The score for Saskatchewan of 17, “Severe” means that COVID is predicted to cause 17% higher mortality during the forecast period than would have happened pre-COVID.

Toronto comes to Regina…

So, Angus Reid polled on that question, too. Here's a snap of one of their graphics.

About 60 per cent of ppl surveyed want fewer public dollars going to independent schools. But about 35 per cent of respondents wanted to eliminate all public funding. #AbLeg #AbEd

Today, Elections AB also issued the petition after a Calgary teacher applied to petition for a referendum on the question of ending public funding to private schools.

Alicia Taylor has until Feb. 11, 2026 to gather 177, 732 signatures in support of a referendum on the Q #AbLeg #AbEd

Background:

Global EV sales hit record 2.1 million in September, research firm says reut.rs/4oi8Asi

I began writing this story with a naive question in mind: What do we lose when public education is privatized? A lot, actually.

By following the MAGA playbook, the UCP’s push against public education not only undermines democracy, it jeopardizes the possibility of a better future for all Albertans.

Meanwhile, in England, a COVID wave is definitely underway.
Typically waves in England have preceded those in 🇨🇦 by a month or so.

For whatever reason, Regina hospitals are heavily *under-used*, while Saskatoonis heavily *over capacity*.
This has been so for most of the past year.

Both cities together have 185 pts in hospital who don’t need hospital care but do need an alternate level of care (ALC) (104 in #yxe, 81 in #yqr).
ALC needed is most often nursing home or home care.

Meanwhile, Saskatoon #yxe hospitals 68 adult pts *over capacity* (inc 48Admitted, no bed - waiting in ER, & excluding empty beds in City due to weekend day surgery shutdown).
But Regina #yqr has 66 beds *empty*, after subtracting pts in ER.

💩 in week ending Oct 4:
COVID ⬆️ in cities: Medium-high: Moose Jaw;
Medium: Saskatoon, Regina, P Albert;
Low: Meadow Lake, Yorkton, Estevan, Maple Creek, Weyburn;
All others reporting: undetected 2/2

COVID ticking along after summer respite.
Saskatchewan September respiratory disease (CRISP) report:
COVID: 78 hospitalizations, 3 to ICU, 2 deaths
Flu: 1 hospitalization
RSV: 4 hospitalizations 1/

Neurology is one of the #yxe units often over capacity (along with Medicine, Pediatrics & Mental Health.
This morning Neurology is 4 pts (8%) over capacity, with 3 od those pts admitted, no bed, waiting in the RUH ER.

“Prior to receiving medical attention, Roberts' family said they spent 9 hours in the ER waiting room. His cognition was declining & he could not remember his parents' names…. All in all, Roberts spent 10 days in the ER & in "makeshift overflow areas" before he was moved to the neurology ward.”

"PC Leader Tony Wakeham said he doesn’t believe there’s a connection between the oil industry and the wildfires that ravaged towns."

"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away" Philip J Dick

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Two things about this article:
1. Refreshing to see our neighbouring province announce a fire management strategy to reduce wildfires.
2. Also refreshing to see journalism that deeply analyzes & informs what is happening to our forests.Wish we had more of this journalism in Saskatchewan. 3/3

“The impacts are already felt in B.C., where lumber mills have closed after fire decimated their product source. ‘Whole regions now have nothing but young trees. There’s nothing to harvest’”. 2/

“June & July 2023 saw lumber production in Canada dip 20% below the previous 5-year average for the same months….modelling shows if forests are left to burn as they have, the impacts of climate change — including wildfires — could cost the country thousands of jobs & billions in revenue. 1/

“Prime Minister Mark Carney doesn’t have an actual project to put forward. Keystone XL has been dead for years & it’s not clear that any investor would want to take a gamble on reviving it.” 3/3

“If you’re going to the White House, you might as well bring a shiny gift. U.S. President Donald Trump likes the idea of the Keystone XL pipeline. Why not dangle it in front of him?” 2/

Smith dares Carney to pay for an impossible pipeline. Rather than be the bad guy saying no, Carney says, “Hold my beer, I’ll raise you another impossible pipeline. Can you actually find an investor to build it?” 1/

US agriculture is in trouble: due to a high $US, lack of research investment, trade wars, & ICE (& perhaps climate change?):
“For the first time in history, the US became a net agricultural importer in 2019 - a jaw-dropping reversal for what was once the world's breadbasket.”
- BBC World of Business

Saskatchewan Health Authority has finally posted information about its fall COVID / flu immunization clinics: