COVID worries for veterans and death of a Canadian icon: In The News for Nov. 9

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 Nov. 9 …

What we are watching in Canada …

OTTAWA – As Canadians prepare to mark Remembrance Day this week, concerns are growing about military veterans struggling with the effects of COVID-19.

Oliver Thorne, executive director of the Vancouver-based Veterans Transition Network, says the pandemic is taking a financial, emotional and physical toll on those suffering from service-related injuries.

Worries about disabled Canadian veterans first emerged in the spring as the country went into lockdown due to the pandemic.

Some of that eased as summer saw many of those restrictions lifted, but the second wave and looming winter have resurrected those fears. 

The concerns run the gamut from injured veterans not being able to get the physiotherapy or rehabilitation they need, to those with post-traumatic stress disorder missing out on in-person therapy and support.

For years, veterans suffering from P-T-S-D have been told not to isolate themselves, but instead get out of their homes and connect with support programs. 

Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole — a veteran himself — is urging anyone struggling because of the pandemic to reach out to family, friends or support networks.

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Also this …

To millions of television viewers, Alex Trebek was almost like a family member. To his friends and colleagues, he was a quintessential quiz-show legend who could connect with almost anyone and do almost anything.

As tributes poured in for the Canadian-born “Jeopardy!” host, who died Sunday after a battle with pancreatic cancer, many remembered his unflappable demeanour, sharp wit and prolific broadcasting skills that made him a suppertime staple in living rooms.

“As the host of ‘Jeopardy!’ for almost four decades, he hosted more episodes of a single television game show than anyone else in history,” said a statement from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who also called Trebek an “icon” on Twitter.

The official “Jeopardy!” Twitter account said Trebek died early Sunday morning surrounded by family and friends. He was 80.

Trebek revealed in March 2019 that he’d been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. The survival rate was low, he said in a video, but he vowed to “fight” and “keep working.”

The Sudbury, Ont.-born personality did indeed continue to work, maintaining a rigorous shooting schedule. He kept fans informed of his health status in YouTube videos, with his signature suit and measured delivery, on the “Jeopardy!” set.

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ICYMI …

TORONTO – It’s typically the literary to-do of the season, but this year, the Scotiabank Giller Prize gala is going digital.

One of five writers will receive the $100,000 fiction prize at a virtual ceremony tonight.

The contenders include Winnipeg writer David Bergen, a former Giller winner who is marking his fifth nomination for the prize with the story collection, “Here The Dark,” published by Biblioasis.

Four-time nominee Shani Mootoo is shortlisted for her love-triangle novel “Polar Vortex,” published by Book*hug Press.

Also in the running are first-time finalists Gil Adamson of Toronto for the western-meets-mystery “Ridgerunner” (House of Anansi Press); Toronto-raised Souvankham Thammavongsa for the short-story collection “How To Pronounce Knife” (McClelland & Stewart); and British Columbia-raised, New York-based Emily St. John Mandel for her haunting story of white-collar crime, “The Glass Hotel” (HarperCollins Publishers).

The finalists would normally be feted at a swanky Toronto gala, but tonight, the winner is set to accept the award from the comfort of their own home.

The televised ceremony will be hosted by Canadian actor Eric McCormack, and Jazz musician Diana Krall will perform as part of the socially distanced festivities.

A procession of celebrities will also make home-recorded cameos in their red carpet attire.

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What we are watching in the U.S. …

WILMINGTON, Del. – The team helping Joe Biden prepare for the White House and a nonpartisan institution are asking President Donald Trump to co-operate with an orderly transition of power, despite his claims that the election was stolen. 

Those requests have thrust into the spotlight a little-known agency called the General Services Administration, which is tasked with formally beginning the transition from one administration to another based on all available facts.   

Biden adviser Jen Psaki pressed for the Trump-appointed head of the GSA to quickly recognize Biden as president-elect. A GSA official said that step had not yet been taken. 

Trump has promised legal action in the coming days as he refuses to concede the presidency after his loss to Biden.   

He has yet to provide any hard evidence to support his election fraud allegations. But senior administration officials told The Associated Press that overwhelming evidence of fraud isn’t really the point. 

The strategy, they say, is more about providing Trump with an off-ramp for a loss he can’t quite grasp — as well as a platform to plot his post-White House future — and less about changing the election’s outcome. 

The officials spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

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What we are watching in the rest of the world …

BEIJING — China said Monday it has taken note of Joe Biden’s declaration of victory in the U.S. presidential election but is holding off on sending any message of congratulations.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the result of the election will be determined under U.S. laws and procedures and that China will follow international practices in extending its sentiments.  

China has had a fractious relationship with President Donald Trump, characterized by growing friction over trade, technology and competition for influence in Asia and the world.  

Analysts say Biden will likely return ties to a less contentious state, although Beijing has stuck throughout the election to a position of not commenting directly on what it says is an internal American political issue.  

China is one of only a small number of major nations that have yet to issue statements on the election, in which Democrat Biden emerged the winner over Republican incumbent Trump after days of ballot counting. Russia, Brazil and Mexico are among the others.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2020

The Canadian Press