News for May 11th 2015

By Saturn De Los Angeles

192 forest fires have been recorded so far this year in Quebec, according to the province's forest fire prevention agency, SOPFEU.

In a report by CBC News, SOPFEU representative Eloise Richard says that humans are to blame for burning dead leaves and other waste.

The report comes as a fire destroyed the scale of two football fields worth of vegetation last week in a town near Sept-Îles.

Most of Gaspésie and the Lower St. Lawrence is under high risk, while Southern Quebec is under an open fire ban.

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By Catlin Spencer

Medics are denouncing Liberal Health Minister Gaetan Barrette’s legislation which would impose patient quotas on doctors.

According to CTV News, Bill 20 would limit Quebec physicians to see between a-thousand to one-thousand five hundred patients per year, which is almost double the current average.

Physicians failing to meet their new quota could face fines equalling to 30 per cent off their pay.

The Quebec Federation of Family Physicians has issued a list of 12 demands to amend the legislation, including raising budgets, better coordination between healthcare workers, and more home care for seniors.

However, Barrette says he will not back down on his plans for Bill 20.

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By Saturn De Los Angeles

A heavy storm hit the Philippines this weekend, according to BBC News.

At wind speeds of 220 kilometers per hour, Typhoon Noul prompted a total of over 4,000 residents in northern Luzon island to flee to safer ground.

In addition, ferry services were suspended, leaving 5,000 passengers and 100 vessels stranded at the coastline.

As of Monday morning, two men were electrocuted while fixing a roof.

The Pacific island nation has been frequently hit with typhoons, notably two years ago when Haiyan claimed up to 7,000 lives.