Statistics Canada data reveals temp foreign workers in healthcare up 1,700% in 20 yrs. Insecure status = exploitation & worse care. As @danyaalraza.com says: bad conditions for workers = bad for patients. Permanent status for all = health for all. #Justice4Workers www.thestar.com/news/canada/...

Cuts coming to the Public Health Agency of Canada...this is not good. v the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC)

Encouraging people to be a Fluwatcher (+ Covid-19 watcher). It's a weekly survey that takes less than a minute to do and helps create better data to monitor and understand the spread of respiratory diseases across the country. Sign-up here: public.cnphi-rcrsp.ca/fluWatcher/r...

Great to see updated Core Competencies for Public Health! Developed by the National Collaborating Centres for Public Health. nccph.ca/projects/202...

Workers defying back-to-work orders shows growing mistrust of a system stacked against them. Govt bias fuels militancy and pushes unions beyond legal labour action. My comments in @thestar.com #canlab #aircanadastrike #aircanadaflightattendants @cupescfp.bsky.social www.thestar.com/business/air...

Defying an order to end the strike, the union's president proclaimed: "If we stick together, they can’t fire us all." Here's what Air Canada flight attendants are fighting for: pressprogress.ca/air-canada-f...

I'm one of the many people who has had long-planned vacation flights completely thrown off this week...AND I completely support the flight attendants. It's Air Canada that has created this situation through paying low wages and demanding unpaid labour.

Noooo. Frustrating and maybe not surprising that airline attendants were so quickly prevented from acting on their right to strike.

I support Air Canada airline attendants, a workforce that is majority women, as they fight for a fair wage -- and not having to volunteer their labour.

Good job @ontariosdoctors.bsky.social for taking a step in the right direction. What we truly need is #Healthcare4All regardless of immigration status. Healthcare providers shouldn't need to decide on who "deserves" health care based on immigration status. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Doctors shouldn't have to choose who "deserves" care. As emergency physician @bernardho.bsky.social said, "This is a health equity issue for Ontario’s most vulnerable." We need a permanent program that provides #Healthcare4All regardless of immigration status. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Dr. Jennifer Turnbull on the current situation in #Gaza. They make the important point that the "hunger crisis" in Gaze is, in fact, a "manufactured condition of forced starvation". www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...

On August 5, @cdndrsformedicare.bsky.social is hosting a webinar to explore how to cope with heat—and how better medicare could save lives. Can't wait to join 2 of my heroes, @monikadutt.bsky.social + @edwardxie.bsky.social, and all of you, in conversation. Register: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

With most of Canada under heat 🚨 warnings this week, I'll be hosting a conversation on #heatwaves and #health with @drmelissalem.bsky.social & @monikadutt.bsky.social Join us August 5 at 7pm ET / 4pm PT us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi... Thanks @cdndrsformedicare.bsky.social & @cape-acme.bsky.social

A call to strengthen communicable disease surveillance in Canada. #publichealth www.cmaj.ca/content/197/...

"Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is healthcare." CBC's What On Earth turned 5 this week, and invited some of their favourite guests back to mark the occasion. Honoured to join Anabela Bonda + Cat Abreu, hosted by @jasondsouza.bsky.social. Listen: www.cbc.ca/listen/live-... @cape-acme.bsky.social

Please share and/or complete this survey if: - you are a worker in BC who gained paid sick days through legislation in Jan 2022 OR - you are a worker in ON without paid sick days Link to survey here: redcap.link/paidsickdays or via QR code. DM me for Spanish/Tagalog/Punjabi posters.

"Some health-data companies are selling access to patient records to pharmaceutical companies without patients’ knowledge, according to a new study." Yes, a Canadian finding. Via @healthtechsoclab.bsky.social. www.theglobeandmail.com/business/art...

For @hilltimes.com, @monikadutt.bsky.social & I break down why @mark-carney.bsky.social's call to "build big, bold & build now" must include pharmacare. www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/0...

Now that the election is done, it's time to regain momentum and keep the commitment to #pharmacare. Op-ed by @danyaalraza.com and I in the @hilltimes.com. www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/0...

The possibility of universal pharmacare in Canada should factor into who you vote for this election.

Useful visuals on whether you need a #measles #vaccine (ON & NS). For adults born after 1970, check your own province's guidance as a 2nd dose for kids was started at different times. If you don't know if you had a 2nd dose and can't find a record, just get a 2nd dose!

Congratulations to @cdndrsformedicare.bsky.social on a fantastic inaugural Health Summit. All of the speakers have been thought-provoking, including this panel with @armineyalnizyan.bsky.social talking about the infiltration of private equity in the care economy.

