New AFN chief to be chosen today, COVID vaccine hangovers : In The News for July 7

A resolution to delay the election was debated at length during the first day of the A-F-N general assembly Tuesday, over concerns that some chiefs in British Columbia would be unable to take part due to evacuations caused by ongoing wildfires.

Some also raised concerns about internet connectivity issues for some remote First Nations as well as obstacles caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The resolution was eventually defeated, paving the way for the virtual election to go ahead today.

The election is expected to involve several rounds of voting, given the 60 per cent threshold needed for victory.

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Also this …

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is to meet today with Premier Jason Kenney and Mayor Naheed Nenshi in Calgary.

A spokeswoman for the premier’s office says Kenney wants to discuss pipelines and the reopening of international borders, which have been closed due to COVID-19.

Jerrica Goodwin says the premier plans to bring up a fair deal for Alberta in the federation.

She says he will also reiterate why he thinks it’s important to wait to fill any Senate vacancies until after Alberta’s October nominee elections.

Trudeau’s office has confirmed he will spend Wednesday in Calgary, where he will also visit a local business that received federal COVID-19 pandemic support, meet with Nenshi and visit a transit maintenance facility with the mayor for an announcement.

The stop in Alberta follows Tuesday’s visit to the Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan.

The First Nation, east of Regina, is the first to sign an agreement with Ottawa that will see jurisdiction over children returned to the community.

Cowessess is also the site of a former residential school where, last month, ground-penetrating radar detected a potential 751 unmarked graves.

And this …

Some Canadians are experiencing more intense reactions after a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and experts say that’s to be expected.

Steven Kerfoot, an immunologist with Western University, says normal side effects including fever, soreness and headache can feel stronger following the second dose because our immune system has already produced antibodies from the first jab.

Everyone’s immune system responds differently to vaccines, which is why so many varying side effects are reported. Soreness, headache, fatigue and fever symptoms tend to last only a day or two, but can linger for some people.

Younger adults, who typically have robust immune systems, are more likely to experience routine reactions, while women also generally have stronger responses for the same reason.

Kerfoot says mixing and matching vaccines could spark a more intense reaction for some Canadians who received Oxford-AstraZeneca first and an m-R-N-A vaccine the second time around. But blending the similarly structured m-R-N-A jabs likely doesn’t cause stronger side effects.

Kerfoot says the absence of a reaction doesn’t necessarily signify a weak immune system or an ineffective vaccine, and most people who don’t have side effects should still be “very confident” that the shot worked.

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What we are watching in the U.S. …

WASHINGTON – Top Biden administration officials have hosted a brother to powerful Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in Washington.

Tuesday’s meetings are the highest-level such visit since the U.S. made public intelligence findings linking the Saudi crown prince to the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The Biden administration did not publicly disclose the visit by Saudi deputy defense minister Khalid bin Salman in advance.

Joe Biden pledged during his presidential campaign to make a “pariah” of the kingdom’s crown prince over Khashoggi’s killing and other abuses.

His administration has instead emphasized U.S. strategic interests with Saudi Arabia.

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What we are watching in the rest of the world …

CANBERRA, Australia — Sydney’s two-week lockdown has been extended for another week due to the vulnerability of an Australia population largely unvaccinated against COVID-19, officials said on Wednesday.

The decision to extend the lockdown through July 16 was made on health advice, state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

“The reason why we’ve extended the lockdown is because of a number of cases still infectious in the community and we extended the lockdown to give us the best chance of not having another lockdown,” Berejiklian said.

The extension of the lockdown, which covers Australia’s largest city and some nearby communities, means most children will not return to school next week following their midyear break.

Of 27 new infections of the delta variant reported in latest 24-hour period on Wednesday, only 13 had been in isolation while infectious, officials said. The delta variant is considered more contagious than the original coronavirus or other variants.

Only nine per cent of Australian adults are fully vaccinated, heightening fears that the delta variant could quickly spread beyond control.

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On this day in 1969 …

The House of Commons gave final approval to the Official Languages Act, making English and French the official languages of Canada. The Senate approved the bill two days later and it was given royal assent later the same day.

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In entertainment …

TORONTO — With an equal passion for Canadian cinema and humanitarianism, rising filmmaker Kelly Fyffe-Marshall’s mantra is to “make ripples where you are.”

That’s the title of her 2018 TEDx Youth Toronto talk, it’s what inspired her new Make Ripples Foundation, and it’s why she strives to make meaningful change in the Canadian screen industry — specifically for creators who are Black, Indigenous and people of colour.

As the Brampton, Ont.-based director-writer soars with her acclaimed short film “Black Bodies” and upcoming features, she says she’s resisting the urge to move to the United States like so many Canadian artists do to find success. She’d rather try to help foster diversity and inclusivity here.

Now available on digital platforms as a bonus preceding Charles Officer’s Canadian crime-noir “Akilla’s Escape,” “Black Bodies” is an artistic, five-minute look at being Black in the 21st century.

“Black Bodies” is the sequel to Fyffe-Marshall’s short film “Marathon” and was inspired by a traumatic experience of being racially profiled in 2018 in California.

Fyffe-Marshall said she made “Black Bodies” to channel her emotions into something “powerful that can help a community speak up, but also help allies understand what the community is going through.”

It won a Canadian Screen Award for best live action short and made the Toronto International Film Festival’s Canada’s Top Ten list after premiering at the fest last year. Fyffe-Marshall also won the Shawn Mendes Foundation’s inaugural Changemaker Award at TIFF and the Toronto Film Critics Association’s Jay Scott Prize for an emerging artist.

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ICYMI …

Calgary Stampede officials are promising robust safety measures, including proof of vaccination at one popular venue, when the 10-day cowboy festival starts this week.

The event kicks off Friday after being cancelled last year due to COVID-19.

There will be a reduction in the number of visitors at the Stampede grounds this year.

Anyone who goes to Nashville North, a live music venue, will be required to provide proof of vaccination or have a rapid COVID-19 test on site.

The Stampede usually attracts about a million visitors a day, but numbers are expected to be down because of an international travel ban.

Daily attendance will be cut in half, there will be sanitation stations for the public and enhanced cleaning throughout the grounds.

Staff and volunteers will be required to wear masks and get rapid tests.

The world-renowned rodeo and fair runs for 10 days.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2021.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

New AFN chief to be chosen today, COVID vaccine hangovers : In The News for July 7

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