CBC Radio's The House: Ontario's dire COVID-19 outlook

Here is what's on this week's episode of The House

Image | Centenary Hospital Covid Ontario SHN

Caption: Health care workers move through the intensive care unit (ICU) at Scarborough Health Network’s Centenary Hospital in north-east Toronto on Apr. 8, 2021. On Friday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced the province will step up enforcement powers for police and extend its stay-at-home order to stem the exponential rise in COVID-19 cases. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)

Media Audio | CBC News: The House : Ontario’s dire COVID-19 outlook

Caption: On this week’s show: The president of the Canadian Medical Association talks about the strain COVID-19 is imposing on Canada’s health systems as Ontario announces sweeping restrictions to curb record caseloads. Conservative environment critic Dan Albas discusses his party’s climate change plan. And we have a look-ahead to child care in next week’s federal budget, a discussion about waiving vaccine patents and an assessment of the Canada-India relationship.

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The dire situation facing Ontario

The COVID-19 pandemic took a turn for the worse in Ontario this week. The province announced sweeping new restrictions, including stepped-up enforcement powers for police and an extension of the stay-at-home-order to a minimum of six weeks.
On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered Ontario assistance with getting shots in arms, but Premier Doug Ford said that what the province really needs is more vaccine doses.
Medical professionals continue to call for better coordination between the provinces and Ottawa. Canadian Medical Association president Dr. Ann Collins speaks to guest host Salimah Shivji about the strain health systems in several provinces are experiencing.
And Ivan Yu, a respiratory therapist at Ottawa's largest hospital, shares a personal look at the challenges that come with rising COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Media Audio | CBC News: The House : Ontario’s worsening pandemic crisis

Caption: President of the Canadian Medical Association, Dr. Ann Collins, talks about the strain of COVID-19 on Canada’s health systems as Ontario announces sweeping restrictions to curb record caseloads.

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Digging into the Conservatives' climate plan

After years of denouncing the Liberal Party's carbon pricing scheme, the federal Conservatives have put forward a climate plan of their own — one that also includes a price on carbon for consumers.
On Thursday, party leader Erin O'Toole proposed charging a levy on hydrocarbon-based fuel purchases and diverting that money to personalized savings accounts Canadians can use for green purchases. The levy is lower than the Liberal policy: it will increase over time to a maximum of $50 per tonne.
But the plan took many in the Conservative caucus by surprise. Opposition environment critic Dan Albas joins The House to talk about that reaction.

Media Audio | CBC News: The House : Digging into the Conservatives’ climate plan

Caption: Erin O’Toole surprised members of his own caucus on Thursday with a climate change plan that includes a price on carbon for consumers. Conservative environment critic Dan Albas joins The House to talk about the reaction to his party’s proposal.

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Is the pandemic a turning point for child care in Canada?

Ahead of its first federal budget in two years, the Liberal government is strongly hinting it will make a major investment in child care. But how much money is needed for a system stressed by the pandemic, and can provinces be convinced to cooperate?
Two experts on the subject join The House to discuss. Monica Lysack is a professor of early childhood education at Sheridan College who has advised Liberal governments on this issue, and Catherine Haeck is a professor at the University of Quebec in Montreal who has researched the Quebec child care model.

Media Audio | CBC News: The House : Investing in child care

Caption: Ahead of its first federal budget in two years, the Liberal government is strongly hinting it will make a major investment in child care. Monica Lysack, a professor of early childhood education, and Catherine Haeck, a professor at the University of Quebec in Montreal, discuss.

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A call for patent-free vaccines

The gap between countries with access to vaccines and those without is growing, as richer countries make deals to secure supplies for their citizens. That's sparked a push for global vaccine equity — based on the idea that the only way to end a global pandemic is to end it everywhere.
Oxfam Canada is among the groups calling on Canada to support calls to waive vaccine patents so that control and production is expanded beyond the current group of pharmaceutical companies. The group's director of policy and campaigns, Diana Sarosi, sits down with The House to discuss.

Media Audio | CBC News: The House : A call for patent-free vaccines

Caption: The only way to end a global pandemic is by vaccinating people around the world, epidemiologists say. Oxfam Canada director Diana Sarosi makes the case for this country to support waiving vaccine patents so control and production of shots can be expanded.

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Challenges and opportunities in Canada's relationship with India

Guest host Salimah Shivji shares sights and sounds from her latest assignment in India, where she'll soon be CBC's correspondent. We'll hear from farmers protesting that country's new farm laws, including some who took note of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's comments on the issue.
But what impact did those comments have on the Canada-India relationship? Are there more opportunities for the two countries to deepen their ties, or do more challenges lie ahead?
Enterprise Canada's Supriya Dwivedi and Shuvaloy Majumdar, senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and former policy adviser to Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, join The House to discuss the intricacies of the relationship.

Media Audio | CBC News: The House : Challenges and opportunities in Canada's relationship with India

Caption: Guest host Salimah Shivji shares sounds of farmers in India protesting that country’s new agriculture laws — and Canada’s response. Then, Enterprise Canada’s Supriya Dwivedi, and Shuvaloy Majumdar, senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, join The House to discuss the Canada-India relationship.

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