House of Commons sitting today and the PPE supply; In The News for April 28

In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of April 28 …

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COVID-19 in Canada …

OTTAWA — The Conservative Party is poised to press the government on numerous issues during a modified version of a House of Commons sitting today.

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer says he’s looking for more specifics from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when it comes to the country’s handling of COVID-19.

Scheer says he wants a plan outlining how the government will support provinces and territories “over and above the national guidelines that are currently being developed.”

Today marks the first meeting of a special committee struck to somewhat mirror the routine of the House of Commons.

All 338 MPs are on the committee, but only seven are required for quorum, as opposed to the 20 for a normal sitting of the Commons.

Also today, the federal government says it will be holding a briefing on data and modelling “informing public health action on coronavirus disease.”

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In other Canadian news …

OTTAWA — Canada’s national police force wants a digital tool to harvest data from a sweeping variety of online sources to provide early information on threats such as disease outbreaks and mass shootings.

The software would allow an RCMP officer to quickly mine data about a person’s internet activities, from an emoji posting on Facebook to an illicit firearm purchase on the so-called dark web.

The RCMP contract tender says social media and other publicly available information will be used to identify threats and address public concerns.

The application would also help identify brewing public-relations issues and help with decision-making in a crisis or major-event setting.

The tender says the tool should include a dashboard with reports on breaking news, mass-casualty events, terrorist attacks, disease outbreaks and natural disasters.

The solicitation notice was issued in mid-April, just days before a gunman went on a deadly rampage in Nova Scotia.

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Also this …

OTTAWA — The Canadian Medical Association says a new survey of its members found that most have not seen an improvement in the supply of personal protective equipment in the last month.

Getting vital equipment to protect themselves has been a struggle for doctors across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A recent survey of nearly 2,500 doctors across Canada found 42 per cent had seen no change in the supply of gear such as masks and face shields in the last month, while 29 per cent felt the supply is now worse.

On the flip side, 22 per cent say there’s been some improvement to the PPE supply, but only six per cent say it’s been a significant change.

The vast majority, 88 per cent, say a greater supply of PPE would reduce their anxiety during the pandemic.

CMA president Dr. Sandy Buchman says physicians’ anxieties are compounded by a lack of information, and he calls for greater government transparency about the supply of PPE.

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COVID-19 in the U.S. …

WASHINGTON — American public health experts are expressing doubt that the White House’s new coronavirus testing targets are sufficient as it presses ahead with plans to ease restrictions.

The White House on Monday released new guidelines aimed at answering criticism that testing for the virus in the U.S. has been too slow.

The administration unveiled a “blueprint” for states to scale up their testing in the coming week — a tacit admission, despite public statements to the contrary, that testing capacity and availability over the past two months have been lacking.

But U.S. President Donald Trump declared that “testing is not going to be a problem at all.”

Parts of the U.S. are starting to lift closures, and some of the quickest to reopen have been rural states like Montana, Vermont and Alaska.

The effects of the pandemic in smaller, more remote towns can seem a world away from cities grappling with overwhelmed hospitals, packed morgues and economies pushed to the brink.

The consequences of easing restrictions in rural communities won’t be fully known for some time, and health officials said they will be watching closely for any resurgence of infections.

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COVID-19 around the world …

New Zealand has eased a strict lockdown amid signs the virus has been all but vanquished — at least for now.

Some lawmakers also returned to New Zealand’s Parliament as aspects of life began returning to normal. The country had been in a strict lockdown for over a month but those conditions have been eased a little as infections wane.

But elsewhere, Brazil was emerging as a potential new hot spot for infections, and fresh doubts were raised over whether Japan would be able to host the already postponed Olympic Games next year.

The United Arab Emirates is opening up its cavernous malls and restaurants even as confirmed coronavirus cases spike, in a gamble to stimulate its economy while still trying to fight off the pandemic.

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COVID-19 and food delivery …

Restaurants struggling to survive during the COVID-19 crisis have turned to take-out and delivery, but some operators say the added fees charged by food-delivery companies are eating away their bottom line.

Restaurants Canada vice president Mark von Schellwitz says physical distancing measures have decimated the dine-in service that accounts for the majority of the industry’s revenue.

He says margins are typically less than five per cent at the best of times and delivery platforms such as Uber Eats, DoorDash and Skip The Dishes can take to 30 per cent commission.

The companies say they’re offering restaurants various supports while maintaining their own operations.

DoorDash slashed its commission fees by half on April 13 and Skip The Dishes is offering a 25 per cent rebate through the end of May.

Uber says commission fees help cover operating costs for Uber Eats and reducing them would affect the platform’s safety and reliability.

The company says it’s generating more orders for restaurants by waiving delivery fees for customers.

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COVID-19 in entertainment …

COVID-19 safety concerns are closing the curtain on hotly touted theatre shows planned by the Stratford Festival and Mirvish Productions.

Stratford Festival artistic director Antoni Cimolino says the entire 2020 season is on hold until it is safe to gather in theatres. It was supposed to run April 11 to Nov. 1.

Meanwhile, David Mirvish says his season — which traditionally starts in September — won’t launch until January 2021 out of “an abundance of caution.”

COVID-19 precautions suspended theatre shows in mid-March, halting audience favourites including Mirvish’s “Hamilton” and “Come From Away” and forcing Stratford to scrap its April and May shows.

Cimolino called the cancellation “devastating” for the southern Ontario city, where “thousands of people and hundreds of business owners rely on the festival for their livelihood.”

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2020.

The Canadian Press