Many municipalities don’t have evacuation plans in place
As natural disasters like fire, extreme heatwaves and flooding are on the rise globally due to a changing climate, cities are looking at how they can be better prepared. According to Stephen Wong, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Alberta, many communities lack clear evacuation plans, and communication to residents is inconsistent across jurisdictions.…
New graduate certificate program in climate change and health will prepare students to find solutions
Agricultural policy-makers, wastewater treatment engineers, crisis counsellors and allergists all have something in common, although they may not realize it. Whether it’s planning for food that isn’t as nutritious as it used to be, preventing new waterborne illnesses from infiltrating the water supply, treating traumatized residents returning after an emergency evacuation or helping patients with…
Good judgment on Canada’s streets and highways has gone the way of the dinosaur
I planned to write about a different issue this week but had a sudden change in plans, thanks to the (ahem) ‘expertise’ of Toronto drivers. Some of them, anyway. After a massive snowstorm last week, the city was hit with another five to 10 cm of snow on Monday. Far less than what we faced…
Elaine Hyshka one of three U of A researchers to join the ranks of renewed Canada Research Chairs
Hospitals aren’t better equipped to help those struggling with a substance use disorder because of ongoing stigma in health care, according to a University of Alberta public health researcher who suggests the pandemic has underscored the need for change. “Even though we have a wide range of very effective interventions for reducing the risk of…
The never-ending stream of government flip-flops in policy and strategy must end
The year is only a few days old but some Canadians are ready to kick 2022 to the curb. The reason is a new wave of COVID-19 restrictions imposed due to the spread of the Omicron variant. Quebec was the first province to experience a significant increase in daily cases. Premier Francois Legault announced a…
The world’s eight most extreme wildfire weather years have occurred in the last decade, according to a new study that suggests extreme fire weather is being driven by a decrease in atmospheric humidity coupled with rising temperatures. “Extreme conditions drive the world’s fire activity,” said former University of Alberta wildfire expert Michael Flannigan, who conducted…
The unvaccinated don’t seem to get that life is a team sport, not a me sport
Aaron Rodgers has every right to hold whatever thoughts and beliefs he might have about COVID-19 and vaccines. But that freedom ends when his actions have a negative – or potentially negative – health impact on others. What the unvaccinated don’t seem to get is that this game called life we’re all playing is a…
Heat and methylene blue decontaminate N95 respirators, surgical masks without affecting performance
An international study involving University of Alberta researchers has revealed two effective ways to sterilize disposable masks, potentially allowing them to be reused by health-care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in areas with limited resources. The study, led out of the University of Colorado and involving an international consortium of researchers, offers health authorities clear…
Unvaccinated NBA star won’t be welcomed back to the Nets until he’s fully able to participate in all team activities
The Brooklyn Nets have said thanks but no thanks to Kyrie Irving’s offer to be a part-time player for their National Basketball Association team. Due to public safety concerns regarding the pandemic, the unvaccinated Irving won’t be allowed to play games in New York. According to the city mandate, anyone entering an indoor gym/arena –…
National Overdose Response Service provides safety, dignity and support to drug users anywhere in Canada
COVID-19 social isolation is one of the main causes of Canada’s overdose epidemic. Each day there are up to 17 overdoses in Canada and two to four in Alberta. The vast majority of overdoses occur when people use alone. Monty Ghosh, a physician and assistant professor at the University of Alberta and the University of…
Less of an officer's time should be spent on functions that don’t involve protecting the public
Rising crime rates have required Canadian police forces to reconcile managing their budgets with fighting crime. It’s not an easy balance to strike. Yet there is a simple way to save hundreds of millions of dollars: re-think the division of labour for police. Modern police officers receive extensive training to carry out tasks requiring an…
Harassment such as that experienced by Rempel Garner and Trudeau must be immediately condemned
Canada’s federal election campaign just passed the two-week mark. Alas, we’ve already witnessed an invasion of the privacy of some politicians in public and private spaces. There was the Aug. 27 disruption of a Liberal rally in Bolton, Ont. Dozens of protesters, ranging from government critics to opponents of COVID-19 masks and vaccine passports, yelled…
Ensuring access to safe drinking water isn’t simple. It may require guidance and even intervention by the federal government
Self-determination for Indigenous communities can prevent meeting certain standards or goals, especially if the federal government takes a hands-off approach. This can be the problem when it comes to ensuring all First Nations have access to safe drinking water, which isn’t a simple matter. It has never been only about providing the necessary funds (whatever…
A cure should never be worse than the disease and when regulators don’t do due diligence, that’s the very thing that can happen
Can we trust our government and medical establishment? Not entirely. Some glimpses of Health Canada’s approach to prescription drug safety are less than assuring. Public policy should be guided towards more drug safety, not less. Health Canada was solely funded by taxpayers until 1994 when it began to issue user fees to companies that wanted…
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said he would never reinstate the gun registry, nor would any Canadian government disarm the people. His legislative track record says otherwise. On Sept. 22, 2010, Trudeau – then just a backbencher MP in opposition – voted against a private member’s bill to remove rifles from the federal gun registry.…
As natural disasters like fire, extreme heatwaves and flooding are on the rise globally due to a changing climate, cities are looking at how they can be better prepared. According to Stephen Wong, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Alberta, many communities lack clear evacuation plans, and communication to residents is inconsistent across jurisdictions.…
