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Losing the border battle Ford right, PM'S measures don't go far enough Calgary Sun 25 Apr 2021 BRIAN LILLEY blilley@ @brianlilley The back and forth over COVID-19 border measures resurfaced Saturday, with Premier Doug Ford saying the Trudeau government's measures are too little too late and it needs to do more. Meanwhile, the feds said travel wasn't a factor in Canada's COVID-19 woes, even as they defended halting flights from India and Pakistan. The Trudeau government is trying to play both sides, but sadly for it the facts don't back its claims when it comes to Canada importing COVID-19 cases. “The federal government must close all non-essential travel to Canada immediately. The new border measures announced at the end of this week came far too late and don't do nearly enough to protect Canadians,” Ford said Saturday. “Without further action, we risk prolonging the third wave, or creating the conditions for a fourth one.” Ford's not wrong despite the mixed messaging from the Trudeau Liberals. On Thursday, the Trudeau government announced that direct flights from India and Pakistan would be halted for 30 days. The government said it made the decision after data showed 50% of those testing positive upon arrival at Canada's airports were passengers from India. “It has been clear over the past couple of weeks that there is a disturbing pattern of much higher caseloads from India and Pakistan than from other countries,” Trudeau said Friday. But on Saturday, after Ford's call for more measures, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair played down the impact of travel on Canada's COVID19 case counts. “We've prohibited non-essential travel to Canada for over a year. International travel is responsible for less than 2% of COVID-19 cases across Canada and, as the province's own data shows, around 1% in Ontario,” Blair tweeted. His claims leave out some key facts. First off, the government hasn't banned non-essential travel nor is entry restricted to Canadians. Not only can immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents come into the country, so can extended family members. Even people taking part in certain sport activities can enter. The list of exemptions is long. Secondly, Ontario's data on where cases come from is incomplete. Toronto gave up on case contact tracing last September, other than outbreaks in long-term care centres and a few other settings. Instead, let's look at the test positivity rates and what that may mean for cases entering Canada. Testing of passengers at both Calgary Airport and Toronto's Pearson have shown rates ranging from 1.5% to 2.26% over the past several months. Epidemiologist Colin Furness, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto, posted online Thursday about the likely numbers of imported cases per week. “A total of 65 international flights will land at major Canadian airports today alone. If there are 200 people/ plane and positivity of 2% (measured at Pearson in January), that means 7,500 cases of COVID arriving per month. Which hospitals have room for this?” Furness asked. A recent U of T study found that on arrival testing caught 67% of cases upon landing but 33% only tested positive after the fact. That means we're likely importing more than the 7,500 cases per month that Furness suggests is feasible. The Liberals want to claim they're being tough on the border, while also claiming the border isn't a factor in the spread of COVID-19. It's the same tactic they used last December when they banned flights from the U.K. but also claimed travel wasn't a concern. Right now, Ontario and Alberta are dealing with a third wave driven by the B.1.1.7 variant first found in the U.K. This is the one that Blair said wasn't an issue back in December. In four months or less, will we be dealing with a fourth wave driven by the B.1.617 first found in India that Blair now says isn't an issue? The Trudeau government has been late to the game on border issues at every step of COVID-19. I worry that we'll still be dealing with this and another variant wave in a few month's time.

The only problem with the data is that it would appear that the numbers are based on daily estimates and not exact measuring.

? Considering the massive reduction in air travel, we must be achieving tremendous gains in reducing C02 emissions, but I can not find any facts on that. One report said that airlines were responsible for 6% of the annual C02, if so where are any facts on a reduction? Should we concede that the reports over the past few years about how airlines were partly to blame for the increase in C02 and needed to find alternate "green" energy sources are yet another example of "fake" news? ? Daily CO2 A Rapid and Just Transition of Aviation - LINGO (leave-it-in-the-ground.org)

