CP NewsAlert: Alberta judge grants injunction blocking a transgender health-care bill
EDMONTON — An Alberta judge has put on hold a provincial law that bans doctors from providing gender-affirming care to youth.
Justice Allison Kuntz, in a written judgment, has issued a temporary injunction against the law, saying it raises serious issues that need to be hashed out in court.
Kuntz says a temporary stop to the law is needed to prevent what she calls 'irreparable harm' coming to young patients while the issue is debated.
The law, passed late last year but not fully in effect, would have prevented doctors from providing treatment such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy to those under 16.
Kuntz says denying access to this care could force youth to experience permanent physical changes that don't match their gender identity.
LGBTQ+ advocacy groups took the case to court, while Premier Danielle Smith has said she believes the legislation is needed to protect young people from making permanent, life-altering decisions.
More coming.
Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press
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4 hours ago
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Bankers, athletes, students are using drugs. This hotline tries to keep them safe
There's a national overdose hotline that some Canadians call before they're about to use drugs. But the people dialling in aren't who you might think. Since the National Overdose Response Service (NORS) launched nearly five years ago, it's been reaching drug users who wouldn't typically use consumption and treatment sites. Shame and stigma can force people to use drugs alone, putting them at a greater risk of dying from an overdose. "We do know that a lot of people are hidden substance users," said Monty Ghosh, an addictions physician in Alberta and a NORS researcher. "It could be that they're afraid of losing their job, they're afraid that the family might leave them, they're afraid that the children might get taken away from them." Ghosh says that's where the hotline comes in. He says many people calling in have voluntarily disclosed that they have jobs and stable housing. "We're talking [about] people who are lawyers, physicians, engineers, people who are professional athletes," he said. "A lot of them are using the service because they don't identify as the same population as who uses a physical supervised consumption site." NORS is like a buddy system — operators stay on the line as people use drugs, ready to alert emergency services if they suspect the person has overdosed. People can also text the line, if they can't or don't want to call. To see who is reaching out and how the hotline works, CBC News met up with an operator in Hamilton, Ont., and listened in on multiple calls. WATCH | NORS operator provides advice while callers take drugs: The operator, Jodi, starts any call by confirming the person's address, telling them to keep their doors unlocked and pets away. These are all precautions in case EMS has to respond. One of the calls was from a student who was about to use crack. "I heard that there was a bad batch going around in my area and I was just wondering if you knew anything about it?" the person asked Jodi. LISTEN | Caller worries about 'bad batch' of drugs in area: A quick online search for alerts about tainted substances in the caller's region turned up empty, so Jodi cautioned, "Start low, go slow." Another caller, who was smoking fentanyl, told Jodi she's trying to use less frequently. When she does, she's started testing her drugs to stay safe. "Keep doing that," Jodi told her. "Just the stuff that's going around right now, it's actually really scary." LISTEN | Caller smokes fentanyl on the line: Once people use, Jodi stays on the line with them for about 10 to 15 minutes. She makes small talk — asking what they ate for dinner and what their plans are for the evening — all the while paying attention to how they're responding. "We're not therapists, we're not counsellors, we're not social workers," Jodi told CBC News. "We're not here to dig deep [into] why they started using drugs. It's just, 'Hey, how's it going today?'" No one overdosed the night CBC was on the line with Jodi, but it has happened. Of the almost 20,000 calls NORS has received, it's responded to more than 200 overdoses. According to the organization, nobody has died while using the line. In comparison, between March 2020 and February 2025, drug consumption and treatment sites across Canada received more than three million visits. "Our mandate at NORS is to keep people alive while they're using substances," said Lisa Morris-Miller, the executive director of the hotline. Her sister, Rebecca Morris-Miller, founded the line in December 2020, with the help of her friend Kim Ritchie. The pair had complicated pasts with drug use and met during a recovery program. With a cellphone, $1,000 and some volunteers, Ritchie says they started an early version of the hotline. By the end of 2020, she says partnerships with the University of Alberta and Health Canada led to funding that launched the line across the country. NORS is the first and only national overdose response hotline in Canada. For two years, Rebecca helped grow the service and became an advocate for people who were struggling. But throughout, she continued to struggle with her own addiction to fentanyl. In October 2022, Rebecca used drugs alone and didn't call her own hotline — and ended up dying from an overdose. "My opinion … is that there is still so much stigma associated with substance use, so much that … one of the key founders of this organization wouldn't call her own line," said Lisa Morris-Miller. Most NORS callers are from Ontario, Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan, according to researcher Ghosh. The most recent data from the hotline shows that of more than 3,200 calls, about 50 per cent were women and 16 per cent identified as gender diverse. 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"In this type of crisis, we have to look at ideas that are outside of the box," he said. Faith O'Toole, a 22-year-old Ottawa resident, has been revived multiple times because of the hotline. Having used crack and fentanyl since she was a teenager, O'Toole has lost count of how often she's overdosed. Her mom, Tamara, allowed Faith to keep living at home and using drugs, but insisted she call the hotline. "Of course I don't want my child to use drugs — nobody does. But if they're going to and I can't make her stop, what can I do to help keep her as safe as possible?" said Tamara. She estimates Faith has overdosed at least three times while using NORS. "Overdosing sucks, but the hotline is really useful," said Faith. "It's convenient. I mean, if you have a phone … you can call and you're safe." But Faith no longer lives at home and says she doesn't call the hotline as often. Despite how helpful virtual resources like hotlines and apps can be in this crisis, experts say they can't replace controversial drug consumption and treatment sites. The hotline fills some gaps — like being available around the clock and allowing people to smoke their drugs (which many drug sites don't allow) — but it's not accessible to everyone. For example, some people might not have a cellphone, says Caleb Clay, administrative manager for a mobile overdose prevention site at Sunshine House in Winnipeg. "I think that physical and virtual options can work hand in hand," he said. "I don't think physical sites will ever go away." Ghosh says these sites are essential, specifically because they're often used by people who are experiencing homelessness, and can provide them with a range of support. For example, they connect people to the local mental health care system, help bandage wounds or offer drug test strips and clean needles. 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5 hours ago
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The worst hamburgers for your health — and the best ones for your Canada Day BBQ to avoid high sodium and fat
BBQ season is here, and for many Canadians, the chance to soak up more summer by having dinner outside is a key part to making the most of these sweet, sunny days. However, most barbecue fare can be a minefield of sodium. A Health Canada report from 2017 states many Canadian kids and men consume the mineral to potentially health-affecting excess. That includes 72 per cent of children aged four to 13, and a whopping 90 per cent of men between ages 14 and 30. On the other hand, notably, less than half of women in the same age group aren't consuming excess sodium. A small amount of sodium is a necessary part of a balanced diet as the mineral regulates blood pressure, keeps fluids in balance and helps muscle and nerve functioning. 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Zabiha Halal Chicken Burgers Sodium: 480 mg, 21% DV Fat: 8 g (includes 2 g saturated), 11% DV Compliments Balance Chicken Burgers Sodium: 330 mg, 14% DV Fat: 1.5 g saturated, 8% DV Janes Breaded Chicken Burgers Sodium: 410 mg, 18% DV Fat: 1.5 g saturated, 8% DV Great Value Chicken Burgers Sodium: 300 mg, 13% DV Fat: 11 g (includes 15 g saturated + 0.1 g trans), 15% DV Need a break from the red meats or poultry? Fish burgers are a good alternative when you're thinking of firing up the barbecue. Stick to non-breaded versions to stay on the healthier side. Compliments Wild Pacific Salmon Burgers Sodium: 310 mg, 13% DV Fat: 0.3 saturated, 2% DV President's Choice The Ultimate Atlantic Salmon Burgers Sodium: 420 mg, 18% DV Fat: 10g (includes 1.5 g saturated), 13% DV High Liner Breaded Fish Burgers Sodium: 610 mg, 27% DV Fat: 13g (includes 1 g saturated), 17% DV Janes Beer Battered Fish Burgers Sodium: 410 mg, 18% Fat: 1.5 g saturated, 8% DV Gone are the days of vegetarians getting left out at the cookout: Brands like Impossible, Beyond Meat, Yves and Gardein offer a this-close facsimile of their beef brethren — including the sodium and fat, it seems. Beyond Meat Plant-Based Burgers Sodium: 260 mg, 11% DV Fat: 2 g saturated + 0 g trans, 10% DV *Editor's note: Beyond Meat has informed Yahoo Canada they have updated their nutrition information. However, grocery store websites may still showcase previous nutrition data. Impossible Plant-Based Burgers Sodium: 370 mg, 16% DV Fat: 8 g saturated, 40% DV Yves The Good Veggie Burgers Sodium: 310 mg, 14% Fat: 0.2 g saturated, 3% DV Gardein Suprême Plant-Based Burgers Sodium: 420 mg, 18% DV Fat: 9 saturated + 0.1 g trans, 44% DV Burger patties composed of vegetables, beans, grains and seasonings are an old-school vegetarian staple. Typically, these burgers are top-tier in healthiness regarding sodium and fat levels. Dr. Prager's California-Style Veggie Burgers Sodium: 250 mg, 10% DV Fat: 0 g saturated Big Mountain The Original Veggie Burgers Sodium: 135 mg, 6% DV Fat: 2 g saturated, 10% DV President's Choice Chickpea and Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers Sodium: 590 mg, 26% Fat: 9 g (including 1g saturated), 12% DV Wholly Veggie The Big Griller Veggie Burgers Sodium: 250 mg, 11% DV Fat: 0.5 g saturated, 5% DV Another potential sodium minefield standing between you and a barbecue meal that meets your dietary needs are burger buns. Some buns, it seems, might have as much salt as the patties they're clasped around. Some buns from the D'Italiano brand have 16 per cent of your daily sodium allotment per bun. That means a burger with one of these buns could have as high as half your daily intake, depending on the variety of patty inside — and that's before you've put cheese or ketchup on it. Wonderbread white buns, meanwhile, clock in at 10 per cent of your daily sodium needs — as do Compliments brand brioche buns. Villaggio's Toscana buns have 12 per cent of your daily sodium allowance, while Dempster's hamburger buns clock in at 10 per cent. Even though it tastes sweet, ketchup packs a sodium punch. At 50 grams — or about four tablespoon's worth — you're being delivered 18.5 per cent of your daily sodium recommendation. Mustard and relish aren't off the hook, either: According to the USDA, the average yellow mustard has 23.5 per cent of your daily sodium in a comparable amount. On the other hand, relish hovers around 16.5 per cent of your sodium needs for about four tablespoons. Adding cheese? One slice of Kraft Singles has 12 per cent of your sodium allowance, while Ziggy's brand cheddar slices offer seven per cent. It's possible that building the perfect burger could cost an entire day's worth of sodium intake if you're not careful. But simple swaps — like reaching for unprocessed cheese, going light on the condiments and checking the nutrition facts on the buns — can keep things in check, as will occasionally choosing patties made from chicken, fish and vegetables in place of beef. Get ready to light the grill!
Yahoo
6 hours ago
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An ‘impending crisis' has caused a team of doctors at St. Clare's Mercy Hospital to give their resignation notice
Five internal medicine specialists say they will quit their jobs come Oct. 1 because the work is no longer safe for them or the patients. The CBC's Ryan Cooke reports on what that could mean for other doctors, patients and how N.L. Health Services is responding.
