Public Health Canada to Collect Online Data to Target the Vaccine Hesitant

Story From: Noé Chartier is an Epoch Times reporter based in Montreal. Twitter: @NChartierET Gettr: @nchartieret

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Public Health Canada to Collect Online Data to Target the Vaccine Hesitant

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has announced a contract with a social media intelligence collection firm based in the U.K. to obtain data on vaccine hesitant individuals in order to be able to deliver targeted messaging to break through their hesitancy, contract details indicate.

“In preparation for increased vaccination education, promotion, and outreach, The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is requiring the services of a consultant to analyze the vaccine related conversations on social media and PHAC social media initiative and campaign performance,” says the tender notice description posted online on Dec. 22.

The notice says the contract will be awarded to U.K.-based Pulsar Platform if no other supplier submits a bid meeting the requirements before the closing date. The estimated value of the contract is $339,000.

Pulsar describes itself as an “audience intelligence company” using artificial intelligence and “smart human minds” to comb through conversational and behavioural data on social media.

The notice says the consultant will need to analyze Twitter and other online sites and platforms spanning three years of historical data.

PHAC is seeking to obtain information on individuals who are participating in and influencing online conversations about vaccination.

It wants reports produced by the consultant to “provide PHAC an actionable understanding of the vaccine conversation landscape online and the conversation participants, while determining a conversation baseline,” according to the Statement of Work.

Once this data is obtained, PHAC will run a tailored messaging campaign, which it says will seek to target “communities of interest,” such as “indigenous peoples and millennial males,” states the Advance Contract Award Notice.

The study is to be rerun within a three to four month period to “monitor shifts in attitudes and confidence levels,” says the notice.

‘Keyword-Based’
PHAC lays out how the consultant must conduct its work, including the establishment of a “keyword-based social listening tracker to capture social media conversations around vaccinations in Canada.”

Data must also be parsed along conversation themes such as “experiences with long Covid, previous vaccine side effects, engaging with mis/disinformation, shift in perceived risk of infection.”

PHAC also seeks to obtain a breakdown of reasons for vaccine hesitancy for different regions and cities to allow more targeted messaging.

Along with identifying regions, cities, and subgroups such as First Nations communities, PHAC is also requesting segmentations of key audiences to include “demographics, interests, affinities, online behaviours, and the leading topics of vaccine hesitancy conversation, per each sub-community.”

The Statement of Work provides an example of what the consultant should do once a sub-community has been identified.

It says that once a community of “Toronto University Students that indicate low confidence in vaccinations” has been identified, then some factors should be investigated.

These include their reasons for being hesitant and the topics of their conversations, the media they consume and the content they share, and the tone they use when discussing their vaccination status.

The Epoch Times contacted PHAC to find out if previous such programs have been implemented and to learn more about how the data from private individuals will be protected, exploited, and if it will be shared with other departments.

PHAC was also asked whether it consulted the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) on the program. A response was not obtained before publication time.

The OPC was also contacted to know whether it was aware of PHAC’s social media collection program, but a response was not received immediately.

Cellphone Tracking
PHAC has been embroiled in a data collection-related controversy in recent months when it was revealed it was analyzing the anonymized movement of millions of Canadians through the tracking of their cellphones, unbeknownst to them.

PHAC had been obtaining the data from carrier Telus and other cellphone tracking companies, but in December 2021 it sought a contractor to directly access data from cellphone towers to conduct its analysis.

The data has been used to measure the compliance of Canadians while provinces implemented COVID-19 lockdowns.

When this became known, MPs started examining the issue and the Commons ethics committee told the government last spring that Canadians should be allowed to opt out of the data collection program.

The OPC also said it was investigating the matter, but the results have yet to be announced.

PHAC and the OPC have been asked about the status of the contract and the investigation.

 

Story From: Noé Chartier is an Epoch Times reporter based in Montreal. Twitter: @NChartierET Gettr: @nchartieret

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Censorship Facebook 2020 Twitter Censorship

Censorship Facebook 2020 Twitter Censorship

 

There is no shortage of debate regarding the Coronavirus. Are masks really effective? Are the statistics realistic or inaccurate? Is this a virus that can be spread through the air or just through vapours? Or is it not in the air?

 

This is a pandemic that is affecting the entire world. Of course we’re going to talk about it and of course we’re going to disagree about it. One thing is true though. Without information and education we are never going to get rid of this thing. Without knowing what’s going on or how prevalent the virus is, we are never going to be able to flatten the curve or help prevent more unnecessary deaths.

 

So why is it that Facebook and Twitter are stopping us from having these discussions? If you so much as mention COVID-19 on Facebook you are immediately blocked from posting, and accused of false information. Even if you say “My grandmother died from Covid today”, they tell you it is false information. They don’t know if your grandmother was perfectly healthy, or if she had your mother when she was 16 and she’s only in her fifties now. They don’t know if she had a physical 6 months ago and passed it with flying colours. All they know is that you mentioned COVID-19 so you must be wrong. 