Fake COVID-19 documents found on incoming overseas travellers (msn.com)

seems that the faults continue.... New 737 Max issue affects nearly two dozen airlines, 106 jets: FAA 23 April 2021Canadian Aviation News From Flight Global – link to source story By Jon Hemmerdinger | 23 April 2021 The US Federal Aviation Administration has disclosed new details about an electric problem that forced the grounding of more than 100 recently-produced Boeing 737 Max. Though the issue primarily affects jets delivered by Boeing after the FAA lifted the grounding in November 2020, several Max delivered before the grounding are also affected, according to the agency. Regulators globally grounded the Max in mid-March 2019. Source: Shutterstock — A WestJet 737 Max The issue involves “potential degradation of bonds associated with electrical grounding of equipment that could affect the operation of certain systems”, says the FAA in a 22 April “Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community”. Potentially affected Max systems include standby power control units, “P6” circuit breaker panels and main instrument panels, it adds. Boeing notified the FAA about the concern, which it discovered “after electrical power systems did not perform as expected during the testing of a newly manufactured Model 737-8 airplane,” says the FAA’s notice. Chicago-based Boeing publicly disclosed the problem on 9 April but did not specify how many aircraft were affected. Boeing recommended airlines pull affected jets from service. The FAA’s 22 April memo specifies that the problem affects 106 737 Max 8s and Max 9s, including 71 in the fleets of US airlines. Those jets have manufacturing line numbers between 7,399 and 8,082. Boeing manufactured them after making design changes in “early 2019”, the FAA says. Of the 106 aircraft, Boeing delivered 18 in early 2019 prior to the global grounding, according to Cirium fleets data. Operators with affected jets include four large US carriers: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. Others are Air Canada, Belavia, Blue Air, Cayman Airways, Copa Airlines, GOL, Icelandair, Minsheng Leasing, Neos, Shandong Airlines, SilkAir, SpiceJet, Sunwing Airlines, TUI, Turkish Airlines, Valla Jets, WestJet and Xiamen Airlines, says the FAA. “This issue is not related to recertification of the flight control system on the 737 Max, un-grounding of the aircraft, or its return to service,” the FAA’s notice says. “All affected in-service airplanes passed all testing prior to delivery and there have been no reported in-service failures due to this condition.” Related

It's a real mystery how this country is managed Global flights landing in B.C. as Albertans told to keep out Calgary Herald 23 Apr 2021 GEORGE BROOKMAN George H. Brookman is chairman and corporate ambassador for West Canadian Digital Imaging Inc. In the 1998 movie Shakespeare in Love, there is a scene when the financial backer says to the producer (and I am paraphrasing): “The actors don't know their lines, the sets aren't finished, the tickets haven't sold and we are supposed to open tomorrow. How can that be?” At which point the producer looks him straight in the eye and responds, “I don't know, it's a mystery.” These past few days, we are all feeling more and more like much of our world is living in a state of “It's a Mystery” and, somehow, all of us are expected to believe it all and follow the rules with as little pushback as possible. British Columbia is not a country, it is a part of Canada. For that reason, when its premier says that “Albertans are not welcome” and closes the provincial borders, it is something we should not take lightly. Is this valid policy or a bit of macho grandstanding? As international flights continue to land in Vancouver, does the premier of B.C. feel that visitors from around the world are safer than travellers from Alberta? For sure, “it's a mystery.” The prime minister and his finance minister have told us, in essence, “We are going to borrow more money than our country has borrowed since we were at war. We are going to support some businesses and ignore others while we create tax-funded daycares, invest in more green technology and build up more and more debt, all for your own good.” We will soon have a debt of $1.4 trillion, an incomprehensible amount. Where will the money all come from? The answer is, “It's a mystery.” Our ... prime minister ... wants to save the world while allowing Canada to struggle. In Alberta, we cling to a belief the energy industry will save the economy, but that Alberta can also be the new frontier of renewable energy. We all want to believe that. We are told that with almost 1½ million Albertans having been vaccinated, we are making great progress. But then the next day we hear that we are losing ground. One day the news media reports that we have good capacity in our hospitals and the next day we hear that they are overwhelmed. There is little doubt that our politicians and our health professionals are working round the clock to try to make the right decisions, and huge new clinics in Calgary and Edmonton should be a giant step forward. Let's make sure that we put as few restrictions on people as possible and just open the doors whenever there are vaccines available. The number of arms that have been jabbed just has to go up if we are going to beat this. But mixed messaging does nothing to improve our confidence. Why don't Alberta and Canada have enough vaccines to get this done? It is a real mystery. In Alberta, we have to stop confusing each other. Open the clinics and the pharmacies whenever there are vaccines available and stop trying to restrict access to certain age groups or demographics. Once the health-care workers, teachers and EMS people are vaccinated, then open the doors and let's just get it done as fast as we possibly can. Of course, our major issue has to lie in Ottawa, with a prime minister who wants to save the world while allowing Canada to struggle. Why he feels that he has to grandstand in front of the United States while there is little or no co-ordination between provinces is another mystery. By one calculation, we have ordered enough vaccine to give everyone in Canada at least five shots each, but where are they? No one can hide from the fact that one of the richest but most debt-laden countries in the world is far behind in our vaccine program. Where is the leadership? When a province closes its borders to other Canadians, shouldn't the prime minister have something to say about that? The priorities of Ottawa seem to be a mystery to all of us.

