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Heather Scoffield: Reopening too quickly will cause sickness and death — and that’s not all

Sep 15, 2022 , , , , by shlf

The economic grind of the second wave is coming into sharp focus.

But so is the folly of a hasty reopening in the hopes of lightening the load.

On Friday, the latest job numbers from Statistics Canada showed that the rapid rebounds in the labour market over the course of the first reopening this summer have slowed remarkably.

Employment expanded by just 0.5 per cent in October, a meagre increase compared to the 2.7 per cent average monthly expansions we’ve seen since May. It’s not nothing. But it’s clear that the second wave of the virus has begun to take its toll on the recovery, and parts of the labour market have balked.

About 150,000 people retreated from their workplaces and sought shelter in their home offices again. Another 48,000 people working in accommodation and food services lost their jobs, especially in Quebec — reflecting the fact that the second wave is hitting that province harder than elsewhere, and that hotels, restaurants and bars are on the front lines of new restrictions there.

More concerning for our recovery prospects, the mass of people who have been without jobs for at least six months is climbing, spiking at record rates. Long-term unemployment rose by 35 per cent in September and 51 per cent in October. There are now — a quarter of all those who are out of a job.

That’s especially worrisome because staying out of the workforce for long periods often means that skills atrophy and prospects for finding a good job diminish, permanently damaging the ability of companies to find the workers they need to keep producing, and for workers to find the wages they need to pay the bills.

The combination of long-term corrosion with the repeated cycle of short-term restrictions pushes a full recovery further down the road.

At least this time, there isn’t a full shutdown, at least not yet. But with pressure mounting on local public health authorities and premiers alike to let businesses get back to work, there’s no guarantee we won’t be there soon.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had some ominous words on that front on Friday. He pointed to the cautionary tale of the United Kingdom, where political leaders gave in to the pressure to restart the economy before COVID-19 was fully under control. As a result, coronavirus cases exploded, and it’s now back in full lockdown. Its efforts to boost the economy actually did more harm, setting back its path to recovery substantially.

“We’re not going to do that,” Trudeau said.

But in some parts of the country, we may be in the midst of doing exactly that.

The number of new cases topped 1,000 in both Ontario and Quebec on Friday, a day after Premier Doug Ford rolled out a budget meant to stimulate the economy back to life. He’s also easing some restrictions starting this weekend, much to the dismay of some public health experts and authorities.

In Montreal, local authorities have pushed for fewer restrictions, but Premier François Legault has resisted.

Across the country, it’s clear that business is getting antsy, and is lobbying hard for both a better, more surgical control of contagion and a simultaneous reopening. Of course, any responsible politician would hear their cry, and the troubling labour market weighs on the minds of business and government alike.

But that combination of controlling the contagion and reopening business just doesn’t seem possible right now. Without wide distribution and easy access to rapid testing and contact tracing, brash reopening invites more COVID-19 cases, which in turn leads to another round of closures.

This destructive and often confusion-inducing tug-of-war shouldn’t have to happen.

Trudeau points to supports the federal government has recently put in place to ensure that any business hit by a localized closure will get extra rent subsidies, as well as the now-standard access to wage subsidies and business loans that are readily available to companies on the brink.

They should be able to weather more pandemic restrictions even if it’s not their first choice, the federal government believes, and their long-term prosperity depends on it.

But that message gets lost in the day-to-day fear in the bills coming due, the lack of confidence that federal and provincial support is adequate, and the deep drive to get back to work, back to business.

It looks like the federal government can afford to stifle those instincts with generous, well-timed support, according to . As long as Ottawa removes its subsidies when the pandemic winds down, the deficits it has bulked up during the crisis are big but manageable.

From day one, Trudeau and his cabinet have repeated like a mantra that control of the pandemic is a prerequisite for economic recovery. Shortcuts will backfire.

But to put make those words meaningful, authorities at all levels need to buy in to the wisdom behind them — with enough restrictions to keep the pandemic under control and enough money to keep business and labour whole.

Heather Scoffield is the Star’s Ottawa bureau chief and an economics columnist. Follow her on Twitter:

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‘Climbed into the back seat’: Beeton residents say council handed keys to developer, province by supporting special zoning order

Jun 1, 2022 , , , , by shlf

Longtime Beeton resident Niall Lawlor admits he was excited when he first heard about a proposal to bring more affordable housing for seniors to the community, but those feelings quickly faded as he started digging through the details.