Sharing TRULY false news isn’t particularly admirable, and can have serious consequences, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t share opinions and research. The president of the United States says false and misleading things all the time. The only time he ever gets CENSORED though, is when he mentions COVID-19. The powers-that-be that censor the internet have no problem with him saying horribly racist stuff or ‘grab her by the p****!’, but even HE is not allowed to comment on COVID-19.

 

None of us should automatically believe anything we read online regardless of topic. We should fact-check and we should do research before we share anything that we are unsure about. That being said, we should be allowed to share SOMETHING about COVID-19, considering how much it’s affecting our day-to-day lives! 

 

Some of the most horrific events in human history have taken place because of a lack of information, a lack of understanding, and sheer ignorance. When it comes to a pandemic that is killing people all over the world, the last thing society needs is to be SILENCED. How do you feel about the censorship around the virus? Send me an email at Melissa@ with your own experiences and opinions. If all of us tell Twitter and Facebook that we want the freedom to talk about this very important topic, maybe they will stop censoring us.

 

With that in mind, I’m not even sure why I’m writing this article. It’s probably going to be censored and nobody is going to be allowed to read it!

Wineva Ave Hubbard Blvd Toronto Housing Rents Out Prime Beach Homes

Wineva Ave Hubbard Blvd Toronto Housing

5-7 Hubbard Boulevard and 2-4 Wineva Avenue (Hubbard and Wineva Fourplexes) are being renovated to be rented out. These 3 million dollar homes on the beach in toronto will be used as political favours to friends of the city.  Homes can not be demolishing as they are now listed as “Heritage Properties”

They were going to be sold and this money was to fix other Toronto properties. Some homeless person will have the misfortune of paying $550 per month for a 1.7 million home looking over the beach — we all would like to lose our mortgages and live on the beach and have this misfortune.
It is who gets it — should be a lotto max prize

reno

The properties at 5-7 Hubbard Boulevard are worthy of designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value, and meet the criteria for municipal designation prescribed by the Province of Ontario under all three categories of design, associative and contextual values.  Located on the south side of Hubbard Boulevard, east of Wineva Avenue, Hubbard Fourplex (1928) is a two-storey residential building containing four units that was listed on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties in 2010.

Beaches International Jazz Festival Media Launch

Beaches International Jazz Festival Media Launch

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MEDIA ALERT

BEACHES INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES
26th ANNUAL PROGRAM

WHAT: The 26th Annual Beaches International Jazz Festival kicks off with a media conference luncheon where organizers will announce this year’s musical program: July 18-20/TD Main Stage Concerts at Woodbine Park; July 21-23/TD Workshops at Mennonite New Life Centre; July 22-23/Taste of Jazz at Woodbine Park; July 24-26/StreetFest on Queen Street East;July 25-27/OLG Main Stage Concerts, Latin Square and Big Band Stages at Woodbine Park and July 26-27/TD Workshops at Latin Square and Big Band Stages.

WHO:Lido Chilelli, founder of the Beaches International Jazz Festival and Bill King, artistic director, will acknowledge this year’s sponsors and discuss how BEACHES JAZZ has become one of Toronto’s most anticipated summer events.

Members of the Toronto East General Hospital Foundation Board of Directors will discuss the Festival’s contribution to its fundraising campaign.

Festival sponsors include the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, TD Bank Financial Group, Mill St. Brewery, Dan Aykroyd Wines, Toronto Port Authority, Ontario Media Development Corporation, Canadian Heritage, CTV and Subaru Canada.

Masterful jazz pianist, Quincy Bullen will be performing.

WHERE:BALMY BEACH CLUB

potts

Leroy’s St Germaine Fake Charities: Danforth Music Fest Beaches Blues Festival


There are some wonderful charities out there, without whom many people would have little, if anything to celebrate this holiday season. So far, it seems you can’t go wrong with toys/food/clothing drives, donating goods or your valuable time to causes like the CHUM Christmas Wish, or the Daily Bread Food Bank. Sadly, there are Grinches out there trying to take advantage of your charitable nature, and it’s important to ensure you donations are going to the right place. Many fraud artists know how to avoid getting caught, asking for smaller donations, or asking that people purchase a ticket to something, claiming a portion of the proceeds will go towards a particular cause are common tactics. If someone asks you for money, ask for details about their organization, for their charitable organization number, the name of the founder/CEO, business address, and where you can find more information online. Hopefully this will weed out some of the fakes. Do your research- Google is a good thing, so use it and ask around. The Danforth Music Fest/Beaches Blues Festival (not to be confused with the Waterfront Music Festival!!) is an example of a “charitable organization” to watch out for. The proof that the organization no longer qualifies to distribute tax receipts is a matter of public record, yet it is business as usual for Mr. Leroy St Germaine and his minions selling tickets with the promise of “a portion of the proceeds going to charity.” That portion is LESS than 1%. There is nothing illegal about selling tickets for a music event and collecting donations with nothing more than a PRETENSE of charitable fundraising, although it is most defininitely reprehensible and behavior void of morals. Banks get to know customers, and aren’t as cautious about checking the annual validity of supposed charities before cashing their cheques… maybe the banks should be required to review which charities are still eligible to accept donations annually in order to prevent fraud. If the cheques aren’t being watched by the banks, where is the money going? If the charity is no longer registered, maybe nobody is asking for a statement- that’s scary. This is not to say that all charities are bad, or that anyone should be jaded by the bad guys, but please make sure your hard earned money goes to those who really need it!

