113-568: A political scandal took place in Canada in 2020 regarding the awarding of a federal contract to WE Charity to administer the $ 912 million Canada Student Service Grant program (CSSG). The controversy arose when it was revealed that the WE charity had previously paid close family of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to appear at its events, despite making claims to the contrary. In total, Craig Kielburger confirmed at
226-625: A healthy diet are also recommended. Supportive care in severe cases includes treatment to relieve symptoms , fluid therapy , oxygen support and prone positioning , and medications or devices to support other affected vital organs. More severe cases may need treatment in hospital. In those with low oxygen levels, use of the glucocorticoid dexamethasone is recommended to reduce mortality. Noninvasive ventilation and, ultimately, admission to an intensive care unit for mechanical ventilation may be required to support breathing. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been used to address
339-615: A variant of concern (VoC) or a variant of interest (VoI). Many of these variants have shared the more infectious D614G . As of May 2023, the WHO had downgraded all variants of concern to previously circulating as these were no longer detected in new infections. Sub-lineages of the Omicron variant (BA.1 – BA.5) were considered separate VoCs by the WHO until they were downgraded in March 2023 as no longer widely circulating. As of 24 September 2024 ,
452-607: A battle for political power." Writing for Education Canada , Professors Karen Mundy of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and Kelly Gallagher-Mackay of Wilfrid Laurier University lamented that, amidst a crisis in Canadian education, WE Charity was prevented from fulfilling its commission, with thousands of youth volunteer tutors sidelined due to the appearance of scandal. Rosen summarized, "A generation of young people lost
565-493: A comprehensive international study. Such deaths include deaths due to healthcare capacity constraints and priorities, as well as reluctance to seek care (to avoid possible infection). Further research may help distinguish the proportions directly caused by COVID-19 from those caused by indirect consequences of the pandemic. In May 2022, the WHO estimated the number of excess deaths by the end of 2021 to be 14.9 million compared to 5.4 million reported COVID-19 deaths, with
678-477: A former WE Charity employee asking if the $ 41,000 in unpaid vacation fees that former Finance Minister Bill Morneau owed to WE Charity could have been perceived as a bribe for the multimillion-dollar tax payer grant he later provided to WE Charity. Questions were raised as to whether WE Charity had enjoyed a privileged level of communication with high ranking government employees as a result of its association with prominent individuals. The initial impetus which led to
791-590: A large number of people". During the COVID-19 pandemic, as with other pandemics, the meaning of this term has been challenged. The end of a pandemic or other epidemic only rarely involves the total disappearance of a disease, and historically, much less attention has been given to defining the ends of epidemics than their beginnings. The ends of particular epidemics have been defined in a variety of ways, differing according to academic field, and differently based on location and social group. An epidemic's end can be considered
904-399: A lawyer with Blumberg Segal LLP, noted that given WE Charity's previous operating budget of $ 65 million in 2018, three percent of that would still be a considerable amount. Additionally, former Liberal Party National Director Jamie Carroll, who had previously been indicted through the lobbying act, described it as a "sweetheart deal" as WE Charity was allowed to file its lobbying activities for
1017-516: A legally binding summons. Later on this day, the Kielburgers agreed to testify, on the condition that the date be pushed back to March 15, 2021 and that they have legal counsel present. In a detailed report released May 13, 2021, Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion ruled that WE Charity did not receive any preferential treatment from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau . Dion refuted the claim that WE Charity founders Craig and Marc Kielburger were friends with
1130-504: A lobby group on August 13, 2020, with 18 individuals registered to lobby 19 governmental departments. In response to allegations of illegal lobbying activities, WE Charity's Executive Director Dalal Al-Waheidi stated that WE Charity had only spent about one to three per cent of its overall "budget and engagement" on communicating with government and noted the lobbying act only requires organizations which spend twenty percent or more of their budget on those activities to register. Mark Blumberg,
1243-491: A lot of back and forth on a student package, as you well know and PMO has been weighing in on a version we shared with our Minister on Saturday." In addition to this, deputy minister of intergovernmental affairs and youth Christiane Fox stated: "I understand WE has been in touch with some of you (or your teams) on a proposal they have for social innovation, picking up from discussions they had with us pre-Covid. I am told they met with Ministers NG, Chagger and others to discuss this +
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#17328581502711356-490: A lower rate than legally mandated in any province. The lowest allowed minimum wage in Canada varies between provinces ranging from $ 11–$ 15/hour, the CSSG would have compensated students at $ 10/hour. While the program stipulated that volunteers should not be used by an organization to replace paid employees, job titles like "translator", "digital designer", and "content creator" were among the generally paid positions being offered through
1469-448: A median range of 0.24% to 1.49%. IFRs rise as a function of age (from 0.002% at age 10 and 0.01% at age 25, to 0.4% at age 55, 1.4% at age 65, 4.6% at age 75, and 15% at age 85). These rates vary by a factor of ≈10,000 across the age groups. For comparison, the IFR for middle-aged adults is two orders of magnitude higher than the annualised risk of a fatal automobile accident and much higher than
1582-402: A parliamentary committee, WE Charity paid approximately $ 425,000 to Trudeau's family including expenses. WE Charity also used pictures of Trudeau's family members as celebrity endorsements in their application. Trudeau stated that WE Charity had been uniquely capable of administering the program as "the only possible option", and that it was the civil service , not him, who decided that WE Charity