as I don't believe in the validity of the prescreening , the bans do make sense, as they did when we banned flights from the UK etc. Why would flights from India be exempt?????

Unless I missed it and I might have (based on my profile (grin), what about those who are already booked ......????

it's getting crowded ........ time for a garbage pickup above the earth. https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/China_Orbiting_400_Satellites_Heading_for_1000_by_2030_US_Space_Command_Chief_Says_999.html The End of Space Access by Staff Writers Bethesda, MD (SPX) Apr 21, 2021 ESA file illustration Many recent articles have expressed concern about the growing amount of junk floating around Earth in low orbits. Ultimately, the mass and distribution of junk and active satellites will exceed the capacity of space to safely contain the debris generated by the addition of more than an estimated 50,000 new satellites planned for deployment in the next few years. If and when this limit is reached our ability to travel in space may be greatly diminished. When will this happen? No one knows the answer, but It could be soon. Just last week one of SpaceX's satellites came within 60 meters of a OneWeb satellite. As more and more satellites are launched, the frequency of these events will dramatically increase. After that, low-Earth orbits will begin to experience collisions among the many old and new satellite constellations. The next step will be a chain reaction that results in freshly created debris being exponentially multiplied until major segments of near-Earth space are gridlocked with junk of all sizes. Such an event could take only days or weeks to entirely end access to space. Can remedial action wait until this gridlocking event starts? Spacefaring nations have two options: continue business as usual that could result in the total loss of space activities for decades, if not longer; or, initiate space sustainability programs that lead to control of the space-based debris population. Such a program would offer three essential operations: + Precisely tracks and projects the trajectories of all large resident space objects (RSO) such that active satellites can avoid close conjunctions. + Controls the population of small-but-dangerous debris objects through active removal operations. + Manages space traffic of active satellites to maintain safe flight paths. The "do nothing" option could result in the complete loss of the half-trillion-dollar annual space commerce revenue. The reopening of space would cost at least several hundred billion dollars and likely take decades to achieve. The second option would assure continued safe commerce but require a very complex program involving several new space systems and a multi-billion-dollar annual budget. Unfortunately, the world economy cannot afford to do nothing. The real choice is to either pay for space sustainability now or pay much more later.

