Community News
“I am done with this pandemic.” Not done by a long shot folks!
BY STEVEN KASZAB
This pandemic has made a certain statement spoken by many of your neighbours famous, “I am done with this pandemic.” “I am done.” Certainly, we have had to do many unusual things these last two years, all of which were done to keep you and I safe from the COVID-19 virus.
You have had enough, you’re done with it, cannot do anymore, right? Well, you’re not done yet folks. Not by a long shot. Two years ago, I sent an email to the Premier suggesting his health and safety trust investigate what had been done during the last world-scale pandemic. Go to any University History Department in Ontario and speak to a history specialist, preferably one with insight into the various pandemics of our past. Most of the Premier’s Health Council were doctors, and even virologists, but none had experienced a real living pandemic before.
The Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918, the deadliest in history, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide and killed approximately 20-50 million people. At that time there were no effective drugs or vaccines to treat this killer flu strain. Citizens were ordered to wear masks while schools, theatres and businesses were closed. Bodies piled high in makeshift morgues before the virus ended its global spread. This strain was highly contagious, just like Omicron is today.
When an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks, respiratory droplets spread into the air and onto people and items around them. The Spanish Flu like COVID-19 attacks the respiratory system. The first wave of the Spanish Flu occurred in the spring of 1918. Most infected experienced typical flu-like symptoms such as chills, fever and fatigue, and recovered within a week. However, the second wave of influenza attacked with a vengeance in the fall of 1918. Victims died within hours or days of developing the symptoms, their skin turning a blue colour and their lungs filling with fluid. The average life expectancy rate in America in 1918 dropped by a dozen years.
When the flu hit, most doctors, scientists and medical staff were unprepared, much like today. There were no working vaccines or medical protocols to fall back upon, no plans on how to respond. While World War I was still going on, another problem was a lack of medical staff within many nations; most were in various armies. Hospitals were overloaded with influenza patients, so schools, private homes and other buildings were used to house the many ill patients.
Students from higher learning and high schools were often used to staff these places. Many elected officials imposed quarantines, ordering citizens to wear masks, and shut down public places, including schools, churches and entertainment venues. Municipalities even outlawed spitting as a health violation.
Home remedies became popular too. Doctors not having anything that could really assist these patients prescribed aspirin, often at very high doses. Doctors often prescribed 30 grams per day; a dose now known to be toxic. Today, most doctors will prescribe less than 2-3 grams per day. Historians believe deaths of patients were due to misuse of aspirin and other home remedies. Further happenings were the burials of family members on family property, and plots dug by their family members. Basic services offered by various governments and businesses were limited or shut down.
Many made tragic decisions. Philadelphia’s response was a little too late. Their Director of Health and Charities insisted the mounting deaths were not the Spanish Flu, but the plain old flu. On September 28th, the city went forward with its planned Liberty Loan parade attended by tens of thousands of citizens, spreading the disease like wildfire. Over the next ten days thousands of Philadelphians were dead with another 200,000 sick. Two months later 15,000 citizens were dead.
St Louis, Missouri was different, closing schools, movie theatres and other public places. Citizens in San Francisco were fined five dollars if they were caught not wearing a mask in public, and often charged with disturbing the peace.
It is believed the Spanish Flu fizzled out over a five-year period, once those infected had died or developed immunity. The forgotten pandemic must remind us all that an end will come over time.
Safe practices and community bonding together will assist our journey towards a new and better future.
BY SIMONE J. SMITH
The work of Innocence Canada, formerly known as the Association in Defence of the Wrongly Convicted (AIDWYC) has made a significant difference on the Canadian legal scene. According to the website: www.innocencecanada.com the organization was launched in February 1993 as an extension of the Justice for Guy Morin Committee, which was established in 1993 after he was wrongfully convicted. AIDWYC received widespread media attention due to the work of Rubin “Hurricane” Carter who served as its founding Executive Director for over ten years. Carter served nineteen years for a wrongful conviction in a New Jersey prison and was subsequently released.
It was in October 2016 that AIDWYC rebranded as Innocence Canada with a new logo adorn with tally marks to coincide with each exoneration. In a press release issued by Innocence Canada on Thursday, December 12th, 2024, details were announced regarding the passage of Bill C-40. It is titled, “The Miscarriage of Justice Act “and is also known as “David and Joyce Milgaard’s Law.”
The press release notes, “It makes drastic changes to the Criminal Code and creates a new tribunal or commission to address all claims of wrongful conviction. It eliminates our present Ministerial Review process that has for more than 100 years been the only resort for the wrongly convicted.”
In the press release, David’s sister, Susan Milgaard states, “My mother and my brother will be looking down on us and celebrating this new law. I am very grateful it is named after them. They did so much to get this law passed, because they were dedicated to the cause of all the innocent people in prison who had no good place to seek justice. Now they will have a place to go.”
James Lockyear of Innocence Canada states, “Today is a great day for all those wrongfully convicted. Innocence Canada has been advocating for this law for more than 30 years. It will bring Canada in line with other countries that already have a similar commission and be a change for the wrongly convicted and the Canadian criminal justice system.”
It was in 2009 that David Milgaard was wrongfully convicted of the murder in the rape and death of Gail Miller. She was a nursing student at the time. Miller spent 23 years in prison as a sentence. However, in 1992 he was freed and found innocent. Since then, Milgard has actively engaged in advocacy for those who are wrongfully convicted and has worked hard for the establishment of an independent to review cases of wrongful convictions.
The fact that David and his mother, Joyce Milgaard are both deceased and not present to celebrate this day is unfortunate. Milgaard’s sister, Susan states, “It didn’t take a village, it took a country to achieve what we have and thank God for Canada because we’ve done it.”
An independent commission will be established to review potential wrongful convictions rather than the Minister of Justice. Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada states, “It is Important that this legislation includes money, personnel, and legal aid funding.”
Ron Dalton of Innocence Canada states, “We’re currently working on 130 cases in our office, and we only have the resources to look at homicide cases.”
A press release was issued on Wednesday, December 18th, by the Department of Justice Canada to highlight the fact that the David and Joyce Milgaard’s Law received royal assent. Innocence Canada states, “All of us at Innocence Canada are delighted by the passage of David and Joyce Melgaard’s Law, which creates a new and independent body of experts to address future claims of wrongful conviction. Justice Minister Arid Virani and his predecessor, David Lametti, deserve great credit for this ground-breaking legislation which will make for an enormous improvement to our criminal justice system.”
The press release outlines some of the purposes of the new independent commission. It notes that it will not be an alternative to the courts. In general, applicants will first need to exhaust their rights of appeal before requesting a miscarriage of justice review by the commission. Furthermore, it “will not decide whether an applicant is guilty, or innocent, and there will be a dedicated victim services coordinator position to support victims and assist with the development of procedural policies especially as it relates to victim notification and participation in a manner consistent with the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights.
Community News
The Toronto Caribbean Carnival is in desperate need of emergency and sustainable multi-year funding
BY PAUL JUNOR
The announcement of a $3.5 million “critical investment” in the Toronto Caribbean Festival by the federal government is good news for the Festival Management Committee (FMC). The announcement was made on Monday, December 16th, 2024, as part of the Fall Economic Statement by the government of Canada. A press release from the FMC referred to the anticipated funding although details such as the release date and others are still unknown.
There has been media attention hinting at the possibility that the Toronto Caribbean Festival could be canceled in 2025, because it came up $2 million short in funding. It was on October 28th, 2024, that MPP Dr. Jill Andrew rose in the Ontario Legislature and informed the Ontario government that the festival was cash strapped. She stated, “The Toronto Caribbean Carnival is in desperate need of emergency and sustainable multi-year funding.” She mentioned the economic importance of the festival to the province and the fact that it costs $2.5 million to run. She called on the provincial government to ensure that the festival is funded adequately beyond the paltry $120,000 that it allocated to it in 2024.
In addition to MPP Andrew’s request for sustainable funding, a petition was launched by the Festival Management Committee. The petition describes vital aspects of the festival and lists ways that it contributes to the: cultural, economic and social life of Toronto. Undoubtedly, the ongoing issue of funding of the Toronto Caribbean Festival is one that will not go away unless, or until the three levels of government: provincial, federal and municipal decides to elevate it to a high level rather than just pay lip service to its importance annually. It is often used as a great photo-op for politicians during the summer.
The press release from the FMC revealed that there was a lot of work that was done behind the scenes prior to the announcement. “This critical investment follows nearly two years of intense advocacy.” This $3.5 million funding will go towards addressing systemic underfunding and highlighting the carnival’s vital cultural and economic contributions to Canada.
Jennifer Hirlehey, Executive Chair of the FMC states, “This achievement reflects the dedication of our team and the collective support from our stakeholders, the Caribbean community business. Together, we have demonstrated the power of unity and a shared vision. This funding will ensure the Carnival remains a dynamic force in Canada’s cultural and economic landscape, inspiring generations to come.”
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