1695-585: A piece authored for the editorial board of The Cornwall Seeker, forensic accountant , professor and Founding President of the Canadian Academic Accounting Association L.S. Rosen examined allegations of impropriety surrounding the Canadian Student Service Grant program and determined them to be unfounded, writing that "several seemed launched to support attacks on other politicians" and that "WE became "collateral damage" in
1808-451: A plaque honoring his deceased child. Video evidence showed that a new plaque had been put up to replace the plaque that carried the legacy of Wesley Cowan. WE Charity described this as a misunderstanding by Cowan, noting "WE's schoolhouses in Kenya are built to the same specifications and look similar to one another, so we understand Mr. Cowan’s confusion." The charity also noted after Cowan brought
1921-815: A random sample have consistently found that total infections considerably exceed the reported case counts. Many countries, early on, had official policies to not test those with only mild symptoms. The strongest risk factors for severe illness are obesity, complications of diabetes , anxiety disorders, and the total number of conditions. During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic it was not clear whether young people were less likely to be infected, or less likely to develop symptoms and be tested. A retrospective cohort study in China found that children and adults were just as likely to be infected. Among more thorough studies, preliminary results from 9 April 2020 found that in Gangelt ,
2034-493: A revised version of the service program. They reached out today as they are also working with DPMO and PMO." Finally, the charity's revised proposal for administering the grant program, which was ultimately accepted by the government for the CSSG, included photos of the organization's "celebrity ambassadors" — among them, the prime minister's mother and wife. Bill Morneau and his family were also found to have accepted travel expenditures paid for on behalf of WE Charity, some of which
2147-457: A social phenomenon, not just a biological one. Time reported in March 2024 that expert opinions differ on whether or not COVID-19 is considered endemic or pandemic, and that the WHO continued to call the disease a pandemic on its website. During the initial outbreak in Wuhan , the virus and disease were commonly referred to as "coronavirus", "Wuhan coronavirus", "the coronavirus outbreak" and
2260-451: A test. Conversely, deaths of people who died from underlying conditions following a positive test may be included. Countries such as Belgium include deaths from suspected cases, including those without a test, thereby increasing counts. Official death counts have been claimed to underreport the actual death toll, because excess mortality (the number of deaths in a period compared to a long-term average) data show an increase in deaths that
2373-518: Is associated with COVID-19 and is reported in as many as 88% of cases. The disease is mainly transmitted via the respiratory route when people inhale droplets and small airborne particles (that form an aerosol ) that infected people exhale as they breathe, talk, cough, sneeze, or sing. Infected people are more likely to transmit COVID-19 when they are physically close to other non-infected individuals. However, infection can occur over longer distances, particularly indoors. SARS‑CoV‑2 belongs to
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#17328581502712486-600: Is discouraged altogether by the World Health Organization (WHO), due to limited evidence of its efficacy. The severity of COVID-19 varies. It may take a mild course with few or no symptoms, resembling other common upper respiratory diseases such as the common cold . In 3–4% of cases (7.4% for those over age 65) symptoms are severe enough to cause hospitalisation. Mild cases typically recover within two weeks, while those with severe or critical diseases may take three to six weeks to recover. Among those who have died,
2599-439: Is intended to provide acquired immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19 ). Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, an established body of knowledge existed about the structure and function of coronaviruses causing diseases like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). This knowledge accelerated
2712-485: Is not explained by COVID-19 deaths alone. Using such data, estimates of the true number of deaths from COVID-19 worldwide have included a range from 18.2 to 33.5 million (≈27.4 million) by 18 November 2023 by The Economist , as well as over 18.5 million by 1 April 2023 by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and ≈18.2 million (earlier) deaths between 1 January 2020, and 31 December 2021, by
2825-452: Is the ratio of deaths to diagnoses. This metric can be misleading because of the delay between symptom onset and death and because testing focuses on symptomatic individuals. Based on Johns Hopkins University statistics, the global CFR was 1.02 percent (6,881,955 deaths for 676,609,955 cases) as of 10 March 2023. The number varies by region and has generally declined over time. Several variants have been named by WHO and labelled as
2938-406: Is the seventh known coronavirus to infect people, after 229E , NL63 , OC43 , HKU1 , MERS-CoV , and the original SARS-CoV . The standard method of testing for presence of SARS-CoV-2 is a nucleic acid test , which detects the presence of viral RNA fragments. As these tests detect RNA but not infectious virus, its "ability to determine duration of infectivity of patients is limited." The test
3051-614: Is typically done on respiratory samples obtained by a nasopharyngeal swab ; however, a nasal swab or sputum sample may also be used. The WHO has published several testing protocols for the disease. Preventive measures to reduce the chances of infection include getting vaccinated, staying at home or spending more time outdoors, avoiding crowded places, keeping distance from others, wearing a mask in public, ventilating indoor spaces, managing potential exposure durations, washing hands with soap and water often and for at least twenty seconds, practising good respiratory hygiene, and avoiding touching
3164-501: The Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market there, but it is possible that human-to-human transmission began earlier. Molecular clock analysis suggests that the first cases were likely to have been between October and November 2019. The scientific consensus is that the virus is most likely of a zoonotic origin, from bats or another closely related mammal. While other explanations such as speculations that SARS-CoV-2
3277-407: The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimating the true number of cases as of early 2022 to be in the billions. One measure that public health officials and policymakers have used to monitor the pandemic and guide decision-making is the test positivity rate ("percent positive"). According to Johns Hopkins in 2020, one benchmark for a "too high" per cent positive is 5%, which was used by
3390-597: The basic reproduction number (R 0 ) for COVID-19 in January 2020 were between 1.4 and 2.5, but a subsequent analysis claimed that it may be about 5.7 (with a 95 per cent confidence interval of 3.8 to 8.9). In December 2021, the number of cases continued to climb due to several factors, including new COVID-19 variants. As of that 28 December, 282,790,822 individuals worldwide had been confirmed as infected. As of 14 April 2022 , over 500 million cases were confirmed globally. Most cases are unconfirmed, with
3503-474: The variants of interest as specified by the World Health Organization are BA.2.86 and JN.1, and the variants under monitoring are JN.1.7, KP.2, KP.3, KP.3.1.1, JN.1.18, LB.1, and XEC. Symptoms of COVID-19 are variable, ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Common symptoms include headache, loss of smell and taste , nasal congestion and runny nose , cough, muscle pain , sore throat , fever, diarrhoea , and breathing difficulties . People with
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3616-429: The "Wuhan coronavirus outbreak", with the disease sometimes called "Wuhan pneumonia ". In January 2020, the WHO recommended 2019-nCoV and 2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease as interim names for the virus and disease per 2015 international guidelines against using geographical locations (e.g. Wuhan, China), animal species, or groups of people in disease and virus names in part to prevent social stigma . WHO finalised
3729-477: The $ 912 million program, WE Charity was to receive $ 43.53 million, of which $ 8.75 million was eligible to be shared with other charity and non-profit partners in directing the volunteers. An online platform called “I Want to Help” provided details about the program and directed students to non-profits which were seeking volunteers. By the end of the day the platform opened, there were 23,000 placements listed, with new listings to be added through August 21, 2020. Among
3842-614: The Act." He added: "In my view, the creation and eventual ratification of the (Canada Student Services Grant) was not done improperly." In his final report entitled The Morneau II Report , Dion ruled that Morneau had contravened sections 6(1), 7, and 21 of the Federal Conflict of Interest Act. In the ruling, Dion stated: "The examination found the relationship between Mr. Morneau and WE included an unusually high degree of involvement between their representatives and afforded WE unfettered access to
3955-571: The CFO, had also recently refused to voluntarily testify before the House Ethics Committee and had to be ordered to appear on February 19, 2021. On March 8, 2021 the House Ethics Committee unanimously passed a motion ordering the Kielburgers to testify on, or before, March 12, 2021. A refusal would have seen the motion passed to the House of Commons where Members of Parliament would vote whether to make it
4068-665: The COVID 19 pandemic. In addition to instituting new relief programs, such as the Canada Summer Jobs program, Trudeau promised to create a Canada Student Service Grant program, which would further mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic impact upon Canadian students by allowing students who couldn’t find work to receive federal grants for performing volunteer service. The opposition Conservative Party had criticized Trudeau’s existing programs for excluding many businesses and others who needed assistance, and warned of economic catastrophe if
4181-638: The COVID-19 pandemic. For every 100 volunteer hours performed, participants would receive a $ 1,000 grant paid as a lump sum upon completion. The program was open to students who were enrolled in a recognized post-secondary education program and to recent graduates up to 30 years old who had completed their studies no earlier than December 2019. In addition to grants for volunteer work, participating students would be eligible for an emergency benefit of $ 1,250/month. WE Charity would have been responsible for connecting applicants with volunteer opportunities and for distributing grants to program participants For administering
4294-426: The CSSG, which would have created grants for students who volunteered during the COVID-19 pandemic. The contract agreement was signed with WE Charity Foundation, a corporation affiliated with WE Charity, on June 23, 2020. It was agreed that WE Charity, which had already begun incurring eligible expenses for the project on May 5 at their own risk, would be paid $ 43.53 million to administer the program; $ 30 million of which
4407-529: The Cornwall Seeker, forensic accountant L.S. Rosen refuted the notion that the Student Grant program amounted to a public "bail-out" of WE Charity, finding preexisting assets sufficient to support WE’s continuing operations while the structure of the program did not allow the possibility of any net gains. WE Charity was not a registered lobby group at the time of the events, but it retroactively registered as
4520-507: The Kielburgers was described as that of “besties”; furthermore, Morneau's office was found to be a key player in the decision to choose WE Charity. Prior to the awarding of the contract, WE Charity had been facing difficulties along with the greater economy due to the effects of COVID-19. It was even more vulnerable, as a major component of its income was predicated on global travel, large gathering events such as WE Day, and tourism experiences. Consequently, it had undergone significant layoffs in
4633-456: The Kielburgers, the Prime Minister, Members of Parliament and public servants. From these committee there would be a number of important outcomes. One major piece of evidence that was uncovered through committee investigation was the revelation, on July 9, that WE Charity had directly paid members of the Prime Minister's family. This was not disclosed by either party, who had in fact stated that
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4746-535: The Office of the Minister of Finance, which amounted to preferential treatment." Dion also ruled that this preferential treatment was a result of the close friendship between Bill Morneau and members of WE Charity. Dion added that "this unfettered access to the Office of the Minister of Finance was based on the identity of WE’s representative, Mr. Craig Kielburger", who was both a constituent and close friend of Bill Morneau. In
4859-470: The Stillman Foundation would take out expensive full-page ads in major Canadian newspapers and conduct an extensive online campaign to promote the innocence of WE Charity while they are so closely linked to WE Charity's board of directors. On Friday February 26, 2021 the House of Commons Ethics Committee heard new testimony from a former WE Charity donor, Reed Cowan, saying that WE Charity had removed
4972-406: The Trudeau family, writing: "During the examination, I determined there was no friendship between Mr. Trudeau and the Kielburgers, nor was Mr. Trudeau involved in any discussions with them leading to the decisions." He also ruled that Trudeau's wife Sophie's volunteer work for WE Charity did not constitute a conflict of interest, and that none of Trudeau's relatives could have personally benefited from
5085-636: The WHO in the past. As of 10 March 2023, more than 6.88 million deaths had been attributed to COVID-19. The first confirmed death was in Wuhan on 9 January 2020. These numbers vary by region and over time, influenced by testing volume, healthcare system quality, treatment options, government response, time since the initial outbreak, and population characteristics, such as age, sex, and overall health. Multiple measures are used to quantify mortality. Official death counts typically include people who died after testing positive. Such counts exclude deaths without
5198-419: The WHO, US, European Union, and Australia. On 12 November 2022, the WHO released its Global Vaccine Market Report. The report indicated that "inequitable distribution is not unique to COVID-19 vaccines"; countries that are not economically strong struggle to obtain vaccines. On 14 November 2022, the first inhalable vaccine was introduced, developed by Chinese biopharmaceutical company CanSino Biologics , in
5311-447: The awareness of the “bestie” relationship which existed between Morneau and the Kielburgers. Moreover, these files strongly suggested that the public service had been pressured by political forces to select WE Charity and that there had been a significant amount of governmental collaboration with WE Charity prior to the creation of the program. A significant portion of the documents had experienced severe redactions however, rendering much of
5424-448: The broad family of viruses known as coronaviruses . It is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA) virus, with a single linear RNA segment. Coronaviruses infect humans, other mammals, including livestock and companion animals, and avian species. Human coronaviruses are capable of causing illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS, fatality rate ≈34%). SARS-CoV-2
5537-630: The centre of a major infection cluster in Germany, 15 per cent of a population sample tested positive for antibodies . Screening for COVID-19 in pregnant women in New York City , and blood donors in the Netherlands, found rates of positive antibody tests that indicated more infections than reported. Seroprevalence -based estimates are conservative as some studies show that persons with mild symptoms do not have detectable antibodies. Initial estimates of
5650-487: The charitable organizations seeking volunteers were Scouts Canada , Girl Guides of Canada , the Tim Horton Children's Foundation , Kids Help Phone and Rotary Canada as well as WE Charity . The Public Health Agency of Canada mandated that opportunities supported by the CSSG honor social distancing requirements and other health and safety precautions. Charities which had already moved to virtual volunteering were
5763-437: The charity. This challenged the assertion that WE Charity was the only organization capable of administering the program, as it could not operate on a nationwide basis without itself contracting a third party. Concerns were raised regarding potential violations of provincial labour laws. The program was seen by some as potentially open to the exploitation of a vulnerable demographic, in a scarce job market, by compensating them at
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#17328581502715876-746: The city of Shanghai, China. For the first two years of the pandemic, no specific and effective treatment or cure was available. In 2021, the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) approved the oral antiviral protease inhibitor , Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir plus the HIV antiviral ritonavir ), to treat adult patients. FDA later gave it an EUA. Most cases of COVID-19 are mild. In these, supportive care includes medication such as paracetamol or NSAIDs to relieve symptoms (fever, body aches, cough), adequate intake of oral fluids and rest. Good personal hygiene and
5989-443: The contract. Evidence discovered by parliamentary committees investigating the scandal suggested a significant degree of preferential treatment given to WE Charity by the civil service, as, while WE Charity was allowed to repeatedly revise its proposals for the program (a common occurrence in sole-source contracts), no call for proposals was ever issued, nor were any received from any other organization. Reports also indicated that this
6102-540: The contracts had expired naturally, but it was later revealed that the positions were slated to end on August 31, 2020, not March 2020. WE Charity has repeatedly asserted it was in no financial distress prior to, or during the scandal. This claim is challenged by the fact that on July 12, 2020, it laid off hundreds of staff, followed by the sale of its Canadian real-estate and more layoffs in August, before eventually closing all of its Canadian operations by September. Writing for
6215-480: The cumulative number of infected individuals (including asymptomatic and undiagnosed infections and excluding vaccinated infected individuals). It is expressed in percentage points. Other studies refer to this metric as the infection fatality risk . In November 2020, a review article in Nature reported estimates of population-weighted IFRs for various countries, excluding deaths in elderly care facilities, and found
6328-441: The development of various vaccine platforms during early 2020. The initial focus of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines was on preventing symptomatic and severe illness. The COVID-19 vaccines are widely credited for their role in reducing the severity and death caused by COVID-19. As of March 2023, more than 5.5 billion people had received one or more doses (11.8 billion in total) in over 197 countries. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine
6441-569: The error to WE's attention, it had apologized and installed a second plaque in January 2021. Following Cowan's testimony the House Ethics Committee summoned the Kielburgers to appear the following Monday. On March 1, 2021 WE Charity released a statement labelling the committee investigation as highly partisan. Furthermore, it declared that, as five of its employees had already been subject to committee testimony, it would not cooperate with any summons. NDP Member of Parliament Charlie Angus would note that other executives from WE Charity such as Victor Li,
6554-513: The eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands. Those diagnosed with COVID-19 or who believe they may be infected are advised by healthcare authorities to stay home except to get medical care, call ahead before visiting a healthcare provider, wear a face mask before entering the healthcare provider's office and when in any room or vehicle with another person, cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, regularly wash hands with soap and water and avoid sharing personal household items. A COVID-19 vaccine
6667-407: The family had not been paid, and had to be discovered as a result of parliamentary investigation. During testimony on July 22, 2020, Bill Morneau revealed that he had undisclosed travel expenditures from years prior, paid for by WE Charity. Morneau apologized and explained to the committee that he had forgotten about the costs, and had repaid $ 41,366 that same day. This would haunt Morneau throughout
6780-451: The federal government to provide income support to international students.” Opposition Conservatives criticized the program for coming too late, with Conservative employment critic Dan Albas and youth critic Raquel Dancho releasing a joint statement complaining that many students had finished their classes two months prior. "While we are pleased that the Liberal government has finally listened,”
6893-407: The fight against COVID-19. So, today, we're launching the new Canada student service grant, which will allow post-secondary students and recent grads to gain valuable experience while also contributing to their communities." The program, set to run through October 31, 2020, would pay eligible post-secondary students who could’t find summer jobs up to $ 5,000 for volunteer work related to the effects of
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#17328581502717006-411: The formation of the CSSG stemmed directly from a conversation between Justin Trudeau and Bill Morneau; both of whom also formally apologized for not recusing themselves from the decision-making process on July 13, 2020. Initially, WE Charity and Trudeau insisted that the charity had never paid members of Trudeau's family to appear at events. This was later proven to be a fabrication as on July 9, 2020, it
7119-525: The general public beginning in December 2020, made available through government and international programs such as COVAX , aiming to provide vaccine equity . Treatments include novel antiviral drugs and symptom control. Common mitigation measures during the public health emergency included travel restrictions , lockdowns , business restrictions and closures, workplace hazard controls , mask mandates , quarantines, testing systems, and contact tracing of
7232-655: The government agencies ultimately responsible for choosing the administrator of the program. WE Charity would submit several proposals in April, beginning on April 9, 2020, about youth volunteer award programs. These were reformulated into what became the CSSG. On June 25, 2020 Justin Trudeau announced a series of relief measures for students. Among them was the Canada Student Service Grant program; whereby students would be eligible to receive $ 1000 for every 100 hours of volunteer activities, up to $ 5,000. The structure of
7345-502: The government didn’t release funds soon Responding to those criticisms, Trudeau said that the government intended to create broadly-focused programs which would provide assistance to a large number of people in a short time frame, and that the programs would quickly evolve to include those who didn’t initially qualify. "We recognize we are not aiming for perfection”, Trudeau said. “We want to make these measures as effective and inclusive as we can…So we're listening and making adjustments along
7458-610: The government's contracts with WE Charity. List of political scandals in Canada This is an accepted version of this page This is a list of major political scandals in Canada . On November 2, 2022, a motion was passed calling on the Auditor General of Canada to "conduct a performance audit, including the payments, contracts and sub-contracts for all aspects of the ArriveCan app, and to prioritize this investigation." This
7571-657: The infected. The pandemic caused severe social and economic disruption around the world, including the largest global recession since the Great Depression . Widespread supply shortages , including food shortages , were caused by supply chain disruptions and panic buying . Reduced human activity led to an unprecedented temporary decrease in pollution . Educational institutions and public areas were partially or fully closed in many jurisdictions, and many events were cancelled or postponed during 2020 and 2021. Telework became much more common for white-collar workers as
7684-463: The information incomprehensible. It was later found that these redactions had been done in an inappropriate manner, by individuals who were not authorized to make them. On August 17, 2020, Bill Morneau announced his resignation as the Finance Minister. The stated reason for his resignation was that it was the right time for a new Finance Minister in light of the evolving pandemic. Many however, saw
7797-515: The investigations tasked with examining the scandal were repeatedly blocked by the Liberal Party through the use of parliamentary procedure and filibuster; this would continue into November. On October 29, 2020 two reports on WE Charity were published. These reports were funded by the Stillman Foundation, a Minnesota-based US organization which has longstanding ties to WE Charity. The first report by Matt Torigian, former Deputy Solicitor General for
7910-484: The issue of respiratory failure. Existing drugs such as hydroxychloroquine , lopinavir/ritonavir , and ivermectin are not recommended by US or European health authorities, as there is no good evidence they have any useful effect. The antiviral remdesivir is available in the US, Canada, Australia, and several other countries, with varying restrictions; however, it is not recommended for use with mechanical ventilation, and