Technology & Science NASA makes breathable oxygen from thin air on Mars Social Sharing Facebook Twitter Email Reddit LinkedIn MOXIE device aboard Perseverance rover uses electrolysis to produce oxygen from CO2 Thomson Reuters · Posted: Apr 22, 2021 8:29 AM ET | Last Updated: 1 hour ago For the first time, an experimental device aboard the Perseverance rover has made oxygen on Mars. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Reuters) 25 comments NASA has logged another extraterrestrial first on its latest mission to Mars: converting carbon dioxide from the Martian atmosphere into pure, breathable oxygen, the U.S. space agency said on Wednesday. The unprecedented extraction of oxygen, literally out of thin air on Mars, was achieved Tuesday by an experimental device aboard Perseverance, a six-wheeled science rover that landed on the Red Planet on Feb. 18 after a seven-month journey from Earth. In its first activation, the toaster-sized instrument dubbed MOXIE — short for Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment — produced about five grams of oxygen, equivalent to roughly 10 minutes' worth of breathing for an astronaut, NASA said. Although the initial output was modest, the feat marked the first experimental extraction of a natural resource from the environment of another planet for direct use by humans. "MOXIE isn't just the first instrument to produce oxygen on another world," said Trudy Kortes, director of technology demonstrations within NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate, in a statement. She called it the first technology of its kind to help future missions "live off the land" of another planet. Technicians at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory lower the Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE) instrument into the belly of the Perseverance rover in an undated photograph in Pasadena, Calif. ( NASA/JPL-Caltech/Reuters) The instrument works through electrolysis, which uses extreme heat to separate oxygen atoms from molecules of carbon dioxide, which accounts for about 95 per cent of the atmosphere on Mars. The remaining five per cent of Mars's atmosphere, which is only about one per cent as dense Earth's, consists primarily of molecular nitrogen and argon. Oxygen exists on Mars in negligible trace amounts. An abundant supply is considered critical to eventual human exploration of the Red Planet, both as a sustainable source of breathable air for astronauts and as a necessary ingredient for rocket fuel to fly them home. What astronauts would need The volumes required for launching rockets into space from Mars are particularly daunting. According to NASA, getting four astronauts off the Martian surface would take about seven tonnes of rocket fuel, combined with 25 tonnes of oxygen. Transporting a one-tonne oxygen-conversion machine to Mars is more practical than trying to haul 25 tonnes of oxygen in tanks from Earth, said MOXIE principal investigator Michael Hecht, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in NASA's news release. Astronauts living and working on Mars would require perhaps one tonne of oxygen between them to last an entire year, Hecht said. We're in a new space race, but what toll is it taking on our environment? This Montreal-born engineer helped fly a helicopter on Mars. She says it's a win for diversity here on Earth MOXIE is designed to generate up to 10 grams per hour as a proof of concept, and scientists plan to run the machine at least another nine times over the next two years under different conditions and speeds, NASA said. The first oxygen conversion run came a day after NASA achieved the historic first controlled powered flight of an aircraft on another planet with a successful takeoff and landing of a miniature robot helicopter on Mars. Like MOXIE, the twin-rotor chopper dubbed Ingenuity hitched a ride to Mars with Perseverance, whose primary mission is to search for fossilized traces of ancient microbes that may have flourished on Mars billions of years ago. CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News Report Typo or Error

Crew members concerned as Air Canada sells out flights from COVID hotspots 21 April 2021Canadian Aviation News From Vancouver Sun – link to source story Booking info shows no economy seats available on Air Canada’s Delhi to Toronto flights until late May Bryan Passifiume • April 21, 2021 Air Canada passenger planes take off at Pearson International Airport on Sunday Jan. 24, 2021. PHOTO BY JACK BOLAND /Toronto Sun Anybody hoping to book a seat from Delhi to Toronto on Canada’s largest airline over the next four weeks is pretty much out of luck. And as Air Canada continues to operate near-or-at capacity flights from world COVID-19 hotspots, concern is growing among those who crew them. CREW MEMBERS CONCERNED AS AIR CANADA SELLS OUT FLIGHTS FROM COVID HOTSPOTS Air Canada flight crew members reported to the Toronto Sun that there’s widespread anxiety concerning flights from Delhi — which since February, has grown into Canada’s single-highest source of international passengers infected with the potentially deadly respiratory disease. At least half of the four-daily non-stop flights from India’s capital this month carried COVID-positive passengers, according to information posted online by Health Canada. Between April 1-19, both Air Canada and Air India operated 47 infected flights from Delhi to Canadian airports. India’s second wave — fuelled by the virulent “‘double-mutant” B.1.617 variant — has unleashed a nightmare in the South Asian country with 300,000 new cases reported on Wednesday. The 166 infected international flights that landed in Canada so far this month include 27 from the United States, 14 from Paris, 13 from Doha, Qatar, and eight from Frankfurt — destinations served by Air Canada. One crew member told the Sun Delhi-assigned crews are fearful as they watch co-workers book off to quarantine or recover from COVID — a sentiment shared by their union, which has fielded “multiple” complaints from members regarding those flights.https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q7M5YHMeHWY?embed_config={%27relatedChannels%27:%20[],%27autonav%27:true}&autoplay=0&playsinline=1&enablejsapi=1 “While it has been on our radar as a hotspot for a long time, the union is increasingly deeply concerned about this route,” said CUPE spokesperson Hugh Pouliot. Booking information shows no available tickets on Toronto-bound AC43 from Delhi for the rest of this month, except for limited business class seats on April 23, 25 and 27. No economy seats on that flight are available until May 24. Inquires to Air Canada by the Sun went unreturned by deadline. Canadian officials have dismissed growing calls to ban flights from India. On Wednesday, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam gave the first hint the government is considering changing course, describing India as an “emerging situation” under close observation. “We will be doing that risk assessment again, and using the data that we have now collected at the border to inform our next steps,” she said. Officials like Tam, Health Minister Patty Hajdu and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau describe Canada’s borders among the world’s strongest, key to preventing spread from international travel.

