Howie Carr: Lets toll all smug liberals – Boston Herald
Howie Carr: Lets toll all smug liberals Boston Herald
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Howie Carr: Lets toll all smug liberals - Boston Herald
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Archive for the ‘Liberals’ Category
Only 6% of vaccine injury claimants have been paid as Liberals earmark $36 million for program – True North
The federal governments payment program for the vaccine-injured is getting a $36 million top up from the feds, but accessing that money is proving difficult.
Of the 2,233 claims made to the Vaccine Injury Support Program, just 138 a little over 6% have been approved by the medical review board for the program, which has paid out $11.2 million so far.
The Liberals have allocated an additional $36 million in the recent budget to the Vaccine Injury Support Program, over the next two years.
Oxaro administers the Vaccine Injury Support Program for the feds for all provinces and territories, except Quebec, which has itsownprogram.
Ross Wightman, who was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre system after receiving a COVID vaccine, was one of the recipients, getting a one-time payout of around $250,000, the maximum offered by the program. He also receives $90,000 annually in income replacement.
I dont know if theres even an amount that would ease the pain, said Wightman.
Despite being poked, prodded, and tested for months, doctors were fearful of the consequences they might face from superiors if they officially declared that the vaccines caused Wightmans injuries.
He has permanent nerve damage in his hands from the Guillain-Barre. He can no longer work or do simple tasks around the house, resulting in his wife no longer being able to work, as she needs to take care of the household tasks and children.
Given the extent of the permanent life-changing injuries, a couple hundred thousand dollars isnt much, thats for sure. No. Its just a wake of destruction thats left behind for family and all that stuff, he added.
It took months of struggle and jumping through hoops for Wightman to get paid. Even still, hes struggled with being reimbursed for expenses. He said that he finally received $15,000 for his expenses after hounding them for four months, but it was only a quarter of what hed had to spend.
Waiting years for payment from the vaccine injury program is the best some could hope for.
Julie Gamble has been dealing with the program for years, only to face being hung up on by the phone and not getting replies to her emails.
Shes connected with many others through various vaccine-injured support groups, only to find that theyve faced the same struggles having submitted all of their medical records and hearing nothing but excuses as to why theyre not getting back to us.
Our families have been destroyed. We stepped up to the plate and did what was asked of us. Nothing about this is fair to any of us, said Gamble.
Gamble says she was permanently injured by the vaccine with polyneuropathy, estimating she has lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses and lost income.
She said that her short-term memory is very poor, and she has almost no muscle remaining in her hands. She does not think she will ever work again.
Its the biggest regret of my life that I got this vaccine, she said.
She almost didnt get her second shot. After having a horrific reactionto the first dose, she said her pharmacist did not want to give her the second. She went to see an immunologist at the pharmacists recommendation. Instead, she was admitted to the hospital waiting room and consulted by a doctor, who encouraged her to get the second shot, which she did.
On my way home, I knew Id made a mistake, she said. That night, I ended up blind in my right eye. My bladder let go. My eyeswere swollenlike eggs. I had a rash all over my body, and I couldnt stay awake. I tasted metal in my mouth.
Since her injury, Gamble has been trying to connect with people in similar situations online. Any time she posts about vaccine injuries, she said she gets suspendedfrom Facebook and other social media platforms for false and misleading information.
Despite her husband working as much as he can and receiving CPP disability payments, Gamble has had to use food banks to get by.
True Northreached out toHealth Canada, the Vaccine Injury Support Program, and Oxaro but received no response.
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PC opposition blasts Liberals over handling of mental health and drug crisis – Yahoo News Canada
PC leader Tony Wakeham focused Mondays question period on how the provincial government has handled mental health and addiction problems.
PC Leader Tony Wakeham focused Mondays question period on the provincial governments handling of mental health and addiction problems. (Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly)
The Progressive Conservatives hammered the Newfoundland and Labrador government over ongoing drug overdoses Monday, arguing it's a health-care problem that has people slipping through the cracks to become a criminal justice problem.
PC leader and Stephenville-Port au Port MHA Tony Wakeham said the province has seen number of overdose deaths accelerate in recent years and asked Premier Andrew Furey if he thought the government was doing enough to address them.
Wakeham said 51 people died last year due to overdoses, a 143 per cent increase over 2019, when 21 people died, according to an access-to-information request filed by his party.