8023-576: The majority of the unreported 9.5 million deaths believed to be direct deaths due the virus, rather than indirect deaths. Some deaths were because people with other conditions could not access medical services . A December 2022 WHO study estimated excess deaths from the pandemic during 2020 and 2021, again concluding ≈14.8 million excess early deaths occurred, reaffirming and detailing their prior calculations from May as well as updating them, addressing criticisms. These numbers do not include measures like years of potential life lost and may make
8136-495: The official names COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 on 11 February 2020. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus explained: CO for corona , VI for virus , D for disease and 19 for when the outbreak was first identified (31 December 2019). WHO additionally uses "the COVID-19 virus" and "the virus responsible for COVID-19" in public communications. WHO named variants of concern and variants of interest using Greek letters . The initial practice of naming them according to where
8249-641: The opportunity to volunteer and help their country in a time of need." On April 5, 2020 amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic , the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, and his then- Finance Minister Bill Morneau , held a telephone conversation discussing measures to financially assist the country's student population. The Finance Department was tasked with devising a series of measures to address these issues. On April 9, 2020, prime minister Justin Trudeau announced several measures intended to supplement existing programs supporting Canadian business and youths during
8362-534: The outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on 30 January 2020, and assessed the outbreak as having become a pandemic on 11 March. COVID-19 symptoms range from asymptomatic to deadly, but most commonly include fever, sore throat , nocturnal cough , and fatigue. Transmission of the virus is often through airborne particles . Mutations have produced many strains (variants) with varying degrees of infectivity and virulence . COVID-19 vaccines were developed rapidly and deployed to
8475-407: The pandemic 2021's leading cause of death . The time between symptom onset and death ranges from 6 to 41 days, typically about 14 days. Mortality rates increase as a function of age. People at the greatest mortality risk are the elderly and those with underlying conditions. The infection fatality ratio (IFR) is the cumulative number of deaths attributed to the disease divided by
8588-491: The pandemic evolved. Misinformation circulated through social media and mass media , and political tensions intensified . The pandemic raised issues of racial and geographic discrimination , health equity , and the balance between public health imperatives and individual rights . The WHO ended the PHEIC for COVID-19 on 5 May 2023. The disease has continued to circulate, but as of 2024, experts were uncertain as to whether it
8701-474: The period prior to the inception of the CSSG. Many of these personnel were able to be rehired as a result of the awarding of the program. This was referred to by Charlie Angus, the NDP Shadow Critic, as a bailout for friends of the Liberal Party. In March 2020, a significant proportion of the board of directors at WE Charity had been abruptly replaced. WE Charity stated that this had been typical conduct, as
8814-471: The population's age structure and the age-specific pattern of infections. There have also been reviews that have compared the fatality rate of this pandemic with prior pandemics, such as MERS-CoV. For comparison the infection mortality rate of seasonal flu in the United States is 0.1%, which is 13 times lower than COVID-19. Another metric in assessing death rate is the case fatality ratio (CFR), which
8927-490: The practice of prorogation, even attending an anti-prorogation rally in 2010. The prorogation had an additional consequence in that WE Charity, which had explicitly promised to release their side of the documents relating to the scandal weeks earlier in July, then refused to release them, as there were no standing committees to submit them to; WE Charity went on to label attempts to acquire this information as "politicking". Supporters of
9040-400: The previous day in which they conveyed their determination that WE was the only existing organization capable of managing the nationwide program upon short notice. The report exonerated Trudeau in the scandal, commenting: "In light of the evidence gathered in this examination and for the reasons outlined above, I find that Mr. Trudeau did not contravene subsection 6(1), section 7 or section 21 of
9153-440: The program itself. Employment and Social Development Canada’s senior assistant deputy minister Rachel Wernick said that WE Charity was the only organization to submit a proposal for the CSSG and that no other organizations were asked to do so. These same government employees indicated that other major organizations such as YMCA Canada and United Way had been considered, but at no point did the government contact these agencies. This
9266-573: The program, and the selection of WE Charity as its administrator, immediately triggered condemnation amongst the Official Opposition, as well as numerous other groups, such as the Public Service Alliance of Canada, Democracy Watch, and Volunteer Canada who argued that WE Charity: The government insisted that, of all the third-party organizations in Canada, WE Charity had been identified as the "only possible option" capable of undertaking
9379-434: The program. Prior to the awarding of the contract WE Charity had been experiencing layoffs. Having students conduct WE Charity work at a reduced wage in the form of volunteerism which was previously conducted by paid employees was seen as a potential conflict of interest, as WE Charity would be both a beneficiary and distributor of the award money. Additional concerns regarding a conflict of interest were raised, as hundreds of
9492-421: The program. Dinsdale however noted that "It would have been tough given the state of YMCAs across the country, given the impact of COVID — really fighting for basic survival," continuing, "In normal times, (this) 100 per cent would have been something we could have done." New claims and questions about cronyism surfaced on February 26, 2021 in front of a House of Commons Ethics Committee. Committee MP's questioned