Here is an update: JetBlue announces Vancouver routes 21 April 2021Canadian Aviation News JetBlue Set to Land in Canada for the First Time Ever and Grow Presence in the Midwest, Southeast, Texas and Latin America NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) and American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL) today announced plans for the next phase of their Northeast Alliance – authorized by the U.S. Department of Transportation earlier this year – which is aimed at giving travelers in the northeast new competitive choices. Enabled by the alliance, JetBlue will bring its everyday low fares and award-winning service to more travelers in the northeast by adding seven all-new new destinations in New York and Boston, tripling flights at LaGuardia compared to 2019 levels and introducing more than 40 additional codeshare routes. Seven New JetBlue Cities JetBlue plans to add seven new destinations to its route map later this year and in 2022. Each new city advances JetBlue’s focus city strategy in New York or Boston by strengthening JetBlue’s service in the Midwest, southern U.S., Central America and introducing JetBlue in Canada and Honduras. Seats will go on sale in the coming months. “Almost since day one, both our customers and crewmembers have been asking us to add flights to the middle of the country and into Canada,” Laurence said. “We can’t wait to shake up the status quo in these markets currently dominated by high-fare carriers, and we look forward to introducing new customers to JetBlue favorites like live seatback TV, free Wi-Fi, the most legroom in coach and great service from our friendly Crewmembers.” “Over the past year, JetBlue and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey have worked together to prioritize the health and well-being of air travelers and we’re looking forward to welcoming customers back to our airports,” said Huntley A. Lawrence, Acting Chief Operating Officer and Director, Aviation Department at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. “We congratulate JetBlue on launching a dozen new routes at JFK and LGA—another sure and positive sign that the hard work behind us is leading to better days ahead.” “Our continued partnership with airlines such as JetBlue is important to ensuring that people get to where they have to go during this extraordinary time,” said Ed Freni, Massport Aviation Director. “Keeping our passengers and employees safe and healthy is our number 1 priority. We encourage all travelers to wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines, and to follow the Commonwealth’s travel advisory when they arrive in Boston.” Vancouver International Airport (YVR) (a) and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) [seasonal] Launching Summer 2022 “We’re delighted that JetBlue has selected Vancouver as its first Canadian destination with service from YVR to New York City and Boston,” said Tamara Vrooman, President & CEO, Vancouver Airport Authority. “As we move through the pandemic and prepare for a safe and healthy return to non-essential travel, this new service, scheduled for Summer 2022, gives us all something to look forward to. By selecting YVR, JetBlue has signaled a vote of confidence in our region as a premier destination, and our airport as a trusted partner, that together will attract a mix of business and leisure travelers when the time is right to fly again.” Vancouver YVRVancouver YVR

Nova Scotia shuts down border to 7 provinces as COVID-19 cases increase

Airline City Pairs - Search Awards (gsa.gov)

WE ARE REALLY GETTING RIPPED. LOCAL PRICE IS LESS HERE BUT STILL MUCH HIGHER THAN "NORMAL"