"In September it was reported that in eight months 24 Newfoundlanderand Labradorianresidents had died due to overdose. Four months later, that number more than doubled to 51," said Wakeham.
Furey said everyone in the province has been touched in some way by mental health and addiction problems and his government was doing its best to support people.
"Mr. Speaker, this is a problem that has gripped the entire nation, starting west and moving east. And we're not immune here," said Furey during question period in the House of Assembly.
Furey said it's an "evolving crisis" and drugs have gotten stronger. He said his government is focused on education and mental health and addiction strategies.
Mobile units timeline
Noting the 2024 budget allocated $1 million for seven mobile crisis teams, Wakeham said one unit is up and running in his district, but he wanted to know whether the others would be running by the end of the year and whether staff had been recruited.
Health Minister Tom Osborne said they're being held up because the budget still isn't official.
"As soon as the budget is passed, we can get on with that work in earnest," he said.
Health Minister Tom Osborne says his government is acting to address the problems but more can be done. (Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly)
Osborne defended the Liberal government's record, saying they were focused on increasing health-care positions, and accused Wakeham of being focused on cutting positions when he was CEO of the Labrador-Grenfell health authority.
"Mr. Speaker, that is the contrast between this side and that side," said Osborne to applause from his colleagues.
Wakeham shot back, "Speaker, I'm not even going to respond. Not even going to respond."
He then suggested the provincial government isn't acting with urgency to address the problem.
From health care to justice system
Harbour Main MHA Helen Conway-Ottenheimer said the number of files assigned to the drug investigative unit rose from 80 to 112 to 141 between 2021 and 2023, according to information obtained from the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary.
"Does the justice minister acknowledge that the drug crisis in this province is only getting worse?" she asked.
Justice Minister John Hogan acknowledged it's getting worse and said it's being taken seriously.
"I think it is fair to say and it's obvious to say that it is getting worse," said Hogan.
Conway-Ottenheimer also said information from the RNC says charges laid by the drug enforcement unit had also risenmore than sevenfoldin two years,from 25 in 2021 to 181 in 2023.
"The drug problem in our province is spiraling out of control. When will this government treat the underlying addictions crisis as a health crisis and not leave it to our police to pick up the pieces for this government's failure to act?" she said.
Osborne said health professionals and law enforcement work together, and get training to handle mental health issues.
"There is training and so on in place for those that are involved in responding to individuals with mental health crises or mental health issues. That will continue. Mr. Speaker, this is an issue where all individuals, all agencies, all groups are working together and must work together to ensure that we respond in the most appropriate way," he said.
Harbour Main MHA Helen Conway-Ottenheimer says there is a link between untreated mental health conditions and crime, and people go untreated when they have no access to health care. (Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly)
Conway-Ottenheimer said there's a clear link between untreated mental health conditions and crime, but people go untreateddue to a lack of access to health care.
She asked if Hogan knew how many people are incarcerated or facing charges who have untreated mental health conditions.
Hogan said he didn't have that number but the government is working to address facility issues, noting the budget has $15 million set aside to make additional space for services at Her Majesty's Penitentiary.
Terra Nova MHA Lloyd Parrott said a 2018 report estimated between77 per cent and 87 per cent of inmates had mental health issues, substance abuse issues or both. Six years on from that report, he said, he believes the situation is worse.
"Sadly, too many people fall through the cracks under this government's watch and instead they end up committing crimes before they have a chance to access the help they desperately need," said Parrott.
Osborne said there is "no question" that more needs to be done for people with mental health and addictions issues. He said the budget has support like the mobile crisis response units and efforts to enhance addictions centres.
He also said the six-bed mentalhealth unit at the Labrador Health Centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bayis temporarily closed due to staffing issues, but it is expected to reopen in the spring.
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PC opposition blasts Liberals over handling of mental health and drug crisis - Yahoo News Canada
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As Michael Cohen testifies against Trump, many liberals are still wary of him – The Washington Post
When Michael Cohen takes the stand in the coming days as the star witness in his former bosss criminal trial, it will mark the climax of his transformation from Donald Trumps bullying defender to one of his loudest public enemies.
As Cohen tells and retells the story in congressional testimony, television interviews, two books, a popular podcast and assertions to the judge in his own criminal case he is a man on a quest for redemption. After years spent serving Trump, he says hes ready to serve his country. A confessed liar, he says hes now willing to risk everything for the truth.
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As Michael Cohen testifies against Trump, many liberals are still wary of him - The Washington Post
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