Instead of going through the normal planning approval process at the local level, the developer is seeking a minister’s zoning order (MZO), a lever the province can pull to fast-track developments without having to seek input from the public.

FLATO did not respond to Simcoe.com’s requests for comment.

The developer has said the community would be geared toward seniors and provide attainable housing with five apartment buildings, comprised of 400 rental units total, plus 173 townhomes, 40 semi-detached units and 297 single-detached homes.

Council, which voted 7-3 in favour of the request, has directed staff to come up with a list of conditions to send to the province in its letter of support – a move that seems backwards to Lawlor.

“It is like trying to stop the bulldozer after gassing it up and handing the keys to the driver,” he said.

He thinks Simcoe County, not a private developer, is the only partner the town should be working with in order to bring true affordable housing to the area.

Lawlor looked into an adult lifestyle community FLATO built in Dundalk, where rent for a studio apartment goes for $1,545 per month, a one-bedroom is $1,745 and a two-bedroom costs $2,045.

Deputy Mayor Richard Norcross, one of the most vocal proponents of the request, pointed out how local organizations like the food bank and Out of the Cold shelter in Alliston have said more affordable housing would alleviate the pressures they are facing. He also argued that the province would make a ruling regardless of the municipality’s decision.

Norcross, who previously served as Beeton’s councillor, has asked for the zoning order to require the development be used for seniors housing, and for a demographic study to be completed early on to determine who is living there.

Beeton Coun. Stephanie MacLellan, who opposed the request along with councillors Michael Beattie and Shira Harrison McIntyre, questioned why the developer wasn’t interested in trying to get the plan approved at the local level, and why council wasn’t taking more time to consider the proposal.

MacLellan also noted that there have been no previous cases of MZOs being approved without the local council’s support, and a spokesperson for the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing reinforced this.

“Only if the municipality supports the project and sends a request for an MZO will the minister then consider the proposal,” wrote spokesperson Conrad Spezowka. “It is under the minister’s sole discretion whether to make a Minister’s Zoning Order or not.”

The town report on which council based its decision did not include such clear language about the role the municipality plays in the approval process, noting only that the minister “would consider any comments that council wishes to provide before such a decision is rendered.”

The report does say the approval of an MZO is at the “sole discretion of the minister” and is “typically used when local and provincial priorities align.”

Resident Nicole Cox said this decision has also created uncertainly for Tottenham’s future water supply and whether the pipeline extension will still be able to supply both communities.

The town’s director of engineering has said insufficient information has been presented thus far to address this concern.

Cox also echoed comments from the town’s director of planning regarding the town’s inability to guarantee this development remains exclusive to seniors.

“We have no tools or controls within our municipality that permit for discriminating toward those having the ability to purchase homes within the development,” she said.

Resident Barbara Huson criticized council’s decision in an open letter.

She referenced comments from the City of Barrie, which describes the MZO process as essentially “an end-run on local planning and transparent decisions that are made in the public interest.”

She said previous planning documents, studies and master plans that were developed with input from residents have been “rendered useless” with this single decision.

She said the proposal ignores one of the requirements in the official plan, which states no new development be approved outside the current settlement boundary until the master drainage plan is completed. The first phase of the study was recently completed, but there are still two more phases to go.

There are many other aspects of this proposal that worry her, including the fact that the homes would be located 500 metres from Beeton’s border and 2.25 kilometres away from the Foodland plaza where most residents do their shopping. The development would also be separated from the rest of the community by the Beeton Creek and floodplain.

The developer has proposed building a sidewalk along County Road 1, but it’s unknown if this is even possible since it would have to run parallel to a busy highway.

Huson was also alarmed by the traffic study, which estimates daily vehicle trips would triple from 4,500 to 12,243 once fully built out.

In her view, council essentially “handed off the keys” to planning and growth decisions to a developer and the province, while councillors “naively climbed into the back seat to see where the ride would take them.”

Resident Carolyn Milne called the decision “heartbreaking,” and said council has opened the door for more developers looking to do the same.