Important study on the impact of NYC's 2014 paid sick leave law. Even with a law in place, implementation is uneven with some workers less likely to have access. A lesson for jurisdictions like BC with a more recent paid sick leave policy. Maury, M et al. (2023), pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37487499/

Reviewing recent literature on paid sick leave. A graph of US workers 18 years and older who have paid sick leave by education level - 2021. The lower the education level, the lower likelihood of having paid sick leave. via MMWR, www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes...

Just learned the term "strategic opacity" while reviewing paper submissions for the Canadian Association for Work and Labour Studies Annual conference (May 28-30, Hamilton). It can refer to strategic, sophisticated ways administrative decisions on data collection make populations visible/invisible.

I was picking up this book at the library last night and the person behind me said, "Hello, are you a toxicologist? I'm a veterinary toxicologist from Sudan," and we had the best conversation about animal & human health and his work in Sudan. I ❤️ great conversations with strangers.

I’m part of a research study team at Mac looking at gender pay gaps in family medicine. This comes up time and time again. IUDs are underpaid and often done by women MDs.

Corporatization of universities continues -- a youth mental health chair sponsored by an insurance company (including health insurance)?? (I have no issues with the person in the position!)

Just watched the first two episodes of North of North and loved the show! "A young Inuk woman wants to build a new future for herself after a spontaneous and extremely public exit from her marriage. It won't be easy in a small Arctic town where everybody knows your business."

Congratulations to Dr. Hamidah Meghani, the new Medical Officer of Health for Peel Region! peelregion.ca/press-releas...

Starting now. Register here: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

The Cabot Trail Writers Festival is looking for board members! If you love storytelling/literature and have a strong connection to Unama'ki/Cape Breton, please consider applying. Please contact me and I can provide more information. I love being on the board, currently as co-chair.

Saw a fantastic production of Alligator Pie at Soulpepper Theatre Company in TO yesterday. I was as enthralled as the children from start to finish! Such a creative production and the actors/musicians were multi-faceted, talented and hilarious. Runs until Dec 29: www.soulpepper.ca/performances...

Great podcast with Tim Nash on why change to a credit union from a big bank. Important reasons: not supporting investments in the fossil fuel and arms industries, including Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit systems. open.spotify.com/episode/7hxq...

I haven't seen enough ocean lately, so I went for a walk along Main-a-Dieu beach in the early evening. Whatever colour this is, it's my favourite 🌊 💕

Didn't realize this great resource on taking contraception after a missed or extended dose is part of the already useful sexandu.ca website. SOS = Stay on Schedule. www.sexandu.ca/sos/

“You can’t train yourself out of systemic racism, and that’s the core issue. The health system needs to look within to find out why these things keep happening." -- Dr. James Makokis www.aptnnews.ca/national-new... v @aptnnews.bsky.social

Glad to hear the doctor talk about the environmental impact of metred dose asthma inhalers at an appointment for my son today. Great resources on Climate Conscious Inhaler Prescribing in outpatient care for primary care providers & patients -- via Cascades. #medsky cascadescanada.ca/action-areas...

I'm new to being a PIPSC union member and I appreciated this reminder to find a @cupwsttp.bsky.social postal worker picket line. I stopped at the Sydney, NS location and we talked about how it matters to all workers not to have a race to the bottom, including through the gigification of work.

Dr. Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health for Ottawa, will be the next President and CEO of CHEO. ottawa.citynews.ca/2024/12/04/d...

As my son and I live through his evolving, painful health condition, we've talked a lot about how pain works. This is a great video for both youth and adults. www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaky...

Remember when Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke (Waikato, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou, Te Āti Awa, & Ngāi Tahu) performed a haka on the floor of New Zealand’s Parliament? This episode w/Maori guests explains the history of the attempts to destroy Maori sovereignty. www.nativeamericacalling.com/tuesday-nove...

Lots of helpful tips/reminders here.

Another example of the ongoing, problematic corporatization of primary care.

Powerful photo exhibition at the Eltuek Arts Centre (Sydney, NS) commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Marshall decision, a key moment in the history of Indigenous treaty rights.

"In the face of these horrors, we cannot be silent. We must act, all of us, and the Canadian medical establishment must do much more..." by Dr. Kavita Algu www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...

I wrote about UNION, the gripping and much-needed documentary about the Amazon Labor Union, and why it hasn't gotten a distribution deal (spoiler: Bezos has too much money/power). You can stream it on Gathr this weekend and you should! slate.com/culture/2024...

Gig workers in Delhi suffer immensely from heightened air pollution, crossing even 1000 AQI. We conducted a health camp in Delhi for the gig & outdoor workers. Indian Govt should act to protect workers from climate crisis as well as make corporate platforms accountable.

The film "Union", a story of the launch of the Amazon Labor Union, is available to rent on demand this weekend (from Black Friday to Giving Tuesday) -- a great way to think about the workers making sure all the packages ordered this weekend are getting where they need to go. www.unionthefilm.com