Friday Afternoon Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Sara Moniuzsko reports on the World Health Organization's recognition that COVID-19 is still causing nearly 10,000 reported deaths per month (to say nothing of unreported deaths and disabilities). And Michelle Ghoussoub reports on research confirming that access to prescribed opioids results in dramatic reductions in overdoses and deaths. 

- Tim Bousquet discusses the normalization of a lack of housing which has led to the building of "temporary" pallet shelters being treated as progress rather than a sign of desperate need for change. And Drew Anderson highlights how Danielle Smith and the UCP have pushed to set a baseline expectation of increased pollution, sprawls and energy inefficiency just over the holidays.  

- Andrew Coyne writes that surrender to premiers who thumb their nose at the rule of law only encourages them. And Linda McQuaig points out how the Libs have chosen to serve big oil at the expense of any responsible climate policy (with a similar effect of emboldening its climate sabotage). 

- Karin Kirk notes that even at a time of relatively low oil prices, consumers are better served charging an electric vehicle than buying fuel at the pumps. 

- Finally, Jon Stone reports on Sadiq Khan's efforts to break the UK's culture of silence about the immense real costs of succumbing to the implausible promises of Brexit. 

Monday Afternoon Links

Miscellaneous material to start your week.

- CBC News reports on the rise of COVID levels in Saskatchewan cities' wastewater. David Axe reports on the development of the BA.4.6 variant which looks likely to represent an even greater threat than the currently-dominant version. And Bruce Mirken discusses how the failure to recognize and mitigate the risk of long COVID has resulted in the U.S. (and Canada) sleepwalking toward disaster. 

- Meanwhile, Zak Vescera reports that overburdened hospitals in Saskatoon are clogging up other elements of the health care system, including the availability of ambulances which are spending hours waiting to hand off patients.

- The Washington Post maps the extreme heat covering much of the U.S. Jon Henley reports on the extreme drought which is drying up rivers in Europe, while Darrell Roberts reports on the fires threatening communities in Newfoundland which are being exacerbated by a lack of moisture. And Chris Saltmarsh discusses how the privatization of water has made it more difficult to protect limited resources against the effects of a climate breakdown. 

- Jacques Gallant reports on the federal government's failure to act despite being well aware of the drug poisoning crisis.

- Finally, Aaron Saad wonders whether we've devolved to the point of living in post-empathy times, while noting that collective acceptance of the view that we don't need to care about each other is an obvious predictor of impending fascism. 

Sunday Afternoon Links

This and that for your Sunday reading.

- Katherine Wu warns that the worst of the Omicron COVID wave may happen even after case counts have peaked as continued spread (facilitated by people relaxing their prevention efforts) batters already-struggling health care systems. And Ingrid Torjeson discusses a new study from Japan suggesting that Omicron actually results in a longer viral shedding peak - meaning that the policies pushing people back to work earlier are resulting in their returning to workplaces when they're at their most infectious. 

- Eoin Higgins discusses how the experience of a crisis may push people to demand collective response to the problems which can't realistically be addressed at an individual level. And Saeed Kamali Dehghan reports on a new study showing the underreported climate emergencies which primarily affect the world's poorest populations.

- Meanwhile, Nick Pearce reports that the Boundary Dam CCS project is once again falling far short of even its own overpriced promises - even as the fossil fuel sector continues to demand tens of billions of dollars in subsidies to use a new set of CCS projects as an excuse to keep spewing carbon pollution.

- Zak Vescera reports on Scott Moe's choice to appoint an unqualified partisan hack to oversee the selloff of Saskatchewan's public health care system.

- Finally, the Globe and Mail's editorial board questions why the drug poisoning crisis is still being treated as an afterthought.

Friday Morning Links

Assorted content for your Friday reading.

- Emma Buchanan writes about the restrictions on media access that have resulted in people being poorly informed about the damage done by COVID-19. Meredith Wadman reports on new research showing that the increased infectiousness of the Delta variant is the result of its leaving more of its genetic code in host cells. And Matt Gurney discusses the importance of increasing vaccine supply around the globe - though he leaves out the obvious source of the current shortage as wealthy countries continue to prohibit the release of intellectual property over publicly-developed vaccines to let developing countries establish their own supply.  

- Corry Anderson-Fennell writes about the benefits for everybody when workers have access to paid sick leave, rather than being financially compelled to work through illness and pain. And Kim Siever debunks the corporate lobby's rhetoric about Alberta workers choosing federal pandemic benefits over work - as the only sectors seeing less employment are the ones where employers (government or otherwise) have chosen to restrict operations. 

- Meanwhile, Mario Canseco discusses new poll data showing an increasing number of Canadians recognizing the opioid crisis as a major problem and recognizing the need for political leadership. 

- David Suzuki calls out the continued subsidization of fossil fuels even as climate science points to an urgent need to transition away from them. Liang Jing et al. study (PDF) the carbon intensity of oil, and find Canada to be the second-worst polluter on the planet for the amount of crude it produces. And Aaron Wherry makes the seemingly obvious point that the high-pollution, low-efficiency tar sands are logically among the first resources which need to be left unextracted as we work on reducing our fossil fuel dependence. 

- Chen Zhou highlights how wealthy countries are trying to shift the goalposts to avoid meeting existing commitments to fund climate finance. Phoebe Weston reports on new research showing the grossly disproportionate share of emissions attributable to luxury carbon consumption. And Andrew Nikiforuk writes about the need to reduce our energy use in order to rein in the climate crisis.

- Finally, Susan Ferguson discusses how the systemic violence of capitalism has dictated a woefully insufficient response to COVID-19 (and to other crises). And Alex Steffen calls out the plutocrats who are using the spoils of existing wealth inequality to corner the market on the necessities for survival in a foreseeable climate apocalypse. 

Wednesday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Sarath Peiris rightly calls out Scott Moe and his government for making it a goal to punish the poor within Saskatchewan. 

- Marco Ranaldi and Branko Milanovic study the connection between inequality of income sources and of income totals. And Ricardo Tranjan writes that we can't expect the pandemic (or any other event) to produce the end of neoliberalism, but instead need to fight for it against forces who remain determined to extract value from both the general population today, and the future of generations to come. 

- On that front, PressProgress exposes how private long-term care homes in Ontario profiteered off the pandemic by charging extra to move residents out of the risk of four-to-a-room overcrowding. Guy Quenneville reports on the prospect that it may take over a year and a major resource boost to make up the backlog in Saskatchewan's health care system - which is particularly problematic given the Sask Party's desire to hand health services over to the corporate sector.

- Michael King and Morgan Black report on the escalating death count from opioid poisoning in Alberta even as the UCP tries to ignore the options which would most obviously save lives. And in contrast, Michelle Ghoussoub reports on British Columbia's move toward decriminalization to ensure people don't fall victim to toxic drug supplies.   

- Environmental Defence examines how the oil industry's attempt at greenwashing with "net zero" spin falls far short of anything resembling a viable climate plan. And Megan Gibson and Phil Clarke Hill interview Jagmeet Singh about the work needed to push Justin Trudeau to fund a just transition to a clean economy, rather than decades of fossil fuel infrastructure.  

- Chen Zhou writes about the need for wealthier countries to pull our weight in funding global climate action. And Brian Kahn's survey of climate scientists show that the people best informed about our climate breakdown are begging our leaders to avert an imminent catastrophe.

- Finally, for those interested in a deeper look at climate change issues, a couple of new sites worth visiting have recently gone live: the David Suzuki Foundation's Climate Emergency Unit as a road map for action, and Amy Westervelt's Rigged as a source on corporate disinformation. 

#Elxn44 Roundup

The latest from Canada's federal election campaign.

- David Miller discusses the steps Canada needs to take to help avert climate disaster - as well as the differences in the federal parties' plans to achieve them (or not). And Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood writes about some crucial climate myths, with the overall message that we can't pretend we're doing enough or on the right track already. 

- David McLaren rightly criticizes the Cons' attempt to entrench precarious gig work as a permanent trap for workers. 

- Elise Stolte discusses how the financialization of the housing market has made it impossible for many people to find affordable and acceptable rental homes. And Patrick Condon highlights the need for far more ambition in ensuring the right to housing is met, while also noting the crucial differences among the parties. 

- Christine Dobby takes a look at voters' choices on telecommunications, with particular attention to the Libs' broken promises to make connections to the world more affordable. 

- Brett Forester examines the parties' platforms on issues facing Indigenous people. 

- PressProgress contrasts the well-known answers to the opioid crisis (including ensuring a safe supply) against Erin O'Toole's insistence on pushing only access to private institutional rehab facilities. 

- Finally, Our Politics offers a slick (if necessarily simplified) look at the policies on offer from the major federal parties. And the Courage Coalition provides its take on the choices facing progressive voters and activists. 

Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Jocelyn Keehner et al. find that COVID infection is already common in highly-vaccinated health care workforces, while Berkeley Lovelace J. reports on the "mu" variant which seems to be able to evade existing immunity. Reuters reports on a study finding that one in seven children with COVID may have symptoms extended for a period of months, while Mary Van Beusekom reports on new research showing that long COVID may be a cause of severe kidney disease. 

- Zak Vescera reports on the dire state of Saskatoon emergency rooms as the fourth wave hits much of Saskatchewan, while Elis von Scheel reports on modelling suggesting Alberta may soon face 1,500 COVID hospitalizations in an already-strained health care system. And Lauren Pelley reports on the continued warnings by health care workers that public health rules are needed to slow the spread of a virus that's now out of control. 

- Laurie Adkin writes about the UCP's attempt to eliminate any function for Alberta's universities other than as sources of job skills to be exploited by employers. And Nicholas Hune-Brown points out the already-warped incentives in a post-secondary education system which relies disproportionately on high tuition paid by foreign students. 

- Finally, Justin Ling writes about the Trudeau government's failure to take any substantial steps to address the drug poisoning and overdose epidemic. Ryan McNally reports on the recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day at Saskatchewan's legislature - as well as the thousands of lives lost over just the past decade. And Jan Hoffman reports on the OxyContin settlement which is enabling the Sackler family to shelter billions of dollars acquired through the cultivation of human suffering in offshore trusts. 

Wednesday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Guy Quenneville reports on the frustration of Cory Neudorf and other Saskatchewan doctors due to the Moe government's decision to ignore all available science on COVID-19, while Alberta doctors have taken to providing the daily briefings the government has chosen to abandon. Cam Tait discusses how the lack of government leadership responding to a grave health crisis in Alberta (as in Saskatchewan) is anything but a joke. And Alexandra Mae Jones reports on new research showing how even in its less acute forms, COVID may lead to a wave of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. 

- Meanwhile, Dave Connell offers the account of a grandfather who lost his grandson to the overdose crisis. 

- Chris Walker reports from the fossil fuel sector's festival of climate denial and destruction in the midst of a summer defined by climate catastrophes. And George Monbiot discusses why we can't build our way out of the climate crisis (at least as long as infrastructure projects are captured by the corporate establishment). 

- Finally, Alleen Brown reports on the choice of Minnesota police to provide both individual-level intelligence and operational support to Enbridge for the suppression of pipeline protestors. 

Tuesday Morning Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- J. Stacey Klutts offers a summary of the lessons we've already learned about the Delta variant - including the need to combine a vaccination strategy with public health protections, rather than pretending one is a full substitute for the other. Pete McMartin writes that he's (understandably) lost patience with COVID deniers. And Andrew Nikiforuk writes about the need for people to step up where their governments are failing to protect the public. 

- Meanwhile, Candace Lipski reports on the exhaustion of ICU capacity in Saskatoon, Prince Albert and North Battleford - endangering anybody with an urgent health condition of any kind. And Marlene Sokol reports on the five-figure COVID case count in the first week of Tampa Bay's return to school - offering an alarming indication of what might soon be in store in Canada. 

- Meanwhile, in case anybody was under the misapprehension that COVID is the only social and health crisis crying out for action, Morgan Black reports on the worsening human costs arising out of the opioid crisis in Edmonton. And Zak Vescera juxtaposes the increasing trend of people sleeping rough in Saskatoon even as shelter beds are empty due to unmanageable intake requirements. 

- Bryan Lufkin and Jessica Mudditt make the case for a shorter work week as a boost to health and well-being. 

- Finally, Saira Peesker writes about the lifelong loss of earnings arising out of mothers' departure from the workforce to manage the burdens created by the pandemic. 

#Elxn44 Roundup

The latest from Canada's federal election campaign.

- Charlie Pinkerton reminds us of the need to ensure that any party seeking power addresses the ongoing opioid crisis.

- David Akin offers a comparison between the major national parties in addressing Indigenous inclusion and issues - with the NDP ranking head and shoulders above the Libs and Cons on both counts. 

- Rosie DiManno discusses how the Libs have systematically squandered the polling lead which was supposed to have justified precipitating an election in the first place. And Robin Sears writes about the growing distance between Justin Trudeau and anything even remotely resembling the politics of hope. 

- Meanwhile, Martin McMahon reports on the Vancouver Lib candidate who can't even remember how many properties he's flipped in capitalizing on the housing crisis which the Libs claim to want to solve.