Since this decision was made, . Two of the applications will be discussed at the Nov. 2 council meeting.

STORY BEHIND THE STORY: After reporting on council’s controversial decision to support FLATO’s zoning request for a mega-development in Beeton, Simcoe.com asked residents to share their opinions.

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Ten Canada Post staff working in Barrie have tested positive for COVID-19 this month

Nov 25, 2021 , , , , by shlf

Through rain, sleet or snow. And even COVID-19, apparently.

Canada Post has confirmed to Simcoe.com that 10 employees working out of its Morrow Road distribution centre in Barrie have tested positive for the virus since Dec. 1.

“Throughout the COVID-19 response, Canada Post has worked with and followed the guidance of public health officials across the country,” spokesperson Valérie Chartrand said. “Our goal since March has been to protect the safety of our people and the people we serve as we maintain an essential service. Our employees follow physical distancing protocols, wear mandatory face coverings and follow other safety measures. We understand, however, that this is a concerning time for employees, especially when we communicate that a work colleague has tested positive.”

In each case, the postal service says, it has followed the direction and advice of the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. It has also supported the health unit’s contact-tracing efforts and ensured appropriate sanitization is being conducted within the facility.

“Given our safety and sanitization protocols in place, they have deemed it to be low risk of transmission in the workplace,” Chartrand said. “Health officials have been in communication with us to understand what we are doing in our facility, (and) reviewed our safety and sanitization protocols. We are following any further direction they may have.”

Mail and parcel processing continues to operate “safely” during one of the busiest times of the year, she said.

“Contingency plans are in place to keep pace as best as possible,” Chartrand said.

Health unit medical officer of health Dr. Charles Gardner declined to comment on the matter during a teleconference with reporters Dec. 8.

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‘It’s been quite searing’: John Tory on being Toronto’s pandemic mayor, Dr. Eileen de Villa — and whether he’ll run again

Nov 2, 2021 , , , , by shlf

John Tory is entering the back half of his second term as Toronto mayor consumed with an enemy that didn’t even exist one year ago.

We talked to him about how has changed his job and if seeking a third term is a possibility.

How has the pandemic changed what you do day-to-day as mayor?

Tory: I’m doing a lot of events virtually, which is a very big difference. But it’s actually proven to be quite useful as a means of being more open to people. If you are disabled, or a senior person or whatever, and you had access to the internet, you can be part of these public meetings. I’ve done town halls, I’ve done statutorily required public meetings, for developments and for different things.

You’re known for a long work day. Has the pandemic made it longer?

Tory: The emergency response has given me extensive additional responsibilities and extra dealings with other governments — I did so on routine things but now also on emergency stuff. So being mayor has really become two jobs. I say that without complaint. It’s just more difficult to do two jobs, whereas you were doing one before. The pressure of the second job — in context of the immediacy of decisions the consequences of them for people — it’s not lost on you when you’re sitting trying to make those decisions.

Decisions you make with Dr. Eileen de Villa, the city’s public health chief, literally spell life and death for people.

Tory: Back in March on a Saturday morning about six of us got a presentation from Dr. de Villa on projections for (COVID-19) and there was the case, if we did nothing how many would die, and I think the median number was 8,000 people in the city of Toronto, between then and the end of the year, and it ranged up as high as 10,000. If somebody told you that many people were going to die in Toronto, short of an explosion of some kind or a terrible earthquake — I was just stumped … When I wake up, the first news I hear is at 5 a.m. and when I hear about a tragic death from COVID-19 or anything else, you take it very personally, not that you could have stopped it, but you do think ‘If only we’d done this, or done that.’ You really don’t want anyone to come to any bad results in the city. So it’s been quite searing in that respect, as I think it would be for any human being.

Normally you are making decisions with other politicians. What is your decision-making process with de Villa?

We’ve operated very much in a collegial way. I think you’ve seen that I’ve been on the same page as her pretty much every day. There are some times we work to get to that place, just because I might have a different going-in opinion, just based on what I think is best for the city or what I think the public would accept. We’ve worked extremely well to come to what I think is the right place. She relies on me, to some extent, I think it’s fair to say, to help deal with other governments while she deals with her counterparts.

