Always surprised me that for an area of the country which is so openly pro-environment EVERYTHING (which isn't a bad thing by any means) - that they of all people still pump their sewage & waste chemicals out into the ocean.
All things Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
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daftandbarmy
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Not since last December 15th. https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/...water-treatment-plant-now-operating-1.5232326Always surprised me that for an area of the country which is so openly pro-environment EVERYTHING (which isn't a bad thing by any means) - that they of all people still pump their sewage & waste chemicals out into the ocean.
And only for $800 million +
A bunch of my buddies flying SAR for USCG got their first dose today. Interesting comparison since I’m doing an identical job here, best case scenario I’m several months away.
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Huh, about time. Guessing the expense is because it's a tertiary system; so it separates everything out, then actively filters and treats the water. The output isn't potable, but is a lot cleaner than what most plants put out. Looks kind of close to sea level though; hopefully they were smarter than the Halifax folks and didn't put the control room below sea level (which weirdly enough left it susceptible to flooding when there was a system failure).
A quick primer on the difference between primary, secondary and tertiary treatment is here in case you are curious;
https://www.organicawater.com/primary-secondary-tertiary-wastewater-treatment-work/
Most places only do primary which basically just filters out the poo and other random solids. These extra levels will help get rid of things like pharmeceuticals and other common contaminants, as well as nitrates and phosphates that contribute to algae blooms and similarly messes up the ocean's habitat.
Jarnhamar
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Senator co-signed order barring international travel during pandemic — then went to Mexico
Conservative Sen. Don Plett — who sparked controversy by travelling to Mexico on vacation over the holidays — co-signed a directive last year barring all MPs and senators from travelling outside Canada as part of interparliamentary delegations.The directive, initially signed in March and renewed repeatedly, is still in effect. It is expected to be renewed again before it expires on Feb. 5.
The directive was adopted unanimously by MPs and senators on the Joint Interparliamentary Council (JIC). It instructs all interparliamentary associations to "cancel or postpone any mission presently being planned during this period." It applies to trips to other countries planned by MPs and senators, as well as trips to Canada by foreign elected officials.
Holedigger
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It might have slipped his mind that he had signed the order before.
Weinie
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It wasn't Senator Don Plett travelling, it was Vacationer Don Plett travelling.It might have slipped his mind that he had signed the order before.
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Circling 'round back to discussion from the spring about how much front-line workers are getting paid ....
And these are personal support workers, not RN's or RPN's - PSW's make up the bulk of the hands-on staff in most homes, private-sector or not-for-profit.
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...except for when it rains a lot...then the combined sewage and storm water overwhelms the brand new 3/4 billion dollar system and vomits forth raw, into the beautiful BC ocean waters...
...still a ‘shit show’...quite literally.
daftandbarmy
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It's OK, they've posted nice warnings on the CRD website. Still in effect for over a week:
RESOLVED: Core Area Wastewater Discharge Notice-Avoid affected areas
This advisory is no longer in effect.
www.crd.bc.ca
Weinie
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And everybody "shits' on me for not liking/eating lobster. Bon appetit.It's OK, they've posted nice warnings on the CRD website. Still in effect for over a week:
RESOLVED: Core Area Wastewater Discharge Notice-Avoid affected areas
This advisory is no longer in effect.www.crd.bc.ca
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Most made slightly more than minimum wage, and relied on multiple jobs to get by. With restrictions put in place to limit them to a single job, many can't afford rent.
daftandbarmy
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Well, we never pay attention to them either, so....
For over seven decades, Canada and some of its closest allies have operated a largely secret formal exchange of military medical intelligence. That relationship regularly produces troves of highly detailed data on emerging health threats.
The small, specialized unit within the Canadian military's intelligence branch began producing warnings about COVID-19 in early January of last year — assessments based largely on classified allied intelligence. Those warnings generally were three weeks ahead of other open sources, say defence insiders.
But documents show the Public Health Agency of Canada's (PHAC) COVID-19 rapid risk assessments — which politicians and public servants used to guide their choices in early days of the pandemic — contained no input from the military's warnings, which remain classified.
Three of the five PHAC risk assessments — obtained under access to information law by one of the country's leading intelligence experts and CBC News — show federal health officials relying almost exclusively on assessments from the World Health Organization.
Even those writing the risk assessment reports acknowledged the dearth of intelligence.
Military medical intelligence warnings gathered dust as public health struggled to define COVID-19
Public health officials failed to cite early warnings about the threat of COVID-19 gathered through classified military intelligence as the pandemic crisis emerged a year ago, CBC News has learned — an oversight described as a strategic failure by intelligence and public health experts.For over seven decades, Canada and some of its closest allies have operated a largely secret formal exchange of military medical intelligence. That relationship regularly produces troves of highly detailed data on emerging health threats.
The small, specialized unit within the Canadian military's intelligence branch began producing warnings about COVID-19 in early January of last year — assessments based largely on classified allied intelligence. Those warnings generally were three weeks ahead of other open sources, say defence insiders.
