October News Briefs
U of T student acts as Toronto Maple Leaf’s back-up player
Alex Bishop, a fourth year student at U of T and member of the Varsity Blues Men’s Ice Hockey team, found himself serving as a back-up goalie for the Toronto Maple Leafs in their game against the Ottawa Senators. The opportunity opened up when the Maple Leafs’ Petr Mrázek suffered a groin injury, requiring at least two weeks of recuperation. Thus, the team was short on goalies and recruited Bishop as a temporary back-up player. While Bishop never ended up leaving the bench, it was regardless a unique and memorable experience.
Indigenous artworks displayed on tree protection hoardings at U of T
The Tree Protection Zone (TPZ) project was created in response to U of T’s Landmark Project, which involves large-scale construction that can result in damage to nearby trees. The project will run from September 8, 2021 to August 31, 2022. Tree protection hoardings have been placed to shield trees from harm. The hoardings themselves are pieces of publicly displayed Indigenous artwork, all contributing to Hart House Commons’ new look. A total of eight artists will be featured in the TPZ, with each of their pieces focusing on life, water, and kin, showing how these elements are deeply related to tree protection.
Ontario government to require licensing for temporary work agencies
Many temporary workers have received continuous unfair treatment by being paid below the minimum wage and mistreated in the workplace. It was reported that a total of around $3.3 million were owed to employees by temporary work agencies. In response to this, the Ontario Government will be introducing legislation that requires temporary work agencies to be licensed. This is aimed to weed out agencies that regularly break laws and exploit their workers, thus providing temporary workers with legitimate and law-abiding employers. The licensing system is predicted to come into action in 2024. For now, the government aims to create a task force designed to seek and rectify illegal practices.
Ontario government files regulation to pay $39 million to optometrists
After discussions with the Ontario government, on September 1, 2021, optometrists province-wide stopped providing OHIP-insured optometry services as part of their protest of the lack of funding from the government. Currently, OHIP reimbursements cover about $45 of the roughly $80 eye exam cost. The Ontario Government filed a regulation on October 1, promising a $39 million one-time payment to optometrists. Apart from the payment, the government offers to increase OHIP fee reimbursement for optometrists by 8.48 per cent. Both actions aim to put an end to the month-long strike against OHIP-insured patients.
American and Canadian missionaries kidnapped in Haiti
On October 16, a missionary group of 17 people, composed of five men, seven women, and five children were kidnapped in Haiti, as reported by the Christian Aids Ministries. The nationalities of the kidnapped include 16 Americans and one Canadian. Currently, authorities suspect the culprits to be members of the “400 Mawozo” Haitian gang, which has significant presence in the region, along with a track record of performing mass kidnappings among numerous other criminal activities. It is believed that the kidnapping occurred with the intent for demanding ransom in exchange for the release of victims. This abduction is one of many coordinated kidnappings that have occurred in 2021 in Haiti reflecting an alarming trend.