Hopefully, the pandemic will be behind us as you near the end of your second term in 2022. Are you more likely now than a year ago to seek a third term?

I haven’t had time to think about it. I think you have to ask yourself that question first — above anything else — what do you want to do with your own life? The second question is, ‘What about your family?’ The third thing is ‘Is it going to be in the best interest of the city for you to try to stay?’ I am nowhere near ready to retire — the structure of work for me is something that I value — the challenge — and I still have a huge desire to give back. I have nothing much left to prove to myself. If anything, it’s that I’d like to be a better husband, father and grandfather than I’ve been able to do in this job.

Many people say your wife Barb Hackett will be the deciding factor, her opinion and the state of her autoimmune nerve disorder.

Tory: Luckily, her health now is great. But her views will count for everything. We’re both the same age (66). So you ask yourself ‘Well, how do you want to spend your years?’ Because (being mayor) is a four-year term. But we have not had that discussion — it just isn’t time yet.

This interview was edited for brevity and clarity.

David Rider is the Star’s City Hall bureau chief and a reporter covering city hall and municipal politics. Follow him on Twitter:

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Peel police break up 60-person party at Mississauga Airbnb, issuing more than $45,000 in fines

Oct 29, 2021 , , , , by shlf

Peel Police and bylaw officers broke up a gathering of about 60 people inside a Mississauga Airbnb early Sunday morning, issuing $45,000 in fines to the hosts and party-goers.

“The incident took place in the city’s area,” Peel Police Media Officer Kyle Villers told the Star.

“Bylaw officers reached the Airbnb unit first and individuals were subsequently found fleeing when police arrived at the scene,” he added.

Deputy Peel Police Chief Marc Andrews tweeted that two “part-3” summons were handed out to the hosts, each entailing a minimum fine of $10,000. Additionally, 27 individuals were fined $880 each for violating continued regulations under the .

Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie said she was “very disappointed” to hear about the large house party and that she’s been telling people for weeks to stay home and only leave their residence for essential trips.

“Everyone has to play their part to get this virus under control. With numbers as high as they are, people must remain vigilant,” Crombie said in a written statement. “The virus right now is controlling us, we’re not controlling the virus. These charges and tickets send a strong signal to the community that we are taking the situation extremely seriously and will not hesitate to enforce the rules.”

Airbnb told the Star that the party was unauthorized at the short-term rental, and that the owner was unaware of the large gathering.

“Airbnb bans parties, and the reported behaviour is outrageous,” the company wrote in an email. “We are in touch with Mississauga officials to offer our support and have deactivated the listing as we investigate further.”

Via Twitter, Andrews said that “it’s a tough time for everyone, these antics help no one.”

Akrit Michael is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star’s radio room in Toronto. Reach him via email:

Libaan Osman is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star’s radio room in Toronto. Reach him via email:

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Barrie youth receives heritage junior conservationist award

Oct 26, 2021 , , , , by shlf

Carson Forgrave, a member of the Barrie District Hunters and Anglers Conservation Club’s youth group, is this year’s recipient of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) heritage junior conservationist award.

In 2019, Carson won the OFAH Zone H junior conservationist award. His name and his submission was then sent on to OFAH head office, along with other applicants from clubs across the province. From all these hardworking and deserving youths, Carson was chosen as the winner.

The award is usually presented at the OFAH annual conference, which was postponed this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The honour of presenting this award instead fell to OFAH chairman, and proud grandfather, Wayne Forgrave.

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Bruce Arthur: With COVID-19, pushing to reopen too soon is a loser’s bargain

Oct 7, 2021 , , , , by shlf

I hope Doug Ford misspoke. It happens, when you hold a daily press conference for seven months. Because otherwise, on Friday, the premier may have chosen a path.

“Based on the latest evidence, based on what I am seeing in the modelling, I have asked our public health experts to come back next with a plan to begin to ease restrictions in a way that will safely allow businesses to start opening back up after the 28-day period is over,” said Ford, on the hot spots of Toronto, Ottawa and Peel, which have been in Stage 2 restrictions since Oct. 9. “I want the health officials to come up with a plan that lets business operate safely, because we don’t know how long this virus will be with us, but my friends, what we do know is together, we’re going to get through this.”