9605-495: The program. On June 29, 2020, Justin Trudeau said that "as the Public Service dug into it, they came back with only one organization that was capable of networking, and organizing, and delivering this program on the scale that we needed it, and that was the WE program." President Chris Aylward, president of the Public Service Alliance, which represents government employees, said the public service should have been asked to administer
9718-399: The prorogation occurred on the same day as the release of the previously mentioned, redacted, 5000-page dossier. Although a significant portion of the documents contained inappropriate levels of redaction, these were unable to be addressed due to the prorogation. In a 2015 campaign manifesto, Justin Trudeau promised to never make use of prorogation to avoid scrutiny; he had repeatedly castigated
9831-469: The prorogation suggested the scandal had no impact on the decision, and pointed to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis as necessitating a cessation in parliamentary debate while the government reset its policy in light of the unprecedented events. On September 23, 2020 the second session of the 43rd parliament was officially opened with a Speech from the Throne by Governor General Julie Payette. Efforts to re-establish
9944-536: The province of Ontario, concluded there had been no ethical or legal violations in the awarding of the contract; Torigian would go on to broadcast these findings in an opinion column of the Toronto Star . The second report, a forensic audit by accountant Al Rosen, found WE Charity had been in excellent financial health prior to the events of the scandal. The Toronto Star would issue an editorial on November 6, 2020 apologizing to its readers noting "The Star's failing here
10057-614: The quickest to register.to the website. Within the first week of the program’s launch, 35,000 students and recent graduates had applied. Some foreign students studying in Canada criticized the program for reserving grants for Canadian nationals, with the University of Winnipeg Student Association’s international students codirectors Else Owusu and Francisca Idigbe writing: ““COVID-19 has created unprecedented disruption for international students across Canada, International students are struggling to make ends meet and need support. We are calling on
10170-432: The reimbursement of travel expenses that was specifically requested." Another consequence of these committee investigations was the eventual release of a massive quantity of data pertaining to the scandal on August 18, 2020. Included were personal correspondence and inter-governmental memos written by the individuals responsible for the no-bid selection process. Contained within this file were significant disclosures, such as
10283-458: The risk of dying from seasonal influenza . In December 2020, a systematic review and meta-analysis estimated that population-weighted IFR was 0.5% to 1% in some countries (France, Netherlands, New Zealand, and Portugal), 1% to 2% in other countries (Australia, England, Lithuania, and Spain), and about 2.5% in Italy. This study reported that most of the differences reflected corresponding differences in
10396-496: The same infection may have different symptoms, and their symptoms may change over time. Three common clusters of symptoms have been identified: one respiratory symptom cluster with cough, sputum , shortness of breath, and fever; a musculoskeletal symptom cluster with muscle and joint pain, headache, and fatigue; a cluster of digestive symptoms with abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea. In people without prior ear, nose, and throat disorders, loss of taste combined with loss of smell
10509-514: The scandal, as the forgetting of the payment was seen as incongruent to his role as Finance Minister, and the ability to write a cheque for that amount, when many Canadians were applying for COVID-19 benefits in the form of a $ 2000 monthly emergency payment, was seen as out of touch. In his testimony to the Standing Committee on Finance on July 28, 2018, Marc Kielburger said: "Sir, yes, we're happy to provide that information in terms of especially
10622-455: The statement read, “once again they have been slow to act. We are already two months into summer – every day the Liberals delay support or refuse to fix their programs, Canadians fall through the cracks. Conservatives will continue to advocate relentlessly for all Canadians left behind by Trudeau and his Liberal government." Through a no-bid selection process, WE Charity was chosen to administer
10735-411: The time from symptom onset to death has ranged from two to eight weeks. Prolonged prothrombin time and elevated C-reactive protein levels on admission to the hospital are associated with severe course of COVID-19 and with a transfer to intensive care units (ICU). Between 5% and 50% of COVID-19 patients experience long COVID , a condition characterised by long-term consequences persisting after
10848-514: The timing as related to the ongoing investigations into the WE Scandal and increasing pressure by opposition members for his resignation. On August 18, 2020, Justin Trudeau officially prorogued parliament. This disbanded all the sitting committees investigating the WE Charity Scandal. This was condemned by the opposition as a tactic to avoid scrutiny, if not an outright coverup as the timing of
10961-461: The two previous years retroactively. On May 29, 2020 WE Charity hired a third-party public relations firm, National, in order to administer the program in Quebec and French-speaking regions. National itself was in the process of identifying further community groups within Quebec, via Members of Parliament, prior to the cancellation of the CSSG. The amount paid by WE Charity to National was not disclosed by
11074-694: The typical convalescence period of the disease. The most commonly reported clinical presentations are fatigue and memory problems, as well as malaise , headaches, shortness of breath , loss of smell, muscle weakness , low fever and cognitive dysfunction . Many countries attempted to slow or stop the spread of COVID-19 by recommending, mandating or prohibiting behaviour changes, while others relied primarily on providing information. Measures ranged from public advisories to stringent lockdowns. Outbreak control strategies are divided into elimination and mitigation. Experts differentiate between elimination strategies (known as " zero-COVID ") that aim to completely stop
