Longer Wait Times In Quebec Emergency Rooms, Bear Attack In Northwest Territories, New Record For Amazon Wildfires

Ahmad Moujtahed

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LOCAL

A new analysis by the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) reveals that between 2018 and 2019, patients across Quebec experienced longer wait times in emergency rooms. 

Although fewer patients were treated in the 2018-2019 fiscal year compared to the previous year, the report indicates that patients on stretchers waited on average 14 minutes or longer.

The analysis shows the effects of healthcare spending cuts and ministerial directives by the former Liberal government.

According to CTV news, patients' rights advocate Paul Brunet says adding privately-owned hospitals would only help if all Quebecers had access to them. He also says Quebec needs to do more to provide people with easier access to a physician.

NATIONAL

Canadian sound engineer and composer Julien Gauthier has died after being attacked by a grizzly bear in a remote area of the Northwest Territories last week. 

Eye-witness reports revealed that the 44-year-old man was awoken by the bear in the middle of the night and dragged away from his tent into the darkness. The man's body was found by RCMP officers the next day.

The deceased composer was travelling across the Mackenzie River in the remote Tulita area of the Northwest Territories in order to record sounds of nature for a musical project he was working on.

Cathy Menard, the territory's chief coroner, confirmed to CBC News that the man’s body was in Edmonton, awaiting an autopsy.  An official cause of death is expected to be released soon.

INTERNATIONAL

Concerns mount as wildfires in the Amazon rainforest hit a record number this year, with almost 73,000 fires detected so far by Brazil's space research centre INPE. 

The surge marks an 83% increase over the same period of 2018 and is the highest since records began in 2013, according to Sky News. 

Many are criticizing Brazilian president Bolsonaro’s environmental policy. Bolsonaro vowed to develop the Amazon region for farming and mining, ignoring international concern over increased deforestation.

Recently, he fired the director of INPE for “making up” statistics that show an increase in deforestation in Brazil.