Doctors in Prince Edward Island are continuing to voice their concerns with recent changes to their workloads.

About 100 family physicians recently signed a letter saying they’re concerned about the number of patients they see under a new agreement between the Medical Society of P.E.I., the Department of Health and Wellness and Health P.E.I.

Dr. Trina Stewart, a family doctor in Summerside and president of the P.E.I. College of Family Physicians, said most of their concern centres on how doctors will collect the data for the work they do.

“We all spend time in our offices with our patient panels, but many of us also feel very important gaps in the system at large,” Stewart said.

“It’s also work that the system has come to expect from us and they need us for and further gaps would develop if we couldn’t do them.”

Under the agreement, the workload system contains two models. One would see 1,600 patients as “the benchmark” for a doctor’s panel, while the other allows for 1,300 patients.

Stewart said many family doctors are looking to the second option because “everybody is working at full capacity right now.”

The deadline for physicians to decide on which model they want was initially Jan. 31, but Health P.E.I. later extended it to Feb. 28.

Stewart said she’s concerned doctors won’t be able to serve the health-care system in the way needed, which could be detrimental to patients. She said doctors want to have “diversity” in their work.

“We need to be attractive and competitive from a recruitment standpoint,” Stewart said.

“We feel like the negativity … we’ve had within Health P.E.I. and the communication that we’ve historically had being lost is impacting that, unfortunately.” 

‘The foundation of health care’

In a statement, the College of Family Physicians of Canada said family doctors are “the foundation of health care in Canada,” and that governments should “recognize their importance and treat family physicians’ voices and perspectives with respect as health policy is being developed.”

The national college described the concerns brought forward by its P.E.I. counterpart as “reasonable.”

“At a time when administrative burden takes time away from patient care and deteriorates the physicians’ well-being, the new agreement seems to impose excessive reporting requirements,” the statement reads.

“The current approach does not signal collaboration, but risks pushing family doctors away from choosing P.E.I. as a place to practice and sends a counter-productive message to family medicine learners.”

There’s fear. This is our livelihood. These are our patients. We really care about them– Dr. Trina Stewart

Stewart described the current level of frustration with Health P.E.I. and the provincial government as “serious.” She pointed to a January survey of doctors conducted by the P.E.I. College of Family Physicians that suggested 77 per cent of respondents believe the new agreement will drive away physicians away from the province.

“There’s fear,” Stewart said. “This is our livelihood. These are our patients. We really care about them.”

She said doctors understand the importance of performance management and that the group believes in accountability, but said family physicians are being scrutinized unfairly.

“We’ve been expecting that this would come, but we were hopeful that we would be part of the discussion. And, unfortunately, that hasn’t happened in the last year,” she said. “We just really need to be part of the conversation.”

A strained relationship

Stewart said the relationship between family doctors and Health P.E.I. has been strained as of late. To fix it, she said, family physicians need to be allowed “to come back to the table.”

“There have been a lot of sleepless nights around … what this actually is going to translate into,” she said. “We really do need to be thoughtful about this because we do not want to further harm an already strained system.”

Stewart said it’s been a difficult year, but there is still hope. She wants to stop focusing on numbers and move on to patient care and safety. 

“When they trust you and you trust them, there’s magic that can happen,” she said. “What we need to rebuild the foundation of the system is to have more family doctors coming in and carrying panels, and we need it competitive.”

Health P.E.I. CEO Melanie Fraser told CBC News on Wednesday that the health authority is hopeful that relationship will improve.

“I think any time you go through one of these negotiation processes it can create tension, for sure,” Fraser said.

“We are committed to working through that tension and working through the new parts of the agreement that have raised concern, and there are changes. There’s lots to be learned.”

Canada Computers & Electronics continues to investigate a data breach affecting hundreds of people that has left customers frustrated over how the company handled the episode and communicated about it.

“This is something that shouldn’t have happened,” said Eric Pimentel, an IT professional who cancelled a credit card after being warned by the company that he’d potentially been affected — and was later told he was not.

Toronto’s Brad Seward likewise cancelled a card after getting a notification from Canada Computers, before he was advised that he had not been affected.

“It really sounds like this company is all over the place,” Seward said via email.

Canada Computers told CBC News on Tuesday that its “current investigation indicates this incident affected 1,284 customers.”

The Richmond Hill, Ont.,-headquartered retailer previously stated that, on Jan. 22, it learned of a data breach incident involving “unauthorized access to the system supporting our retail website,” which left personal customer information — including credit card information — compromised.

Canada Computers says it took immediate steps to contain the breach. It also notified authorities and launched an investigation. Affected customers were alerted on Jan. 25.

