From the federal government announcing the Canadian Student Service Grant, to the support shown to Black NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, here is what we saw in the news this week.
Canada launches Canadian Student Service Grant
Yesterday the federal government announced a new program aimed towards students looking to join the fight against COVID-19.
The Canadian Student Service Grant (CSSG) will provide grants from $1,000 up to $5,000 for post-secondary students and recent graduates aged 30 and under who are volunteering with various charities and not-for-profit organizations.
According to CBC, the amount given is based on the number of hours a student has volunteered. Volunteering activities include tasks such as making masks, designing exercise programs for seniors, researching behaviour in animals, and tutoring.
Students will gain a one-time payment for their volunteering and can make $1,000 for every 100 hours worked. The students can work up to 500 hours to receive the full grant, reaching a total of $5,000.
During a news conference, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the government has also created 5,000 internships through Mitacs for college and university students as part of the government’s $9 billion in support for post-secondary students and recent graduates.
“Canadian students are looking for ways to make a real difference in their communities,” Trudeau said in a media release.
“With these new investments, we are giving them the support and connections they need to have a positive impact during COVID-19 and gain the skills needed for future success.”
Students who are looking to be part of the program can click here to get involved.
Province extends Declaration of Emergency, Toronto and Peel enter Stage 2 of reopening
The Ontario government has once again made an extension to the province’s Declaration of Emergency, this time until July 15.
“As we gradually and safely reopen our economy, our frontline care providers can continue to rely on these emergency orders to better protect our seniors and most vulnerable citizens and provide the flexibility to put resources where they’re needed most,” Premier Doug Ford said in a news release.
According to the same release, keeping the Declaration in place allows the government to make and amend emergency orders such as allowing frontline workers to redeploy workers to areas most in need, like long-term care homes, and enabling public health units to hire staff or reassign existing staff to support contact tracing and case management work.
The province has recently allowed all regions to move forward with Stage 2 of reopening, with exceptions in the Windsor-Essex region, which has been seeing high numbers of COVID-19 cases among migrant farm workers.
On Monday, Windsor-Essex announced 32 new cases of COVID-19 with 31 in the agri-farm sector, according to CTV News.
On Wednesday it was announced that parts of Windsor could reopen, excluding Kingsville and Leamington which continue to see high COVID-19 numbers in their farming sectors.
“We will continue to work closely with our municipal partners and local public health units to ensure every part of Ontario can enter Stage 2 safely,” Ford said in a news conference. “No one wants to see every region of Ontario open more than I do. But we have to do it right.”
Province to support improved public transit and cycling infrastructure in Guelph
On Tuesday, the federal and provincial governments announced two new projects to improve cycling and public transit infrastructure in the City of Guelph.
According to a media release, the Government of Canada is investing over $1.8 million dollars for the first project which aims to improve Guelph’s cycling network.
The funding will go towards creating new accessible bike paths and improving existing bike path intersections, with the hopes of increasing cyclist safety within the city and providing easier access to the public transit system.
The second project will see the government investing over $2.7 million to create a new transit terminal.
The new terminal, which will be located at Guelph Central Station, will meet energy efficiency and accessibility standards. It will have public washrooms, passenger waiting areas and amenities for transit operators.
“As Guelph continues to grow, it’s critical that we invest in accessible, sustainable infrastructure projects that support our community’s vision for a connected city where people can move around freely,” Mayor Cam Guthrie said in the release.
Guthrie also thanked the governments for their support in encouraging Guelph to become a net-zero carbon community by 2050.
NASCAR rallies behind Bubba Wallace
On Monday NASCAR drivers showed their support for the only Black driver in the sport, Bubba Wallace, after a rope tied into the shape of a noose was found in his assigned garage at the Talladega Superspeedway a day prior.
According to CBC, 40 drivers and their crew members rallied behind Wallace, pushing his car to the starting point on the track. Wallace got out of his car and sobbed at the show of support.
In the weeks prior, Wallace had competed with a #BlackLivesMatter paint scheme on his car, and successfully pushed for the ban of Confederate flags at NASCAR venues.
NASCAR released a statement condemning the finding, and reassuring the public it was taking the situation seriously.
“As we have stated unequivocally, there is no place for racism in NASCAR, and this act only strengthens our resolve to make the sport open and welcoming to all,” NASCAR said in the statement.
Wallace released his own statement on Twitter saying he has been overwhelmed by the support shown by NASCAR.
“Together our sport has made a commitment to driving real change and championing a community that is accepting and welcoming of everyone,” Wallace said. “Nothing is more important and we will not be deterred by the reprehensible actions of those who seek to spread hate.”
Following an FBI investigation, it was concluded that the rope, which has been identified as a garage door pull, was in the garage the year prior and no charges have been laid.
Ben Mulroney and wife Jessica exit roles amid backlash
On Monday, Ben Mulroney announced that he is stepping down from anchoring etalk in hopes that the show will replace him with a member of the BIPOC community.
According to CBC, just days before his resignation, his wife Jessica Mulroney’s TV show I do, Redo was pulled from CTV after allegations that she had threatened the career and livelihood of Black Toronto influencer Sasha Exeter.
The dispute happened after Exeter put out a call on social media for her colleagues to use their channels to support Black voices in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Jessica allegedly took personal offence to the post and threatened legal action against Exeter.
Exeter also claimed that Jessica had threatened to speak to companies about the influencer’s behaviour, putting possible brand partnerships at risk.
Hudson’s Bay, Good Morning America and Cityline have also ended any working relationship with Jessica.
“I love my wife, however it is not my place to speak for her,” Mulroney told CBC.
Mulroney announced his departure from etalk while hosting Your Morning. Mulroney will continue to host the morning show, as well as red carpet events like the Oscars.
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