By Rosalind Russell-
Throne Speech
The Ford government is acknowledging problems with staffing in the health care industry but there are no new promises to help solve the situation.
In yesterday’s throne speech, the government pointed to measures it’s already taken, and says it’s working with stakeholders to improve the situation.
The speech also promised more money, 225-million dollars, for parents to help them get their children back on track following the COVID-19 pandemic but no details have yet been released.
Ontario budget
The Ontario government’s budget, re-introduced yesterday, contains one expected change, an increase of five per cent in payments under the Ontario Disability Support Program.
It also notes that revenues will be 1.1-billion dollars higher than first forecast, reducing this year’s deficit to just under 18-billion dollars.
Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy says all of the increased revenue will go towards deficit reduction there are no new funds for medical care or to battle sky-high inflation.
The NDP’s interim leader, Peter Tabuns says the budget should have been amended to help Ontarians cope with rapidly-rising prices.
Possible abduction
The RCMP in Saskatchewan say two missing children are believed to be with a man convicted of previous sexual assaults against children.
The two, an eight-year-old boy and his seven-year-old sister, are the subject of an Amber Alert.
They and their mother are believed to be with the mother’s common-law husband, Benjamin Moore.
They fled after Saskatchewan officials began an investigation into allegations of abuse.
Police say the children could be in danger.
They believe the four are in the US now, and have expanded the Amber Alert to try to track them down.
Air base attack
Ukraine is denying that it’s responsible for a series of large explosions that wracked a Russian airbase in Crimea yesterday.
But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky insists his country will eventually recapture the region, seized by Russia in 2014.
Russian officials say the explosions were caused accidentally.
Some Ukrainian officials have speculated that partisans may have been responsible for the incident.
Fire in Cuba
Officials say the largest fire in Cuba’s history has finally been brought under control.
Four giant oil storage tanks have been destroyed, and 14 firefighters are still missing.
The blaze began Friday evening when lightning struck one of the tanks.
Hundreds of firefighters, including teams from Mexico and Venezuela, have been battling the flames.
Photo: Cuba’s largest fire continues to burn. Four storage tanks have blown up with several firefighters missing in action. Photo from unsplash.com
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