The breach has been reported to the federal privacy watchdog as well as to police in York Region.

Pimentel and Seward are among a half-dozen customers who told CBC News they received notification from the company about the breach and were then subsequently told that was not correct.

The company confirms it sent messaging of this nature out and says it apologizes for the confusion.

“This was a miscommunication,” the company said Tuesday. “Canada Computers sent the original notice to both affected customers and to some who were not impacted. We followed up with [the latter] to confirm that their customer information was not affected.”

The company did not say how many people had received this follow-up messaging.

Breach affected ‘guests’ only, company says

According to the company, the breach affected customers who checked out their purchases as “guests” on its website, and who also entered their personal information, between Dec. 29 and Jan. 22.

Pimentel said he did not check out as a guest. But the company’s explanation has not left him feeling more secure.

“I don’t feel confident at all,” he said, adding that he expects more transparency from a retailer as big as Canada Computers. The company operates more than 30 stores across four provinces, in addition to its retail website.

“It’s not a small mom-and-pop shop in some strip mall,” said Pimentel, who lives in Hamilton, Ont., within driving distance of two of the company’s stores.

Seward similarly said he did not check out as a guest when making his recent at Canada Computers.

And although he was told by the company he was not in the group of affected customers, he said its explanation “didn’t coincide with my experience.”

WATCH | B.C. minister challenged on huge data breach:

We tried to ask this B.C. minister about a data breach

Thousands of workers’ personal information was sold through the dark web after a data breach at B.C. Interior Health. The agency denied it ever happened. The fifth estate’s Mark Kelley showed up at an industry event to ask the minister in charge about it.

Breaches can go unnoticed for months

Terry Cutler, CEO of Montreal-based Cyology Labs, said cybersecurity episodes of this nature often go unnoticed for months before they are detected.

To his point, IBM publishes an annual report on the costs associated with data breaches. In 2025, it said the global average breach life cycle — the mean time required to identify and contain a breach and then restore services — was 241 days, or roughly eight months.

John Bruggeman, a Cincinnati, Ohio,-based cybersecurity professional with OnX, said there’s been suggestion online that customers may have helped bring the problem to the attention of Canada Computers, which could explain why the window of time the company is citing is relatively short.

Bruggeman noted that the company’s description of the incident suggests its website has a branch that deals with guest checkouts that is distinct from purchases made by users with dedicated accounts.

But both he and Cutler say people making purchases as a guest are probably doing so for practical reasons. Bruggeman said he normally decides whether to check out as a guest based on whether he wants to have further communication with the company.

As for the bigger picture, Cutler said stolen data can have a long shelf life, as “cybercriminals can get to it weeks, months, years later.”

To that end, Canada Computers says it has “provided guidance” to affected customers “on protecting their personal and financial information” and offering them two years of credit monitoring and identity theft protection.

Proposed changes to leash-optional areas to Metro Vancouver’s busiest regional park are largely being put on hold after a vote from regional district directors on Wednesday.

Metro Vancouver staff had proposed a major reduction to trails where dogs could be off-leash at Pacific Spirit Regional Park, which draws four million annual visitors, a third of them bringing their dogs.

It came after multiple reports of conflicts between dog owners and park users who don’t have dogs — including runners and walkers — as well as environmental concerns like trail erosion due to off-leash dogs.

But regional district directors voted on Wednesday to receive a staff report for information and not proceed with its trail changes, and instead focus on enhanced signage and education along the existing trail network instead.

“Over-regulation actually creates less compliance. So, if we don’t get this balance correct, it’s only going to cost us more,” said Vancouver Coun. Rebecca Bligh, vice-chair of Metro Vancouver’s regional parks committee.

“I’d like us to enforce the rules we already have, lean into signage and education, and really see if we can get a better balance,” she added.

Currently, Pacific Spirit Park has 55 kilometres of trails spread across 8.6 square kilometres of land. Around two-thirds of the trail area are designated leash-optional.

Staff’s proposed changes would have reduced that leash-optional area to just over half — along with closing off the central portion of the park to dogs entirely, except for a small leash-required connecting trail.

Park user and dog owner Candy Saga spoke to the committee, and said the proposed changes to the trails would have increased conflict in the proposed leash-required zones.

“We think that that you’re not asking the right question. Is it a trail designation problem or an enforcement problem? We would very much encourage you to focus on enforcement,” she said.

Year-long study

The changes would have gone into effect May 6, and came after a year-long review of the dog management plan at the park.

Metro Vancouver said it received nearly 6,000 responses to a voluntary online questionnaire, along with more than 700 emails and letters, as part of the review.

It said 94 per cent of survey respondents with dogs reported mostly positive experiences at the park, while less than a quarter of visitors without pets did not.

A technical review of the park found nearly 400 documented “dog-related safety incidents,” over the past five years, and visitor monitoring revealed around two-thirds of dogs were unleashed on leash-required trails.

“Our review also found documented impacts of dogs on park ecology, particularly of dogs off-leash,” said park planner Teresa Maddison at the committee meeting on Wednesday.

“Impacts include things like trail erosion, vegetation trampling, soil compaction, wildlife disturbance, dog waste impacts, and water quality degradation concerns.”

While many directors praised the staff proposals regarding off-leash trail reduction, they ultimately voted to further consult with park users and instead increase enforcement.

The increased education efforts will include pop-up information stations, updated signage and website information, a media campaign and increased monitoring of the trails.

“Metro Vancouver Regional Parks will expand existing enforcement patrol to ensure the ongoing success of the dog management program,” said the report.

The regional district says it will also install fencing to prevent dogs from going off the trails in certain ecologically sensitive areas.

5 лютого за новим церковним календарем православні вшановують пам’ять святителя Феодосія, архієпископа Чернігівського. Ця дата має низку традицій, прикмет і заборон, до яких прислухалися наші предки. Про це, а також яке сьогодні церковне свято відзначають віряни за старим стилем – у матеріалі.

Православне свято сьогодні в Україні за новим стилем

5 лютого за новим церковним календарем православні згадують святителя Феодосія, архієпископа Чернігівського (згідно зі староцерковним календарем вшановуватимуть святого 18 лютого).

Феодосій жив у XVII столітті, був родом з давнього дворянського роду Полоницьких-Углицьких Подільської губернії. Освіту він здобув у Києво-Братській школі, а після цього вирішив прийняти чернечий постриг.

Першим великим послухом Феодосія стало відродження розореного Києво-Видубицького монастиря. Пізніше святителя призначили архімандритом Чернігівського Єлецького монастиря, який також перебував у запустінні. Ще через кілька років Феодосій очолив Чернігівську єпархію. У період служіння Феодосія чернече життя в регіоні пережило помітний підйом, духовні школи Чернігова користувалися особливим заступництвом святителя.

Помер Феодосій в 1696 році, був похований в Борисоглібському кафедральному соборі в Чернігові. Пізніше над його труною було зведено цегляне склепіння з написом “За чудесне зцілення від тяжкої хвороби”. Прославлення святителя відбулося в 1896 році.

***

Кого ще вшановують сьогодні згідно з новим календарем: мученицю Агафію, мученицю Феодулу і мучеників Елладія, Макарія та Євагрія, Єлецько-Чернігівську та Сицилійську ікони Богородиці.

Яке сьогодні церковне свято за старим стилем

За юліанським (старим церковним) календарем 5 лютого вшановують пам’ять священномученика Климента, єпископа Анкірського, а також мученика Агафангела – раніше ми розповідали, яке сьогодні церковне свято в Україні та які заборони пов’язані з цією датою.

З якими молитвами звертаються, що не можна робити сьогодні й звичаї дня

У цей день у молитвах до святого Феодосія просять про зцілення хвороб, особливо онкологічних, про захист від наклепу, ненависті, а також про допомогу в складних сімейних ситуаціях.

У народі свято називають Агапиним днем – на честь святої мучениці Агафії, яку також згадують сьогодні. Агафію вважали покровителькою домашньої худоби, особливо корів, тому моляться святій про здоров’я домашніх тварин.

У давнину в цей день існувала традиція освячувати хліб із сіллю є. Їх потім зберігали вдома, часто біля ікон – вважається, що вони захищають від пожежі, а також давали по шматочку освяченого хліба домашній худобі, щоб не хворіла.

У православне свято 5 лютого церква, як і завжди, засуджує лайку, брехню, плітки, жадібність, заздрість, помсту і відчай.

За народними прикметами в цей день не можна підвищувати голос на худобу або домашніх тварин – це до хвороби, а також не варто вінчатися або грати весілля – кажуть, що такий союз буде недовговічним.

Суворо забороняється відмовляти в допомозі жебракам і бездомним – на місці нужденних можна опинитися самому.

Прикмети 5 лютого

Погода цього дня може розповісти про те, якою буде весна і літо:

• снігу немає – влітку буде посуха;
• потеплішало – холодів більше не чекайте;
• вода прибуває в колодязях і річках – скоро відлига.

Найяскравіша прикмета дня: мороз на Агапу віщує ранню весну і спекотне літо.

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For people living with sickle cell disease, blood transfusions are a routine part of survival. But for people of colour, finding the right blood match is far from routine and donor diversity could be the difference between stability and crisis.

Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder inherited at birth. It causes red blood cells to become hard, sticky, and shaped like the letter “C,” which makes it difficult for them to move around the body. According to Health Canada, this can lead to severe pain, limited blood flow, and organ damage for those with the disease.

For many, the pain arrives without warning and lingers without visible signs, creating a reality that’s often misunderstood.

“It’s a very isolating experience, especially dealing with such a unique disease where it causes immense pain. And it’s invisible. You can’t see what I’m going through. I might look perfectly fine to you, but inside, internally, it’s like havoc,” said Gabriel Badejo who has sickle cell disease.

To manage that pain and prevent serious complications, many patients like Badejo depend on regular blood transfusions. Over time, repeated transfusion make finding compatible blood more difficult.

“The blood donations are life-saving, literally. And the thing is, when you have a genetic illness like sickle cell, it’s harder for them to match your blood with all the blood that’s out there.”

That reality brought dozens of people to a downtown Toronto donor centre Wednesday, where community members gathered not just to give blood, but to learn how donor diversity affects patient care.

“I think it’s important for us as Black people to come out and donate blood as much as we can. There’s not enough of us, and I wanted to start today,” said Ruth Alemayehu, one of the donors.

In Canada, sickle cell disease primarily affects people of African, Caribbean, Middle Eastern, and South Asian descent. Canadian Blood Services says when compatible blood is unavailable, patients face a higher risk of transfusion reactions, delayed treatment and long-term complications linked to immune responses.

“If we look at Canada, about 4.3 per cent, based on the latest numbers, comes from African, Caribbean, and Black populations. But only around one per cent of our donation base comes from African, Caribbean, and Black communities. So we’re on a mission to increase that one per cent,” said Eloise Tan, the VP of Inclusion and Sustainability with Canadian Blood Services

The Sickle Cell Awareness Group of Ontario, a patient advocacy and support organization founded in 2005, works to close that gap through education, outreach and community partnerships.

“One of our biggest focuses this year is collaborating more with Canadian Blood Services but also going into communities to talk about what blood donation means, what it means for sickle cell disease, and how people can make an impact. We’re also trying to debunk some of the myths around the donation process and where blood goes,” Chloe Jang, communications coordinator with the Sickle Cell Awareness Group of Ontario.

Canadian Blood Services says common concerns include fear of pain, mistrust around how blood is used, and uncertainty about eligibility. The agency says many of those concerns are misconceptions, noting blood donation is regulated, voluntary and closely tracked from donor to patient.

“I get the stigmas and the hesitation … It’s not just about the act of donating blood. It’s about the act of supporting your community,” said Badejo.

Organizers say increasing donor diversity requires consistent participation beyond a single event. More community-led donor drives are planned through Black History Month and beyond.

The Saskatoon Paramedic Association says job action is now on the table, with its members voting unanimously to give the union a strike mandate.

Association president, Russell Grant, says years of recruitment and retainment challenges among both paramedics and dispatchers have left EMS staff overwhelmed.

“We are losing staff members to allied services that be like Saskatoon Police Service, Saskatoon Fire Protective Services, nursing. We also have a significant number of staff that just leave the industry entirely. And a lot of that is within the first couple years of their career, which is kind of alarming,” Grant said.

“We want to see working conditions be to the point where people actually want to stay here.”

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Grant says losing skilled staff hurts everybody, and exhaustion is driving numbers down. “This is just increasing fatigue, burnout,” he said.

“The amount of staff that are off on mental health leaves, physical health leaves is alarmingly high and it needs to be properly addressed now before public safety is negatively impacted.”

The union has been without a contract since March of 2024 and bargaining and mediation have ended in an impasse. As of now, the association has no timeline on what job action could look like, but day-to-day operations will remain largely unchanged, and any steps would come with advanced notice.

Grant hopes the possibility of a strike may lead to a deal getting done through the public’s support.

“I hope it sparks conversation amongst the public and public can then talk to their MLAs, talk to Medavie Health Services West directly, put the pressure where it needs to go to get this resolved in a timely fashion,” Grant said.

In a statement to Global News, the SHA says no job action has been taken at this time, and they will continue to work with Medavie to ensure continuity of services. Medavie added that there are no changes to 9-1-1 and residents should call as usual.

Watch above for more on why paramedics voted for a strike mandate and what’s next.

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