- Finally, Christopher Reynolds points out how Jagmeet Singh's political life follows from an extended history of care for the people around him. 

Tuesday Morning Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- The Canadian Press reports on new Leger polling showing that over two-thirds of Canadians want to see COVID-19 protections remain in place - even as Scott Moe and Jason Kenney barge ahead in slashing public health measures. Mark Lautens warns against treating vaccinations as a matter of consumer choice rather than social importance. And Christopher Whaley, Jonathan Cantor and Megan Pera study the effect of small household gatherings on the spread of COVID-19. 

- Members of the Alberta Nurses Coalition for Harm Reduction highlight how shutting down harm reduction sites is an utterly counterproductive response to the opioid crisis. 

- Joshua Posaner reports on the EU's draft policy which figures to presage a complete shift away from the use of combustion engines in vehicles. Rebecca Leber writes about the self-serving attempts of fossil fuel producers to hype miniscule differences in production emissions as an excuse to keep pushing consumers to pollute. And Robert Tuttle reports on CCPA research showing that Canada's managed forests are actually a major source of greenhouse gas emissions rather than a sink.  

- David Sirota duly questions the assumption that whatever billionaires do to avoid paying taxes must be legal. And Christopher Reynolds reports on the CRA's failure to manage a single prosecution or conviction after auditing 44 ultra-wealthy individuals. 

- Finally, Mariana Mazzucato examines how to build a political economy which facilitates sustainable and public-focused development rather than short-term profit-seeking. 

Monday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material to start your week.

- Emma Paling discusses the reasons why repeated warnings about Canada's third wave of the coronavirus went largely unanswered. And Rachel Bergen reports on another national call among doctors for a COVID-19 circuit breaker, this time with a focus on stopping the spread of variants of concern while vaccinations take place. 

- CBC News reports on Dr. Andrew Bond's eminently sensible suggestion that the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine be used to reach unhoused people and others who may have difficulty following through with a second dose. And Nick Dearden notes that the need for vaccines to protect the health of all of humanity has only exposed the greed of the drug companies prioritizing profit over access.

- Doug Cuthand discusses how the pandemic has further exposed the dangerous effects of white privilege in Saskatchewan.

- Taylor Balfour writes about her sister as one of the victims of the opioid crisis. And Morgan Modjeski reports on a stark increase in the number of violent deaths of children under the province's care in 2020.

- The Canadian Press reports on the push by the NDP opposition parties across the prairies to ensure that provincial governments properly cushion farmers against drastic declines in income. 

- Finally, Toby Sanger examines (PDF) how much revenue Canada could bring in merely by matching Joe Biden's rate increases on corporations. And MercoPress reports that Bolivia has actually been bringing in twice as much revenue as initially anticipated from its wealth tax.

Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Laura Spinney writes about the debate as to whether to eliminate COVID-19 or control its continued spread. And Carl Zimmer reports on the Brazilian variant which represents just the latest new mutation which may complicate any attempt to barge ahead with business as usual in the face of the coronavirus.

- Tzeporah Berman and Nathan Taft point out the deception behind the oil industry's attempt to pitch a misleading "net zero" emissions target as an excuse to keep spewing carbon pollution now (and to encourage end users to keep doing so for decades to come), while Naveena Sadasivam discusses the massive cleanup costs fossil fuel barons are foisting on the public. And Simon Lewis warns against being fooled by businesses trying to turn accounting tricks into carbon credits they can sell.

- Rahi Abouk, Keshar Ghimire, Johanna Catherine Maclean and David Powell study how marijuana legalization affects workers' compensation claims - concluding that it actually leads to a reduction by offering another form of pain management. And Zak Vescera reports on the need for improved access to naloxone to reduce the damage from opioid overdoses.

- Finally, Molly Scot Cato writes about the positives of taxes in reducing inequality, creating positive behavioural incentives and funding the services we need. Which makes for an important contrast against Stephanie Mudge's observations about Third Way liberalism which made democratic decision-making subordinate to the interests of capital.

Monday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material to start your week.

- Marieke Walsh reports on the new modeling from the Public Health Agency of Canada which shows how COVID's variants will foreseeably result in massive numbers of cases if we don't act to clamp down on viral spread. Andrew Nikiforuk highlights how the emergence of those variants makes it all the more urgent that we pursue a COVID-zero strategy. And Scott Schmidt uses a Jaws analogy to point out how much needless danger is created when governments not only fail to take obvious steps to avoid further spread, but encourage people to put themselves in positions likely to contribute to further transmission.

- Meanwhile, German Lopez discusses how trying to return to a pre-COVID (or pre-Trump) "normal" falls far short of addressing desperate social crises. And Doug Cuthand notes that one of the most devastating of those - the opioid crisis - can best be met with harm reduction and decriminalization.

- Galen Herz writes that the construction of social housing is becoming an increasingly viable policy option in the U.S. But that only makes it all the more pathetic that we've seen only pittances put toward the same goal in Canada - as Nick Falvo notes in his primer on supportive housing. And Mira Miller reports that Toronto is using its resources to take away shelters from people with nowhere else to go, rather than to ensure people actually have the homes they need.

- James Galbraith discusses the role deregulation and laissez-faire economics have played in Texas' collapsing power infrastructure. And Eric Wolff, Debra Kahn and Zack Colman point out that for all the differences between California and Texas, they (like every other jurisdiction on the planet) share an acute vulnerability to the effects of a climate breakdown.

- Finally, Luke Savage notes that even in Texas there's far more appetite for a shift to clean energy than the fossil fuel-funded political establishment is willing to acknowledge. And Rick Smith writes that U.S.'. long-overdue climate policy ambition under the Biden administration offers an opportunity for Canada to stop being a laggard.

Saturday Morning Links

Assorted content for your weekend reading.

- Andre Noel reports on the growing push among medical professionals for a COVID-zero strategy, while Zach Goudie points out how people can reduce their own contribution to potential spread with improved masking. And Avis Favaro and Elizabeth St. Philip report on research showing that a substantial number of infected health care workers never show immediate symptoms, while David Nauen, Jody Hooper, C. Matthew Stewart et al. examine the impact COVID-19 has on the brain. 

- Aaron Saltzman reports on the high-priced and poorly-regulated private COVID testing industry. And in case we need a reminder what's possible when governments take public investment and provision of services seriously, Ed Augustin and Natalie Kitroeff report on Cuba's success in developing its own vaccine - and the prospect that it may be shared with tourists before travelers are able to get vaccinate at home.

- Hassan Yussuff, Doug Roth and Linda Siles discuss how far too many Canadians are struggling to pay for needed medications, signalling the continued need for a national Pharmacare plan.

- Evan Radford is the latest to report on Saskatchewan's devastating opioid crisis, including in smaller cities whose social issues don't often receive much attention.

- Finally, Erika Hayasaki discusses the growing organization among Amazon employees as an example of the COVID pandemic pushing people toward needed collective action.

Wednesday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Marco Ranaldi and Branko Milanovic study the relationship between inequality of inputs and inequality of outcomes - finding in particular that countries with relatively equal sources of income reliably produce comparatively fair income levels as well. And they also note that it's possible to achieve greater equality by ensuring the regular redistribution of concentrated wealth - reflecting Matt Elliott's case for Toronto to follow through on a vacant residence tax. 

- But Juliana Kaplan and Dominic-Madori Davis remind us that charity on the part of people who retain extreme wealth and power shouldn't be treated as a substitute for structural equalization.

- Marc Lee and Seth Klein discuss the need for oil and gas royalty regimes to account for an industry on the wane. And Roger Harabin reports on new research showing how the UK can eliminate the vast majority of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 based on an eminently affordable investment - though sadly the Trudeau Libs are falling far short of even their own unambitious promises to build a greener energy system. 

- Of course, any transition to clean energy also has to reckon with the fossil fuel industry's propaganda machine. On that front, Naomi Klein calls out Jason Kenney's latest conspiracy-mongering around any effort to plan a clean energy transition. And David Lapp Jost writes about the culture of death it has deliberately fostered in the U.S. to devalue the lives of drivers, pedestrians and people affected by pollution in order to keep the emissions spewing.

- Finally, Taylor Balfour asks how many more Saskatchewan people will die of the opioid epidemic (as her sister did). And Sarath Peiris implores Scott Moe to finally start listening to public health experts rather than letting short-sighted business lobbyists condemn his constituents to death as a result of COVID-19.

Saturday Afternoon Links

Assorted content for your weekend reading.

- Michael Smithson examines data from 45 countries confirming that any attempt to play off COVID-19 suppression against economic activity is based on a false assumption, as the former is a must to allow the latter.

- Leyland Cecco reports on the surge in COVID-19 cases on the Prairies - showing that the fecklessness of the conservative governments of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba is remarkable enough to win notice internationally. Duane Bratt and Lisa Young discuss the politics behind Jason Kenney's failures - though it's worth highlighting how Kenney and his party have legitimized and boosted exactly the extreme-right positions which are now being presented as an excuse for poor government. And Zak Vescera reports on Saskatchewan's doctors who are bracing for the worst.

- Davide Mastracci takes the time to Fisk the anti-CERB propaganda put out by Postmedia last week, while Lindsay Tedds details exactly what it gets wrong.

- The Associated Press reports on Purdue's guilty pleas arising out of the manipulative marketing of opioids. And Walt Mogdanich and Michael Forsythe dig into the appalling thinking behind the opioid epidemic - including McKinsey's plan to pay pharmacies for causing overdoses. 

- Finally, Brendan Kennedy reports on the Centre for Future Work's research confirming that universal child care would far more than pay for itself.

Friday Morning Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Ricky Leong writes that any meaningful effort to stop the coronavirus has to include enforcement to deal with the people who haven't responded to moral suasion. 

- Lauren Mascarenhas reports on the CDC's belated recognition that masks benefit both wearers and others in limiting the spread of COVID-19 And Olivia Goldhill points out that rural areas generally aren't equipped with ultra-cold freezers needed to store the Pfizer vaccine which has emerged as the most promising vaccine to date.

- Amanda Pfeffer reports on the Ontario PCs' choice to spend extra on investigators to claw back social supports in the midst of the pandemic, rather than doing anything to support people who need it. Andrea Woo highlights the appalling Ontario death toll from the opioid epidemic which is going unaddressed. And Farrah Merali examines the neglect of residents in the province's private long-term care homes - and the lack of any accountability against the corporations responsible. 

- Meanwhile, Noor Javed points out how Doug Ford is taking the opportunity to enrich developers at the expense of environmental protection.

- Finally, Umair Haque writes that the core task of Joe Biden's presidency shouldn't be merely to restore some pre-Trump status quo ante, but to rebuild a failing U.S. state. George Monbiot discusses the risk that Donald Trump's rise may simply presage the emergence of a more competent - and more dangerous - autocrat. And David Suzuki notes that the state of the U.S. highlights the importance of fighting injustice in all of its forms.

Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Mariano Zafra and Javier Salas offer a handy visual aid as to how COVID-19 spreads indoors - showing that masking is a valuable partial solution, but that effective ventilation can significantly reduce community transmission. And Jessica Wong reports on the results of a teachers' survey showing how COVID-19 has dumped far more stress and responsibility on already-overworked educators. 

- Meanwhile, Apoorva Mandavilli discusses how some COVID-19 patients wind up with antibodies which attack their own bodies rather than the virus.

- George Monbiot exposes how the UK's move to privatize the coronavirus response resulted in untrained teenagers being handed the work of health professionals - with corporate cronies pocketing the difference even while failing to perform their duties. 

- Gordon Asmundson writes about five of the most dangerous mental health effects of the COVIS-19 pandemic. And John Paul Tasker reports on the wide range of social ills documented in the latest annual report from the Public Health Agency of Canada. 

- Corey Ranger argues that the Kenney UCP's response to the opioid crisis amounts to nothing less than social murder. And Zak Vescera reports on Saskatchewan's overdose crisis - which continues to worsen as Scott Moe prefers to spend his time posturing against Ottawa rather than saving lives in his own province.

- Campbell Clark discusses how the Trudeau Libs are trying to use the pandemic as an excuse to clamp down on access to information. 

- Finally, Willy Blomme offers a reminder that it's never too late to change the world for the better. And Glen Pearson writes about the need for people to join together in order to accomplish the task.

Sunday Morning Links

 This and that for your Sunday reading.

- Matthew Yglesias discusses how the Republicans avoid having to answer for antisocial plans (such as wanting to limit access to health insurance based on pre-existing conditions) because voters simply don't believe they could possibly be as evil as they act when given the opportunity.

- Corey Ranger discusses how the UCP's position on opioids - eliminating harm reduction based on puritanical moralization while contributing nothing to any additional services - represents nothing more than social murder. And Miriam Katawazi highlights how appointment-based COVID-19 testing serves to limit access by the vulnerable populations who most need to be included.

- Aaron Wherry writes that increased taxes on those who can most afford them would be a popular move - but rightly questions whether the Libs will have any interest in applying them when they rely on appeasing the corporate sector. 

- Yves Engler wonders why we don't see far more outcry about the use of public money to promote the export of arms to human rights abusers.

- Finally, Grace Blakeley writes about the need for organized labour to be one of the driving forces behind any social change for the better.