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CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
AHS invites high schoolers to explore health-care career firsthand
High schoolers interested in a health-care profession were given the opportunity to experience a day on the job firsthand on Friday. Alberta Health Services (AHS) hosted their Healthcare Career Exploration Day at the Royal Alexandra Hospital to show kids from grades nine to 12 different jobs that exist within health care. Not all of those jobs are well-known, either. Medical device reprocessing technician Terri Snell said the day was a good opportunity to show students areas in the hospital that people don't always associate with health care. In an interview on Friday, Snell estimated that she was explaining her work to around 60 high school students during a typical exploration day. Snell's job requires decontaminating, assembling and sterilizing every tool required in a hospital. They also create carts for surgeries on a per-person basis. For the main trauma centre in northern Alberta, that means preparing for 100 schedules per day. And that's before emergency surgeries. Snell said watching students' eyes widen when they see what the job is makes her hopeful that more people might consider a career that isn't as commonly known, isn't always glamorous but is incredibly important. 'Our cases are increasing, and because of the pandemic, we're still trying to make up for those cancelled surgeries … we could always use more people,' she said, adding that the job requires precision, focus and resilience. Plus, she said, AI can't replace the human element of health-care jobs. 'Kids come in with fresh ideas and aren't swayed by old habits,' she said. 'So it's always great to have the new kids come in.' The day also included patient simulation scenarios and learning about trades, IT roles and corporate positions within AHS. Interest is high for career camps through the AHS, and most of the dates for the summer are full now, but more information can be found on their website. With files from CTV News Edmonton's Brandon Lynch
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Air Canada flight attendants walk off the job as strike begins
More than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants went on strike as of 12:58 a.m. ET Saturday, after the airline and the union representing them failed to reach a deal ahead of the deadline. The Canada Union of Public Employees, or CUPE, gave a 72-hour strike notice on Wednesday after midnight. Air Canada responded shortly after by saying it would lock out workers, and began winding down operations on Thursday with a gradual suspension of flights. With a work stoppage now in effect, Air Canada estimates that 130,000 customers will be affected each day of a strike, a figure that includes 25,000 Canadian travellers who are abroad. The strike began after talks between CUPE and Air Canada reached an impasse, with wages and ground pay — which compensates flight attendants for work while the plane is grounded — among the key sticking points keeping the parties from reaching a deal. Earlier this week, Air Canada formally proposed to CUPE that the parties use binding arbitration to negotiate the renewal of a 10-year collective agreement that expired in March. CUPE declined to use arbitration, a process that would have an arbitrator render a decision about specific items the parties can't agree on. CUPE has maintained it wants to stay at the negotiating table and have the two sides come to an agreement themselves. Air Canada asked federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu to make a referral under Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to send the negotiations to binding interest arbitration. Hajdu gave CUPE until noon on Friday to respond, and they declined.
CTV News
4 hours ago
- CTV News
How farmers and government are trying to reduce avian flu risk in B.C.'s Fraser Valley
There will be new defense measures in the Fraser Valley this fall to try and prevent flocks from getting infected with avian flu. There will be new defence measures in place in B.C.'s Fraser Valley this fall to try and prevent poultry flocks from getting infected with avian flu. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food has announced a $2.5-million program to help egg and poultry producers in the region. Funding through the Novel Tools and Technologies Program will allow dozens of farmers to install protective equipment on their properties. 'There's about $30,000 for 75 egg and poultry producers to add things into their barns like HEPA filters, to install ultra-violet light systems, before we get to the point of having avian influenza coming to the province in September,' said Agriculture Minister Lana Popham, in an interview with CTV News. 'It's a really difficult disease to fight because it's like having an invisible enemy,' Popham said. In a statement, Kevin Klippenstein, chair of the B.C. Chicken Marketing Board and B.C. Poultry Emergency Operations Centre, said farmers, researchers and government worked together to find 'practical, science-based solutions to a complex disease challenge.' 'By investing in tools and technology that reduce the risk of avian influenza, we're helping ensure British Columbians can continue to count on a safe, sustainable supply of chicken, turkey and eggs, while also supporting the well-being of farmers who have been on the front lines of this battle for years,' he said. The virus has resulted in about 9 million birds being killed in B.C. since 2022. 'The anxiety about avian influenza is real and it does weigh on producers. Nobody wants to have to go through that,' said farmer Ray Nickel, who is also part of the B.C. Chicken Marketing Board. He lost 9,000 turkeys last year when his barn was infected with avian flu. It was the second time the virus had shown up at one of his farms, despite strict biosecurity measures. Brad Driediger of Windberry Farms in Abbotsford lost 60,000 birds after an avian flu infection last winter. 'Once it happens on your own farm, to go through that process is very difficult,' he said. He said through research and collaboration with the province, farmers and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, work has been done to try and lessen the impact of avian flu. Driediger said the group worked together to try and find solutions that could be implemented before this fall's migratory period. 'It was a priority of this working group to determine what could effectively be installed quickly,' said Driediger. His own farm has made changes to the ventilation system, using 'heat exchangers in conjunction with air filtration,' Driediger explained. 'We're evaluating and monitoring the effectiveness of those technologies as they're implemented,' he added. 'To see if it's making a difference.' Driediger said he's 'very hopeful' the changes will do just that. Meanwhile, Nickel is using cooling pads in the barn as a means to filter air. 'I have filtration systems in those systems and so I can at least reduce the amount of dust and feathers that might come in through… the air intake,' he said. Dr. Martin Appelt of the CFIA said, 'The key element is really trying to avoid anything that creates a bridge between wild birds, their droppings and domestic poultry.' He said the CFIA had been working in the Fraser Valley, monitoring farms that suffered multiple outbreaks. The goal was to come up with a ranking of risks. He also said the CFIA is considering vaccination of birds. 'CFIA is working with the poultry industry at this point to start setting up a confined field trial to test some of the licensed vaccines in the Canadian context and to see how this could work for us,' Appelt explained.