But documents show the Public Health Agency of Canada's (PHAC) COVID-19 rapid risk assessments — which politicians and public servants used to guide their choices in early days of the pandemic — contained no input from the military's warnings, which remain classified.
Three of the five PHAC risk assessments — obtained under access to information law by one of the country's leading intelligence experts and CBC News — show federal health officials relying almost exclusively on assessments from the World Health Organization.
Even those writing the risk assessment reports acknowledged the dearth of intelligence.
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One of the problems is Canada lacks a proper National Security Strategy. As a result, Interagency Cooperation is really just a suggestion a lot of the time.
The one National Security Strategy we did publish, "Securing an Open Society : Canada's National Security Policy" was put out in 2004. You can read it here:
Information archivée dans le Web | Information Archived on the Web
I find it interesting to look at all the things it said we were going to do. Especially given this document was written as a result of 9/11/2001 but also prior to the Pre-2008 Global Recession.
There were organizations and systems that we established and then abandoned which it turns out were really good ideas:
"Lapse in early pandemic warning system ‘a colossal failure,’ says former federal Liberal health minister Dosanjh"
https://www.hilltimes.com/2020/09/2...al-failure-says-former-health-minister/265336
I will say that our Country isn't the only one who failed at this, most Western Countries have. It's really, as one of my favorite Military Commentators says: "the dangers of ignoring strategic intelligence".
"One would think that governments would be paying a lot more attention to strategic intelligence, and the current and developing strategic threats, along with strategic forecasting. This sadly appears not to be the case as it is evident that erroneous intelligence impacts greatly on current thinking and strategies—especially when the initiative has been lost and the tipping point is approaching.
If governments continue to base their strategic predications on thumb-sucking, misinformed media articles and ‘opinion pieces’, ill-informed advisors, and incorrect narrative-driven assumptions, instead of verified and credible strategic intelligence, tragedy awaits them as they place their national and vital interests at risk. The richer they are in resources, the greater the risk and the subsequent looming tragedy."
http://eebenbarlowsmilitaryandsecur...016/09/the-dangers-of-ignoring-strategic.html
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daftandbarmy
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Of course, OTOH, a savvy intelligence agency can use pandemics to their benefit through exploiting divisions and recruiting more sources, I would think
A former senior Canadian intelligence official now predicts that five-member intelligence alliance — between Canada, the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand — will follow a similar path in the wake of COVID-19 by pooling medical intelligence that could provide early warning of the next pandemic.
Such a notion could be controversial because — despite the economic and social devastation caused by COVID-19 — many within the defence and intelligence communities don't consider the threat of a pandemic to be a pure issue of national security.
But global pandemics — like wars and terrorist assaults — create vast suffering and political instability and should be treated as a problem for intelligence agencies, said Greg Fyffe, former executive director of the Intelligence Assessment Secretariat in the Privy Council Office, which provides direct support and advice to the Prime Minister's Office.
"The consequences of a pandemic can be very serious in terms of the health of armies and the health of populations," Fyffe told CBC News.
"They can generate national security issues directly, as we've seen in some cases when there's actually revolts and demonstrations. Pandemics can alter the geopolitical balance."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/pa...p=newsletter_CBC British Columbia_1633_231752
Is it time for Western intelligence agencies to treat pandemics as security threats?
'Pandemics can alter the geopolitical balance,' says former senior intelligence official Greg Fyffe
In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks two decades ago, stunned and shaken Western allies scrambled to set up a terrorism intelligence exchange among themselves — a dedicated intelligence stream between the partners of the "Five Eyes" alliance to warn them of future attacks.A former senior Canadian intelligence official now predicts that five-member intelligence alliance — between Canada, the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand — will follow a similar path in the wake of COVID-19 by pooling medical intelligence that could provide early warning of the next pandemic.
Such a notion could be controversial because — despite the economic and social devastation caused by COVID-19 — many within the defence and intelligence communities don't consider the threat of a pandemic to be a pure issue of national security.
But global pandemics — like wars and terrorist assaults — create vast suffering and political instability and should be treated as a problem for intelligence agencies, said Greg Fyffe, former executive director of the Intelligence Assessment Secretariat in the Privy Council Office, which provides direct support and advice to the Prime Minister's Office.
"The consequences of a pandemic can be very serious in terms of the health of armies and the health of populations," Fyffe told CBC News.
"They can generate national security issues directly, as we've seen in some cases when there's actually revolts and demonstrations. Pandemics can alter the geopolitical balance."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/pa...p=newsletter_CBC British Columbia_1633_231752
Weinie
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If there is any veracity to the report below, the ramifications are massive.
Quebec researchers say they have found the first effective tablet drug to fight the coronavirus | CTV News
Quebec researchers say they have found the first effective tablet drug to fight the coronavirus | CTV News
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That is good news.
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Bit more info here: Colchicine reduces the risk of COVID-19-related complications
Weinie
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Passing strange that no other media outlet has picked up on this.....................
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