The engine light blinked yellow on that statement, and maybe red. Of course we want to reopen safely. Everyone wants that.

But the definition of safely is the issue. On Wednesday Ford said “we see the curve going down, which is great news,” but Thursday the government’s public health presentation said the rate of case increases had merely slowed, and that Ontario would only exceed ICU capacity in one of three scenarios, having avoided the worst case.

How could that spur talk of reopening? Twice Friday, Ford was asked what about the data indicated reopening would be warranted; twice, he dodged the question. He kept comparing Ontario to the rest of the world, which when you are jammed between Quebec, Canada’s-worst pandemic, Manitoba’s emerging disaster, and the tragic grease fire of the United States, offers many low bars. Ford was asked, if his much-maligned science and public health advisers come back and say it’s a bad idea — and only Ottawa has shown a per-capita case drop in the last three weeks, and remains high — will he follow their advice?

“Well, anything’s possible,” said Ford. “Again, I’m going to rely on the data and the advice from the health team, but this can’t go on indefinitely. You know, again, one doesn’t work without the other. Without your health, you don’t have the economy. And if the economy goes south, then there’s a lot of people with health issues, mental health, depression, addiction. So there’s a happy balance. So we’ll find that happy balance with our health team.”

Except the pandemic isn’t a balance beam so much as it’s a sequence: public health, then the economy. Ford moved quickly enough on widespread restrictions in the spring, and that was laudable. He has been and to implement in the fall.

Saying we don’t know how long the virus will be with us, and that this can’t go on indefinitely — that points to a desire to open up and hope the hospitals can handle it, and with that is a loser’s bargain. Does Ford want to emulate Alberta, which has stuck with many voluntary restrictions as their cases rise, or Manitoba, which waited too long to act and is now in crisis? This sounds like the talk of a province that didn’t invest enough in public health or epidemic response — whose crashed, and where contact tracing has been half-abandoned in Toronto and Ottawa, among other places feeling the strain.

“He’s right; we don’t know how long it’ll be with us,” says Dr. Andrew Morris, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Toronto, and the medical director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at Sinai-University Health Network. “But this is why we need an open public discussion about strategy.

“It is possible to move on without controlling COVID? That has to be the first discussion. Is it possible? Is there an example anywhere in the world right now of any country that has been able to do this? Everyone’s talked about Sweden, and now it’s been totally disproven as an approach. So is there another country anywhere in the world where you can just live with this? And the answer is no.

“What’s our strategy? We don’t have a strategy.”

“I think if we’re doing magnificently in two weeks, then try it, see how it goes,” says Dr. David Fisman, an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health. “If it’s a disaster, reverse it. (But) we know what direction that would go, and the downside risk there is you would shut the bars and restaurants after things exploded, as they did in the (United Kingdom) after their Dine Out campaign, and you would potentially also wreck the schools, and wreck the wider economy in the process. So I think it’s a pretty big gamble.”

Fisman noted the locally uninformed kerfuffle over data showing few bars and restaurants had been linked to outbreaks in Peel or Ottawa, but points out that 10 per cent of cases are outbreaks, 40 per cent of cases have a link to some other case, and 50 per cent have no known epidemiological link at all, and that last number is going up. He also notes that the Centers for Disease Control found that unlinked cases are three to four times more likely to have visited a bar, restaurant, or coffee house, or similar.

And finally, Fisman notes Ontario is not immune from what we know about how the virus is spread. Thursday the province’s own medical advisers said the danger of non-essential indoor spaces is well established. And Friday the Star reported an outbreak at Ford’s own constituency office, which he said was the result of visitors coming indoors.

“I was a huge believer in the hammer and the dance,” says Morris, referring to the now-famous description of a pattern of lockdowns and reopenings published earlier this year. “And it’s all bulls—. It’s total bulls—. Nobody’s been able to do it. They thought they could do it, but they can’t. Maybe the Danish, but in September and October they’ve increased restrictions to control things. But no country has the exquisite infrastructure to be able to dance, so instead, the only strategy that seems to work is you keep it as close to zero as possible.”

Ontario certainly lacks the tools to dance, and the footwork along with it. So I hope Doug Ford just got impatient, and was momentarily overcome by his heartfelt devotion to small businesses, about which he speaks more empathetically than about any other part of the pandemic. Because the way he spoke Friday sounded like someone who wanted to open up before the virus is under control. And the world has discovered the hard way that it’s not how it works.

Bruce Arthur is a Toronto-based columnist for the Star. Follow him on Twitter:

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‘I’m staring into this void’: Canadians are bracing for a home-alone holiday. Here’s how to make it work

Oct 6, 2021 , , , , by shlf

Knowing that she’ll be spending Christmas alone, Sjoukje van Beek, a graduate student at the University of Victoria, recently tried to make her studio apartment feel a bit more homey. She went to the thrift store, picked up one four-dollar and one six-dollar Christmas tree, plus some festive garland.

Normally, van Beek, 25, would be on a plane heading home to Waterloo, Ont., to enjoy the company of family and indulge in her mother’s Feast of the Seven Fishes cooking wizardry. But not this year.

“I think I’m just sad. It’s a stressful time of year, in terms of exams. I’m excited to be done with that. But it’s … sorry I’m going to start crying …”

She pauses to explain that her online classes at least afforded her a bit of human connection. Now, those have ended for the term.

“It kind of looks like I’m staring into this void.”

Across the country, untold numbers of the roughly four million Canadians who live by themselves are heeding calls to avoid travel and social gatherings and gamely planning to celebrate the holidays alone.

This week, Quebec Premier François Legault reversed an earlier decision to allow for Christmas gatherings, saying it was “not realistic” to think the province could slow the spread of COVID-19 sufficiently by the holidays. (The province is allowing a small exception for solo dwellers; they can have one visitor).

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister, meanwhile, made an impassioned plea for his residents to stay apart during the holidays.

“I’m the guy who’s stealing Christmas to keep you safe, because you need to do this now,” he said.

Counsellors and life coaches say they’ve noticed anxiety levels ramping up due to the prolonged isolation and lack of clarity over “who can I be with” during the holidays.

“Everyone’s emotional bandwidth is so strained,” said Christina Ketchen, a Calgary-based personal development coach. “There’s a grimness in the air, for sure.”

During the initial stages of the pandemic, Ketchen said, her clients seemed to get by fine with video chats. But as the months wore on, fatigue set in. People missed being able to hug loved ones or share a meal. The changing COVID-19 restrictions have not helped.

“The unknown that is in the air around that is straining and stressful. You layer on the holiday season right around the corner, that’s a whole new stress and strain.”

For Toronto’s Jessica McDonald, a single mom who works in the hospitality industry but who was laid off due to the pandemic, the loss of the social interactions she normally gets through work has been hard-felt.

“I’m a very social person, that’s why I’m in the (hospitality) industry,” she said. “I’ve just been staying home and not being near anyone, just in case. I’m going crazy not doing anything.”

This Christmas will be especially difficult, she said, because it will be the first without her mother, who died last March. She also can’t go see her father, who is in a high-risk category for COVID-19.

Her 10-year-old son will be with his dad for Christmas this year, so she’s been trying to make the most of celebrating the Christmas season with him this month.

“That’s how I’m trying to cheer us up — more meaningful time with my son,” she said. “We go tobogganing, we watch a lot of Christmas movies.”

Steve Boyd, 65, is also planning to make the most of his solo Christmas. The Toronto grandfather of four relishes spending time with his grandkids, alternating between Toronto and Calgary, where his son and daughter live with their families.

The best part is Christmas morning.

“The important thing over the years raising my children was that moment, that Christmas morning when they come down the stairs and you’ve plugged in the tree, so it’s lit and the gifts are there and there are stockings,” Boyd said. “It’s magic.”

This year it’ll happen over video call — first with the Toronto kids, then, when they wake up in Mountain Time, the Calgary contingent.

“My son and I will be on FaceTime and he’ll show me (the kids) coming down the stairs, them seeing the tree, opening their gifts,” Boyd said. “It’s as close as you can get to actually being there.”

Boyd and the grandkids have also developed a FaceTime ritual wherein they stretch their arms out in front of them in a virtual embrace. “Fake hugs,” the kids like to call them.

Though it’s far from ideal, Boyd is not despairing over what he’s giving up by spending Christmas season alone. As much as possible, he’s trying to help other people adapt to a world where connection happens primarily online, reaching out even to acquaintances for a regular, “Hey, how are you doing?”

To him, it’s all part of learning to be alone.

“You have to find ways to be happy being with yourself, not just by yourself, but with yourself,” he said. “Sometimes that can be jarring but it’s OK.”

Thuy-vy Nguyen, a psychologist studying solitude at Durham University in the United Kingdom, says she’s observed that older adults have been coping pretty well with alone time compared to younger adults.

“Young adults seem more vulnerable to loneliness. Social activities are more rewarding to them,” Nguyen said. “I suspect with older adults — there’s just some practice prior to COVID-19. They prefer to have a few social connections and they’re more OK with having time for themselves.”

It was around Thanksgiving that van Beek, who is studying public administration, says she came to the realization she wouldn’t be heading home for Christmas.

And with promising news of a vaccine rollout in the coming months, it just made sense to stay put, she said.

“Why throw away all the effort I’ve put in when it’s hopefully just a little bit longer?”

While she’s doing her part to prevent the spread of COVID-19, she said she feels a bit frustrated sometimes listening to some of the messaging from public officials. When they talk about “households” they seem to forget those who live alone.

“Community is all we have. We’ve been ripped away from it.”

Experts who have studied solitude say the experience van Beek describes is common — everyone needs to connect and be with others, and it’s important to continue reaching out to family and friends through technology.

“Not all solitude is created equal, and one of the primary things that determines how we experience solitude is what causes it,” said Robert Coplan, a Carleton University psychology professor.

“The kind of solitude that seems to have the most beneficial effects is when it’s intrinsically motivated. It’s something we want to do.”

In other words, it helps to have a plan for what you’d like to do on your own, to reframe the need to self isolate as both a responsibility and an opportunity.

That’s exactly what van Beek has in mind. She’s got a couple of scrapbook projects in the works. She’s also been talking to classmates who will be spending the holidays alone about maybe doing a joint activity — like an art project — over Zoom.

She also recently posted a message on Instagram asking friends to send her their addresses so she could send them Christmas cards. She was surprised how many responses she got.

“Now I have about 70 Christmas cards to send out, so that’ll take up a lot of time. That’ll be a fun and time-consuming way to reconnect with those friends,” she said.

“It’s good right? It’s people that matter to me. You can express all sorts of things in a card.”

Experts says van Beek is on the right track.

They recommend solo dwellers avoid whiling away the hours watching Netflix. Instead, they should find projects to fill the time — whether it’s automating the light bulbs in their home, learning to knit a sweater or mastering a recipe.

Giving your day structure, Ketchen said, will help to keep loneliness at bay.

“There’s something to be said for planning,” she said. “What do I want my day to look like? Plan it out.”

Kira Lynne, a Vancouver-based life coach and counsellor, agrees.

“If we’re feeling down and we’re on the couch and the negative thoughts are spiralling, we’re less likely to say, ‘OK, I’m going to make a plan to meet someone,’” she said.

“If you have a plan, you’re less likely to come out of the holidays feeling worse than when you went in.”

Don’t be afraid to pamper yourself, she adds.

“If you’re alone this Christmas, you know what? Why don’t you make a big deal out of yourself,” she said.

“Make yourself a fancy dinner and fuss over yourself for that day. Do something nice for yourself.”

Ketchen has another tip for feeling less lonely.

“You’re at the grocery store and there’s a person there. Sure, they’re wearing a mask, but is there any reason why you can’t say, ‘Hello?’ or ‘I love your jacket. Where’d you get it?’ Just some form of human connection that makes us feel … human.”

Most importantly, keep things in perspective, Ketchen said.

“This is one moment in time. This is one Christmas that looks different,” she said.

“It will not look like this next year.”

is a Vancouver-based reporter for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: is a Vancouver-based reporter for the Star. Follow her on Twitter:

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Heather Scoffield: Hey Ottawa, there’s a pandemic. No one cares about your silly political games right now

Oct 6, 2021 , , , , by shlf

Polemic politics are getting the best of us.

The personalized hatred between the and on Parliament Hill that was briefly, and helpfully, contained by the pandemic last spring has now burst into the open, driving the country repeatedly to the brink of an election despite the onset of a second wave of in many key ridings.

The Conservatives are taking any opportunity to call the Liberals corrupt. They threaten to demand personal information from family. Their leader, , accuses the prime minister of “playing a game with people’s lives.”

The Liberals, meanwhile, tie Parliament in knots with filibustering, prorogation, confidence votes and accusations of their own.

It’s almost as if there weren’t hospitals under strain in parts of the country, panicking families waiting days and days for test results, with COVID-19 digging its claws into big cities in Ontario and Quebec, prompting warnings from public health officers that we are heading in the devastating direction of Europe.

Of course, talented politicians can walk and chew gum at the same time, dealing with the pandemic even while hurling insults at each other.

The thing is, the standoff, the bitter words and the constant exaggeration seem to be the opposite of what many in the electorate need to hear right now.

Abacus Data did on-the-spot polling this week as the House of Commons brinksmanship played out, and found that and had low levels of engagement with the back-and-forth on the Hill.

“I don’t think the public is there,” said CEO David Coletto in an interview.

Instead, what he’s seen in his recent polling is that Canadians are preoccupied with dealing with the pandemic and its fallout, and have a thirst for collaboration.

“Right now, the anxiety is driven by this fear that we’re not working together enough,” he said.

In other words, the deep and impatient anger that the politicians are showing towards each other is just not reflected in society at large.

It might provide some comfort that at least our politics is less broken than that of our neighbours. Across the border, in that divided country and its dysfunctional government, we see a cautionary tale of the dangers of hyperpartisanship, particularly amid a pandemic. But in light of our own reckless game-playing this week, neither should we be smug. In the U.S., perhaps more than here, some are stepping up to show us that there are political dividends to embracing civility.

Joe Biden is campaigning hard as . If the public opinion polls are any indication, his approach has struck a chord.

And then there’s Utah, which has seized the attention of social media this week because to show voters all the subjects on which they agree.

“I think people are hungry for civility,” Democratic candidate Chris Peterson said in an interview. “I think it’s good politics as well as the right thing to do.”

By telling the public where the two opponents agree, they give voters a chance to better assess the areas where they differ, Peterson explains. And by taking the animosity out of the race, participation the political process becomes a more positive experience for the politicians and the voters alike.

There’s been some push back, he says, from partisans who thrive on personal attacks and insults. But most of the reaction has been akin to a sigh of relief.

It explains why, even as O’Toole brands all Liberals as corrupt and accuses Trudeau of gambling with people’s lives, he reminds us repeatedly that he is “reasonable” and “serious.”

And it may explain why there was some less-hateful, more-modest discourse in the air on Thursday in the aftermath of the near miss on tumbling into a bitter election campaign.

Instead of an anti-corruption inquiry targeting Trudeau’s family, the Conservatives are now proposing a broad investigation of how the federal government handled the public health aspects of the pandemic. Yes, it would mean a lot of paperwork and research, and lots of time and effort from a range of top officials and experts.

But the Liberals have agreed to negotiate a timeline and a framework, and the government is not about to fall over the title given to a parliamentary procedure.

Amid a profound health and economic crisis, Canadians want seriousness from their leaders; they want aid and guidance. After decades of declining trust and growing disinterest in government, politicians have a chance to prove their worth. Or they can play games, score inside-the-political-bubble points and confirm Canadians’ worst suspicions.

Peterson, for his part, was thrilled to be talking to Canadian media about the politics of civility, but he also sent us a gentle reminder of who we are when we’re not copying them.

“I enjoy your decency.”

Heather Scoffield is the Star’s Ottawa bureau chief and an economics columnist. Follow her on Twitter:

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Collingwood/Blue Mountains OPP need help identifying two men

Oct 6, 2021 , , , , by shlf

Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying two men in relation to an ongoing criminal investigation.

The investigation includes members of the OPP crime unit from Collingwood and The Blue Mountains. 

“Details cannot be released at this time to avoid jeopardizing any aspect of the investigation…” OPP said.

Photos of two men have been released by police for identification.

Anyone with information that would assist investigators are asked to contact Collingwood/The Blue Mountains OPP at  or if you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at . You can submit your information online at or if you have any information on this crime or any other crime.