Councillor Bailao Answers Bloor News Questions

 

Councillor Ana Bailaio Ward 18’s City Councillor speaks with Bloor News about the current issues in the city along with What’s happening in Ward 18

 

Q: Ward 18 has 20 TCHC properties that TCHC wants to sell in the next 3-5 years. What’s your take on this plan and what have the tenants of those buildings ?

1. When I first saw the list of TCHC properties for sale, I immediately recognized a couple of addresses of different community organizations. Two organizations doing great work in my area are Sistershare and St. Vincent de Paul’s, and are organizations running out of TCHC buildings that were on the list. These organizations are providing a valuable community service, and their clients are familiar with that location. I felt strongly that to move these people put the programs at risk and I requested that any building providing community service programming be taken off the list.

Fortunately, we were successful, and TCHC removed all the properties from the sale list that had community organizations working within them. The most important thing to keep in mind, though, is that the houses in Ward 18 are just like the houses across the City, and the only way to get the best result for Torontonians is to develop a comprehensive plan for how to maintain affordable housing levels in good repair. This is why I moved to have the sale of these properties delayed until a Special Working group could consider opportunities for non-profit, private and public sectors to come together and address and improve Toronto’s housing situation.

Q: If TCHC does go through with this sale do you believe in a portable subsidy so Toronto can better diversify neighbourhoods or do you believe in diversification through projects like Regent Park or Lawrence Heights?

2. I think the conversation about what’s the best strategy for Toronto Housing falls apart when you put portable subsidies against City-managed housing – you need a mix. These are complex issues and no one approach helps everyone. Just as the tenants of TCHC housing are diverse, so must the solutions be to assist them. The approaches that are most effective consider the many contributing causes that would result in the need for housing assistance, and take these into account. Toronto must not expand housing in only one way, but provide a more comprehensive multi-approach plan to assisting our residents.

Q: When you see the map showing the 675 units dispersed throughout the city what comes to mind?

3. What is apparent in the location of TCHC units proposed for sale is that we are dealing with a diverse area. What the map doesn’t represent, however, is we are dealing with a very specific type of housing with the TCHC proposed sale. These properties emphasize mixed-income, and family units, which are in the highest demand. Significantly reducing this stock puts a significant stress on Toronto’s current affordable housing units, and an even greater stress on the families that need them.

Q: Mushy or Mighty?

4. Without question, we are dealing with a mighty middle, but it’s not about a new group at Council. These Councillors are very engaged, follow the issues closely and take seriously the thoughts and concerns of their constituents. They have similar ideas, but most importantly are ready and willing to work with anyone interested in building a better City. This is and has always been about collaboration rather than competition, and keeping residents and information central to these conversations is critical. As for our effectiveness on the recent Budget, Transit and Housing votes, I leave that to Torontonians to decide.

Q: Do you feel stubbornness and or partisanship at city hall has tainted possible deals in the past and why is the middle succeeding now?

5. After every election there is always a “cooling-off” period where you learn what people care about and on what they are knowledgeable. It can take some time for these to get out there, but now the skills of different Councillors are coming together. The big change has been the increase in dialogue. People are more comfortable approaching each other, and that has smudged the lines between different camps for the better. The middle Councillors have always been seeking a balance, it was important to get Toronto into a better financial situation and to do so without hurting the social services that make Toronto special. I think we are very close to that now which has free us up to get into the projects we care most about. The advantage of making your own decisions and considering the facts, is that you always know where you stand.

Q: What are your goals for Ward 18 over the next couple years and how will that play out in the current budget? e.g transit, housing, taxation, services, garbage etc…

6. It’s the bigger issues – like Transit and the City’s Budget that get the attention, and for good reason – but there are a lot of very exiting projects happening locally as well. I plan on keeping up the street festivals and community events that make Ward 18 such a great place to live, and continue working on new ways of getting residents engaged in our neighbourhoods. We are managing a lot of exciting new development for the area, planning a new park on Queen Street, and focussing on a project that would expand the Perth/Dupont library. Something that is coming up soon is our first Ward 18 Parks Summit, where we will be able to bring people together to improve the activities and green spaces in our area.

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