B.C. BANS MOST TRAVEL Visitors not welcome, says premier Calgary Herald 20 Apr 2021 PHOTO GOVERNMENT OF BC B.C. Premier John Horgan details the new COVID-19 restrictions on Monday. B.C. Premier John Horgan on Monday announced sweeping new travel restrictions that prohibit people from travelling outside their health authority in that province to stop the spread of COVID-19. There will also be signs at B.C.'S border with Alberta warning people not to come into B.C. unless it's for essential travel. “When it comes to travel, (provincial health officer) Dr. (Bonnie) Henry has been saying for months and months and months, stay in your territory, stay in your community,” Horgan said. “This is not the time to load up the Winnebago and travel around British Columbia.” B.C. will bring in an order on Friday that means people could face a fine for non-essential travel outside their local health authority with checkpoints across the province. That province's Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth will issue orders under the Emergency Program Act which will allow police to do random roadside check stops, Horgan said, not unlike the check stops that target impaired drivers over the holiday season. “They will be random and there will be a fine if you were travelling outside of your area without legitimate reasons.” Horgan said. He said the province will consult with Black and Indigenous communities and people of colour to ensure the new restrictions do not disproportionately target racialized people. “This is about travel,” Horgan said. “There will be no additional authority given to police.” Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Saturday walked back some of the travel and movement restrictions announced in that province the day before following near-universal condemnation. Horgan said the province is also working with tourism operators to ensure they're not taking bookings from visitors outside their region. B.C. Ferries will also have reduced sailings and cancel bookings for recreational vehicles. The ferry service will contact passengers who have booked reservations and ask them if their travel is essential Also Monday, Dr. Henry announced that the “circuit breaker” restrictions on indoor dining at pubs and restaurants and indoor group fitness will be extended until the end of the May long weekend. B.C. also lowered the eligible age for the Oxford-astrazeneca vaccine to 40 and targeted 15 COVID-19 hot spot communities with vaccinations in order to combat surging cases of the virus which have hospitals across B.C. nearing capacity. Due to high COVID case counts, the province will vaccinate all adults in Invermere and Enderby. A surge in COVID -19 cases means hospitals are nearing capacity, with hospitals in Fraser Health, Vancouver Coastal Health, Northern Health and Interior Health sitting at more than 95-per-cent occupancy as of April 16.

Determination No. A-2021-55 April 16, 2021 APPLICATION by Chrono Jet inc. carrying on business as Groupe Chrono Aviation / Chrono Aviation Group (applicant) pursuant to section 61 of the Canada Transportation Act, SC 1996, c 10 (CTA). Case number: 21-02459 The applicant has applied to the Canadian Transportation Agency (Agency) for a licence to operate a domestic service, all-cargo aircraft. The applicant is currently licensed to operate a domestic service, large aircraft. The Agency is satisfied that the applicant meets all the applicable requirements of section 61 of the CTA. Accordingly, the Agency approves the application for a licence to operate a domestic service, all-cargo aircraft Member(s) J. Mark MacKeigan Determination No. A-2021-56 April 16, 2021 APPLICATION by Chrono Jet inc. carrying on business as Groupe Chrono Aviation / Chrono Aviation Group (applicant) pursuant to subsection 73(1) of the Canada Transportation Act, SC 1996, c 10 (CTA). Case number: 21-02460 The applicant has applied to the Canadian Transportation Agency (Agency) for a licence to operate a non‑scheduled international service, all-cargo aircraft, to transport traffic on a charter basis between Canada and any other country. The applicant is currently licensed to operate a non‑scheduled international service, large aircraft, between Canada and any other country. The Agency is satisfied that the applicant meets all the applicable requirements of subsection 73(1) of the CTA. Further, with respect to this application, the applicant has undertaken that it will not contravene section 59 of the CTA prior to the issuance of the applied for licence. Accordingly, the Agency approves the application for a licence to operate a non‑scheduled international service, all-cargo aircraft. Member(s) J. Mark MacKeigan Following is a list of their 737s 5 Record(s) Found Mark Common Name Model Name Serial Number Owner Owner Regist. Since C-FBIM Boeing 737-247 23608 Chrono Jet Inc. 2019-09-25 C-FMBO Boeing 737-8Q8 30631 Chrono Jet Inc. 2021-04-13 C-FYPN Boeing 737-2T4 22529 Chrono Jet Inc. 2020-09-14 C-GTVO Boeing 737-219C 22994 Chrono Jet Inc. 2018-12-11

Feds need new strategy on flights, vaccine effort Calgary Sun 18 Apr 2021 BRIAN LILLEY blilley@postmedia.com @brianlilley JUSTIN TRUDEAU Justin Trudeau keeps saying that Canadians need to know that he has our backs and yet when it comes to two key actions he could take to help deal with COVID-19'S third wave, Trudeau won't act. I'm talking about vaccines and incoming flights from international destinations. “No matter where you live, know that we have your back,” Trudeau said Friday. I will give the prime minister this much, his government moved fast on issues like CERB, the wage subsidy and other economic supports. It has corrected early mistakes and improved programs — some still need fixing but it's something. Yet as Trudeau implores provincial governments to impose tighter restrictions on citizens and speaks in support of travel restrictions between provinces, his own government continues to allow flights from COVID-19 hot spots. This week it was reported that the Public Health Agency of Canada had dropped additional screening for passengers arriving from Brazil, where the P1 variant is running rampant. “Given that the P.1 variant is no longer limited to Brazil and is found in a range of countries, including Canada, and that it is not clear that screening for incoming travellers who have been in Brazil was adding operational value,” Eric Morrissette, chief of media relations at the Public Health Agency of Canada, said in an email to Postmedia. The largest outbreak of the P1 variant outside of Brazil is in British Columbia. Never mind extra screening though, it's here so just deal with it seems to be the view of the Trudeau government. Neither are the feds doing additional screening or blocking flights from India, despite that country dealing with skyrocketing COVID-19 case counts and a double mutant variant that is ripping through the country. Despite that, 22 flights have arrived in Toronto and Vancouver with Covid-19-positive passengers between April 1 and 11. There have been five Covid-19-positive flights from Dubai to Toronto aboard Emirates Airlines, which is looking at bringing back its 500-passenger Airbus A380 to regular service. We stay locked down, Trudeau calls for more restrictions and more measures, but flights keep coming. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Trudeau has been wary of any tough restrictions on flights, other than banning planes from Britain for a period around Christmas and a pause in flights to sun destinations. Meanwhile, he points to the success of the Atlantic region, which hasn't seen international flights arriving since March 2020. We are told not to travel between provinces, not to travel within our own provinces, not to visit family, but international flights are just fine? None of this makes any sense. Meanwhile, on the vaccine front, Trudeau waffles. I'm not talking about the Moderna doses being delayed yet again, even cut in half for the shipments in May. I'm talking about his unwillingness to put vaccines where they're needed. Trudeau, like premiers across the country, have committed to vaccine distribution on a per capita basis. Just as I've called for Premier Doug Ford to stop this practice in Ontario, I'm calling on Trudeau to do the same nationally. There is no urgency to vaccinating people in Atlantic Canada or Northern Ontario at this point. Just as regions of Ontario that have no COVID-19 cases should give up their supply to the areas of the province that are dealing with serious outbreaks, provinces and territories should do the same. Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and B.C. — in that order — are most in need and should have doses directed to them. Despite calls for this from the Canadian Medical Association, Trudeau says he can't do this without talking to premiers. My advice to him is the same as my advice to Ford: Take a few days of bad headlines and do the right thing if you're serious about dealing with this pandemic.

Reuters More electrical problems found on some Boeing 737 MAX -sources By Tracy Rucinski and Tim Hepher 20 hrs ago 1 Comment | 3 Risky pandemic behaviour off the clock could mean workplace discipline… Iran names suspect in Natanz attack, says he fled country By Tracy Rucinski and Tim Hepher a large passenger jet sitting on top of a runway: FILE PHOTO: A Boeing 737 MAX 8 sits outside the hangar during a media tour of the Boeing 737 MAX at the Boeing plant in Renton, Washington© Reuters/Matt McKnight FILE PHOTO: A Boeing 737 MAX 8 sits outside the hangar during a media tour of the Boeing 737 MAX at the Boeing plant in Renton, Washington (Reuters) - An electrical problem that led to dozens of Boeing 737 MAX jets being suspended from service has widened after engineers found similar grounding flaws elsewhere in the cockpit, industry sources said on Friday. Airlines pulled dozens of MAX jets from service a week ago after Boeing Co warned of a production-related electrical grounding problem in a backup power control unit situated in the cockpit on some recently built airplanes. Since then, suspected grounding problems have been found in two other places on the flight deck, the sources said. Money Morning Paper The 10 Richest Families Of The World SEE MORE Sponsored by MONEY MORNING PAPER These include the storage rack where the affected control unit is kept and the instrument panel facing the pilots. Boeing had no immediate comment on the wider problem, which was first reported by Aviation Week. (https://bit.ly/3mT210Y) Boeing shares closed down 1.2%. The glitch - which affects about a fifth of MAX jets in the market - is the latest issue to beset Boeing's most-sold model but is not related to design problems that contributed to a 20-month worldwide safety ban in the wake of two fatal crashes. Boeing is expected to draw up bulletins advising airlines how to fix the problems with grounding, or the electrical paths designed to maintain safety in the event of a surge of voltage. U.S. regulators must first approve the bulletins. While most analysts say the fix is expected to be relatively straightforward, no details were immediately available on the timing of the repair bulletins needed to start the work on some 90 jets affected by the suspension. The planemaker had initially told airlines a fix could take hours or a few days per jet, according to a notification seen by Reuters when the partial suspension was first announced. The problem has been traced back to a change in material coating once production of the 737 MAX resumed last year. Nearly all the affected jets were built before deliveries of the MAX resumed in December, shortly after U.S. regulators lifted the fleet-wide ban caused by the 2018 and 2019 crashes. Boeing has said it plans to raise production of the 737 MAX gradually from an unspecified current "low rate" to a target of 31 jets a month by early 2022. Industry sources estimate it is currently producing around four jets a month. Airline sources say Boeing has not, however, delivered any MAX jets since the electrical problem was identified last week.