11187-543: The variants were identified (e.g. Delta began as the " Indian variant") is no longer common. A more systematic naming scheme reflects the variant's PANGO lineage (e.g., Omicron 's lineage is B.1.1.529) and is used for other variants. SARS-CoV-2 is a virus closely related to bat coronaviruses , pangolin coronaviruses, and SARS-CoV . The first known outbreak (the 2019–2020 COVID-19 outbreak in mainland China ) started in Wuhan , Hubei, China, in December 2019. Many early cases were linked to people who had visited
11300-522: The volunteer opportunities created by the CSSG were with WE Charity itself, conducting work for the charity. In addition to the Ethics Committee, a further two governmental committees would be established to investigate the scandal: on Finance and Government Operations. These would continue to run from their inception until August 18, when the government was prorogued, ending all sitting committees. Numerous individuals would be called to testify including
11413-460: The way." Over two months later, on Thursday, June 25, 2020, the federal government officially launched the Canada Student Service Grant program, which had been anxiously awaited by students and charities alike. Speaking at a news conference in Ottawa that morning, Trudeau said, "Students are facing unique challenges this summer due to the pandemic. At the same time, many are wondering how they can help in
11526-443: Was accidentally released from a laboratory have been proposed, as of 2021 these were not supported by evidence. Official "case" counts refer to the number of people who have been tested for COVID-19 and whose test has been confirmed positive according to official protocols whether or not they experienced symptomatic disease. Due to the effect of sampling bias , studies which obtain a more accurate number by extrapolating from
11639-529: Was despite the fact that the government had been in contact and collaboration with WE Charity regarding the program for at least a month prior. In a statement directly challenging the assertion that WE Charity was the only charity in Canada capable of administering the program, Peter Dinsdale, president and CEO of YMCA Canada, told CTV News in an interview: "At no point did the government contact YMCA Canada about delivering that program." He added that his organization "absolutely" would have been capable of administering
11752-412: Was discovered both the mother and brother of Justin Trudeau had been directly paid tens of thousands of dollars by WE Charity Social Enterprises, a company affiliated with WE Charity, through a third-party speaking agency. Furthermore, Sophie-Gregoire Trudeau was found to have significant food and travel expenditures paid for on behalf of the charity while working for it in an unpaid volunteer position. This
11865-407: Was further amplified by pressure from Morneau to make the selection. Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion 's report on the involvement of Trudeau, entitled The Trudeau III Report, confirmed his assertion that Canada's civil service had recommended WE Charity to manage the Canada Student Service Grant program. Dion found that on 22 May 2020 Trudeau agreed to their recommendation following a briefing on
11978-498: Was not making clear to readers who was behind the reports." The report was initially branded an independent inquiry; the fact that a major sponsor of WE Charity had commissioned it was omitted entirely. "We fully realized the problem and wanted to correct it precisely because of transparency," said Andrew Phillips, the editorial page editor. Testimony to Canada's House of Commons Ethics Committee on February 26, 2021 led NDP Member of Parliament, Charlie Angus , to raise concerns as to why
12091-434: Was paid to WE Charity Foundation on June 30, 2020. This was later fully refunded. A senior bureaucrat would note that "ESDC thinks that 'WE' might be able to be the volunteer matching third party ... The mission of WE is congruent with national service and they have a massive following on social media." At the same time, and prior to the announcement of the CSSG on June 25, 2020, WE Charity was simultaneously corresponding with
12204-501: Was retroactively reimbursed by Morneau over the course of the scandal. Additionally, one of Morneau's daughters was found to be directly employed by the charity; while another daughter spoke at multiple WE Charity events and was featured in WE's "Future 50" portrait series. During the events of the scandal, an internal-exchange between members of the Finance Department was disclosed wherein the personal relationship between Morneau and
12317-523: Was significant as it was claimed the Prime Minister's Office had no involvement in the selection process, and that the selection of WE Charity had been undertaken in a non-partisan manner by the public service. This claim, that there was no involvement from the PMO, was directly contradicted by two April 20 inter-governmental emails regarding the CSSG. The first, sent on April 20, 2020, by assistant deputy finance minister Michelle Kovacevic, read in part: "There has been
12430-457: Was still a pandemic. Pandemics and their ends are not well-defined, and whether or not one has ended differs according to the definition used. As of 24 November 2024, COVID-19 has caused 7,075,455 confirmed deaths. The COVID-19 pandemic ranks as the fifth- deadliest pandemic or epidemic in history . In epidemiology , a pandemic is defined as "an epidemic occurring over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries, and usually affecting
12543-473: Was the best option. It was noted that not only had the charity employed a daughter of former Finance Minister Bill Morneau but a close relationship existed between the minister and members of its staff. Other organizations, such as the Public Service Alliance of Canada and YMCA Canada , expressed skepticism at the claim that WE Charity was the only organization in Canada capable of administering
12656-502: Was the most widely used. According to a June 2022 study, COVID-19 vaccines prevented an additional 14.4 million to 19.8 million deaths in 185 countries and territories from 8 December 2020 to 8 December 2021. On 8 November 2022, the first recombinant protein-based COVID-19 vaccine (Novavax's booster Nuvaxovid ) was authorised for use in adults in the United Kingdom. It has subsequently received endorsement/authorisation from
12769-422: Was the second such motion to pass. COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic ), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 ( SARS-CoV-2 ), began with an outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan , China, in December 2019. It spread to other areas of Asia, and then worldwide in early 2020. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared
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