Of the 9193 Canadians who have died from COVID-19, I've linked 7547 to residential care. There are now 658 facilities on my list. Some things to note tonight ... docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d…
Ottawa's East End Villa went in just two days from not being on an outbreak list to having 6 dead. Quebec City is seeing similar spikes, with 4 dead in two different locations (3 in Beauport and one at RPA Résidence Kirouac).
This residence has been announced by the Ministry but not yet by the CIUSSCN. It's not a stretch to imagine that it was directly linked to the Bar Kirouac outbreak (I don't mean like a person who was at the karaoke necessarily but maybe) as these are all in the same neighbourhood
Notable tonight -- Ottawa released race-based data. COVID has disproportionately targeted racialized communities -- 66% (I hate how the writers used "from" here throughout, as if these communities are the source) ottawa.ctvnews.ca/66-per-cent-of…
And, families launch lawsuit against Villa Colombo in Kleinburg. Here, we note that families are alleging that homes did not test such that they know for sure their loved ones didn't die from COVID. yorkregion.com/news-story/101…
This is likely very common and we will never know the real death toll (also my cousin died from COVID in one of the Villa Colombo residences but I can't remember if it was Kleinburg or Toronto)
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Last night's launch in Toronto was amazing. Despite the like 6 other events happening, all the books sold out, the room was full and I had a lot of fun talking about staples theory. Here's a thread about what the launches have taught me ...
1. There is a huge appetite for someone to make sense of the moment that doesn't buy into a right or far-right frame. People are hungry for it.
2. It would be potentially profitable right now for groups with a bit of capital to invest in leftwing media that can grow it's reach.
When people lament how disorganized the left is in this country, do they understand the role that rightwing forces have played to make it nearly impossible to do broad-based organizing in this country?
Let's start with the concrete wall within mainstream media
You simply cannot get access to a mainstream media platform and discuss real leftwing politics. You can talk a little bit, sometimes, based on various issues, in the most narrow fashion, but mostly it's a total shut out.
How do we bring these politics to a mass audience?
The neoliberal transformation of Canada deliberately crushed large, national social movements. Like, very much deliberately destroyed things like the National Action Committee on the Status of Women, and denigrated leftwing leaders.
The Liberals, the mayor of Ottawa, the local children's hospital and the public school board are all refusing to participate in Capital Pride this weekend because of a statement of solidarity for Palestine. Let's look at the statement and see what they're opposed to ...
1. The statement starts by condemening antisemitism and Islamophobia, in that order. "As a community facing rising levels of hate-motivated crimes, we know all too well how hate erodes our security. In this climate, we reaffirm that intolerance has no place in our events."
2. Next, as we are all expected to do before we say anything further, the statement fullsomely condemns Hamas and their attack on October 7.
Yesterday, the National Post published an article illustrated by this image from @UJAFederation. Problem is, the intersection this is supposed to be at -- Prince Charles and (I am guessing) Bathurst, doesn't look like this. A thread.
First off -- I don't actually think it matters that 50,000 or 30,000 or 10,000 people came out to this march. It's an annual festival and there's no doubt that people aren't necessarily endorsing Israel's assault on Gaza by being there. But I say this with a very big caveat ...
If you are supporting a country that has just massacred 300 people, you are de facto supporting the genocide. This should be obvious but I'm stating it anyway.
But let's continue. There were only two photos that showed a crowd that could have reached 50K ...
Thread -- I've finally had a chance to fully listen and I think that Jesse does himself a disservice in doing this on his own. As far as an editorial goes, he needs someone to help him navigate his thoughts. This isn't an opinion rooted in journalism, it's just an opinion.
Now, he has every right to having an opinion. Of course. But someone like him has to decide what kind of opinion serves this moment best now -- one rooted in his reaction to the attacks he's experienced, his complicated feelings towards what's happening, etc ...
Or one that goes deeper into understanding the interplay between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism given the current political context. He chose the former which many feel is inadequate, from someone of his stature and with his history of critical journalism.