Or reporting anything about the value of their entire holdings. I wonder how, if funds will be provided (loans that is) how any accounting will be done or surety be provided?

Trudeau says he supports restricting interprovincial travel when necessary to stem spread of COVID-19 CBC/Radio-Canada 1 hour ago%7B© THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito Premier John Horgan, left, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a news conference in 2019. Horgan told British Columbians this week that further restrictions could be coming to curb the spread of COVID-19. The Prime Minister says he's supportive of provinces and territories closing their borders in order to protect their residents from the spread of COVID-19. Justin Trudeau's comments to CBC Radio came a day after B.C. Premier John Horgan indicated he is considering restricting travel to and from the province to help stem the third wave of the pandemic. Trudeau, asked Wednesday on CBC's Daybreak South whether he would support such a move by Horgan, said he has already backed similar pandemic travel restrictions elsewhere in the country. "Every step of the way, I've been supporting premiers and territorial leaders on what they need to do to keep people safe," the Prime Minster said. "As we saw with the Atlantic bubble, as we saw with the the Arctic territories, they make decisions around closing off the regions. That is something that we are supportive of." He said the federal government's role is to help make those decisions easier for provinces by providing income assistance and financial supports for businesses. On Tuesday, Horgan told reporters the possibility of travel restrictions will be discussed Wednesday by the provincial cabinet. Those talks will also likely examine the status of bookings for hotels, bed and breakfasts and camping sites. "We've not taken anything off the table, but practicality is first and foremost in our mind," said Horgan. "We will use the tools that are available to us if we believe they are effective, but deployment of those tools is a challenge. We haven't taken travel restrictions off the board, quite frankly." Possible restrictions coming Thursday The premier said Henry will provide any update of possible new restrictions Thursday, during a briefing in which the province's latest COVID-19 modelling data will be presented. Tuesday's announcement was made less than a week after Horgan told CBC's On The Island he had no plans to further restrict travel, at least within B.C. — and that while it was "absolutely outrageous" for people to be travelling between the B.C. mainland and Vancouver Island, and while he did have the power to restrict ferry travel, he was not planning to. "What do we do? Arrest them?" said Horgan about people choosing to vacation while the coronavirus continues to spread. More than 1,500 people have died in B.C. due to COVID-19 and case numbers and hospitalizations have surged in recent weeks. Provincial Health Minister Adrian Dix has warned high occupancy rates are beginning to affect the surgical capacity of local hospitals in some parts of the province. %7B© Cory Correia/CBC A group of travellers arrive from Quebec en route to Whistler, B.C., on Feb. 28. B.C. health officials are particularly concerned about the P1 variant of the virus, first detected in Brazil. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has confirmed some of those cases can be traced to travelling Canadians. "It was likely that visitors from other parts of Canada initially introduced that strain," said Henry. She also said that some cases have been traced back to people who visited Whistler in February.

I think they of course save what it would cost for the enforced hotel stay if they were to fly in. Use ArriveCAN: Submit travel information to enter Canada - Canada.ca

France suspends all Brazil flights due to virus variants PARIS — France suspended all flights from Brazil on Tuesday amid mounting fears over the particularly contagious coronavirus variant that has been sweeping the South American country. “We note that the situation is getting worse and so we have decided to suspend all flights between Brazil and France until further notice," Castex said. Follow all of AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine