years.

The Canadian province lacks arms and wishes to bring in qualified foreign workers or contractors. The concern is that the procedure to immigrate takes time, as evidenced by Alexandre Faure, a shoemaker who has been living in Montreal for five years.

150,000 is the estimated amount of French people living in Montreal, making it the first tricolor community outside Europe. Several thousand newcomers come to swell these troops each year, attracted by the wide-open spaces offered by Quebec. Alexandre Faure settled with his partner five years ago in Montreal. They have just completed their immigration procedures. “With hindsight, I would say it’s easy, he says, but when we were in the basic visa renewal stages, it was always difficult times, there is uncertainty. We can’t land in Quebec, say we settle here, then it’s settled!”

Working alone, Alexandre Faure, 29, has no recruitment problem, but this is not the case for his partner who is really struggling to find employees in the pet store she runs. “She is constantly looking for new people and it is almost her daily job to recruit, he testifies. Even without Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine, the labor shortage in Canada has always been a reality, much more than in France, but it is also what allowed us to arrive and then to make a place for ourselves by showing that we wanted to work and that we worked seriously, in the French way.”

Canada appears to have made little progress on workplace safety in recent years. For example: no less than 12 work-related fatalities have occurred since 2014 at Suncor’s oil sands facilities, a total that surpasses all of its competitors. This poor record is one of the reasons for the resignation of CEO Mark Little last month. Interim chief executive Kris Sims acknowledged last month that the company knows it needs to improve its safety record.

The time to do this has come, he said. He gave no specifics. However, Sims said Suncor plans to announce those intentions at an investor presentation this fall. “Suncor, a large company, constantly seeks to improve quality control and its methods, but there are still reports of tragedies there, underlines Shirley Hickman, general manager of a support organization for the families of the victims. What’s happening in the smaller companies that don’t have the same resources as Suncor? We are raising more and more awareness about workplace safety, so what is the missing piece of the puzzle?”

In 2008, 1,035 people died on the job, according to data from the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada. Since then, the annual average of deaths related to an accident at work or an occupational disease is 945. The exact annual number fluctuates slightly. The toll has not declined significantly, even though Canadian laws are among the strictest in the developed world, experts say. “I often hear people say that because of new technologies, this data should be decreasing, but it is not the case, notes Alyssa Grocutt, doctoral student at Queen’s University.

When we look at them, we find that the balance sheet is stable or increasing.” His father died in a 2008 work accident at Suncor Energy facilities in northern Alberta. She studies the consequences of fatal work accidents on relatives and colleagues. Ms Hickman also lost a loved one to a work accident. His son Tim was killed by an explosion in an amphitheater. According to her, many companies have difficulty incorporating safety into the work culture.

While many have written protocols, employees often prefer to take shortcuts. A worker who sees something that could affect their safety should feel free to notify their supervisor, but many hesitate for fear of being taken for a complainer, she laments. “If we don’t listen to them, they should have enough self-confidence not to do this task, or even to walk away even if it’s difficult to do,” adds Ms. Hickman. Calgary’s Wynny Silito wants people to be more aware of the impact of a workplace accident.

This injured worker still suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, more than 11 years after being exposed to a chemical that burned her upper body. “You don’t need to lose a limb to see your life change forever,” she says.

Fresh out of the paint shop, Air Canada’s first Boeing 767F sports a new livery like that of passenger aircraft. The Canadian national carrier’s fleet of cargo planes adopts an “all new look”, “inspired by Air Canada’s unique and timeless black, white, and red livery” launched in 2017.

The aircraft unveiled on August 19, 2022, registered C-GXHM, is one of two original 767-300Fs ordered in the spring, delivered to Air Canada earlier this summer, and scheduled to enter service in 2023. These two aircraft are in addition to the eight 767-300ER-BDFS expected, including two already in service at Toronto-Pearson airport which already operate flights between North America, Europe, and Latin America.

The Boeing 767F will offer four different main deck configurations. The overall cargo carrying capacity of the aircraft is around 58 tons, or 438 cubic meters; approximately 75% of this capacity is on the main deck. In addition to the space available on the latter, the new aircraft has temperature control devices in the hold and a wider rear hold door allowing the loading of pallets. Air Canada also recently announced the acquisition of two 777Fs, which will enter service in 2024. combining passenger network and all-cargo network in North America”.

“Seeing the livery come to life on one of our aircraft is a special moment for everyone at Air Canada, but especially for everyone who works at Air Canada Cargo,” said Jason Berry, vice -President – Cargo, Air Canada. “Our fleet of cargo aircraft, which serve high-demand trade corridors around the world, now proudly wears our brand colors. I can’t wait to see the livery racing across the sky soon.”

The cargo aircraft complement the extensive network of passenger aircraft offering cargo hold capacity, while giving Air Canada Cargo “increased capacity to transport cargo such as automotive and aerospace parts, oil and gas equipment, pharmaceuticals and perishables. In addition, Air Canada Cargo can meet the growing demand for fast and reliable shipments for e-commerce goods.

Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Tuesday a series of new sanctions against senior Russian officials as well as aid for Ukraine. This announcement was made on the sidelines of Justin Trudeau’s participation in the Virtual Summit of Heads of State and Government of the International Platform for Crimea.

New measures were imposed by Canada on close associates of the Russian regime. The new sanctions have been introduced to increase the pressure on Russia’s regime and to target “senior Russian government officials, including Russian federal governors and regional heads, their family members and senior officials of Russian government entities. defense sector currently subject to sanctions”.

Justin Trudeau also announced support for the government and people of Ukraine, including “awarding $3.85 million in funding to support two Ukrainian projects as part of of the Stabilization and Peace Operations Program”. This funding, the statement said, “will provide additional support to security sector institutions in Ukraine”.

Trudeau, who was participating in this Virtual Summit alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who is currently visiting Canada, reiterated his “unwavering support for Ukraine and his solidarity with Ukrainians, who continue to courageously and resiliently defend their sovereignty. Their territorial integrity and their independence against the illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Russia”. Since the outbreak of the Russian war in Ukraine on February 24, Canada has been one of the member states of the G7 and NATO that has supported Ukraine the most financially, militarily, and politically, while inflicting severe sanctions on Russia.

Blackpink will take over Canada this fall.  Fans call for change of location.

At the BORN PINK WORLD TOUR performance, which starts in October this year and continues until June next year, Blackpink will pass through Atlanta, take Hamilton, and then move on to Chicago.

They chose Hamilton, the only place in Canada from November 6th to 7th. The exact venue and ticket price information has not been released yet.

However, most fans do not understand that the venue is Hamilton, not a major international city. They urged that the location be changed to Toronto.

Markham resident Kim, who has 15 children, said, “Her daughter likes Blackpink, so I tried to send her to a Canadian gig as much as possible, but she’s worried that it’s held in the small town of Hamilton. It’s not far, but it’s not close either,” she said.

On the other hand, some fans welcome the event in Ontario.

“The location doesn’t matter. Kim Kym, a longtime fan who said, “It is important that it be held in Onju” predicted that “regardless of the venue, the concert tickets will definitely be sold out.”

Blackpink, composed of Jisoo, Jenny, Rosé, and Lisa, is a Korean multinational girl group that debuted in 2016 and has since collaborated with several international artists such as Lady Gaga.

Despite the unprecedented pandemic, the profits of universities across the country have increased.

Surpluses of more than $7 billion in the 2020-2021 fiscal year have been reported by Universities throughout Canada.

According to a report from the National Statistical Office released on the 10th, these universities quickly switched classes to online learning during the outbreak of the corona virus and showed higher-than-expected results despite a decrease in the number of international students and dormitory registrations and campus closures.

The biggest sources of income for universities were local government subsidies and tuition. However, return on investment in stocks and real estate reached $5.4 billion, a significant increase from the previous year ($44.3 million). Financial experts estimate that universities have benefited greatly from the stock market rebound in 2021.

During the two-year pandemic, declining enrollment and increased spending on public health measures have been a major concern for universities. Despite these concerns, however, the report said imports rose 12.8% year-on-year to $46.3 billion, while spending fell 3.8% year-on-year to $39 billion, resulting in a total surplus of $7.3 billion.

The University of Toronto reported its revenues in 2020 had increased by 10% over the previous year. Of this, about 50% came from student tuition and fees, and other major sources of income were local government subsidies (18%), investment income, donations, and research subsidies.

On the other hand, universities have been able to significantly reduce campus operating costs through distance learning during the pandemic, but these costs are expected to rise again as face-to-face classes resume after the coronavirus restrictions are lifted. “It will be very costly to get students back to campus,” said Sue Wottel, president of the Association of Ontario University Teachers.