Facts about the Canada Emergency Response Benefit

Ottawa announced Wednesday the Canada Emergency Response Benefit intended to quickly get cash to workers who need it and support their employers. Here's a look at how the program is going to work.

What is it?

The federal government is proposing a taxable benefit of $2,000 a month for up to four months for workers who lose their income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It's intended to be a simpler and more accessible combination of the previously announced Emergency Care Benefit and Emergency Support Benefit.

Who is eligible?

We live in the unenviable era of rising American imperialism and the emergence of a precarious new world order.

As U.S. President Donald Trump escalates his annexation threats over Canada, Greenland and Venezuela; deteriorates decades-long relations with NATO; and offers concessions to totalitarian North Korea; we must remain steadfast and vigilantly united against these ominous — and markedly unusual — sociopolitical developments.

We have so much to learn from our past. As historical patterns suggest, these threats are not idle nor mere political rhetoric. Rather, these threats should be treated with utmost seriousness. As Winston Churchill so famously uttered, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

As a Canadian public educator, I hold the vehement conviction that we need to instruct our youth on the societal dangers of imperialism, while simultaneously exploring the “contentious” concepts of sharing and acceptance.

Bengaluru FC owner Parth Jindal has apologized for an “inexcusable” breach of COVID-19 protocols by two of his players and a coach that led to the Indian club being told to leave the Maldives before a scheduled AFC Cup playoff game against a local team.

The players and a member of the coaching staff were reported by local media to have left their hotel in the capital Male on Saturday, sparking criticism from the Maldives sports minister.

Jindal told the Associated Press on Monday that against a backdrop of a surging COVID-19 cases in India and rising local opposition to the game going ahead, he understood the reaction on the island.

“The optics and timing of the breach has led to the reaction and what the players did was inexcusable," Jindal said. "They were well aware of the protocols and they knew they couldn’t step out, however briefly”

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I’m almost 40, and one of my closest friends who was jobless for three years is once again earning decent money again — but she’s still acting like she’s broke!

I don’t care how people spend their money, but she still expects me to pay for her. For instance, if we go out for lunch, she’ll ask if we can do a 75-25 split, with her paying the lower amount. She also comes to potlucks with nothing to share, and then has the nerve to ask to take food home. She will also ask me to cover something and promise to pay me back, but then I have to hound her for weeks to get the money!

But it really took the cake recently when we went to a concert and she asked me to cover her ticket. Then she bought two T-shirts at the merch table! It feels underhanded to me — and insulting to my intelligence. It also feels weird to have to bring it up to her. We’ve been besties since high school —many, many years ago. Please help.

— Taking Advantage, Riverbend