Air quality alerts issued in parts of Canada amid wildfires
Air quality alerts issued in parts of Canada amid wildfires
Air quality expert Jed Kaplan on who is at risk as air quality alerts have been issued in parts of Canada due to ongoing wildfires.
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Globe and Mail
21 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Too many disabled Canadians are quietly denied the right to make a will
Across the country, a basic legal right is being denied. People with autism, cerebral palsy or other cognitive and developmental disabilities are often unjustly presumed incapable of making a will. These assumptions don't come from the courts. They come from the professionals who are supposed to help: lawyers, advisers, institutions. And they're wrong. Because under Canadian law, a diagnosis is not disqualification. Some people are legally incapable of making a will. They include those with advanced dementia, severe brain injuries or other conditions that leave them unable to understand what a will is, what they own or who they might wish to provide for. Some individuals, with conditions such as autism or intellectual disabilities, for example, may not meet the test. In those cases, the law rightly steps in to protect them. But the fact that some individuals lack capacity doesn't justify assuming all people with disabilities do. Barriers to access: New Canada Disability Benefit will leave many people with disabilities behind The legal test for whether someone is mentally capable to make a valid will is rooted in the precedent of Banks v. Goodfellow, decided more than 150 years ago in the English High Court, and it affirms that understanding and intention matter more than labels. John Banks, the subject of that case, was a wealthy man with a history of mental illness. He believed he was pursued by evil spirits. In 1870, he wrote a will leaving his estate to his niece. A distant cousin challenged the will, arguing he lacked the mental capacity to make it. The court disagreed. It found that Mr. Banks, despite his illness, understood what a will was. He knew what he owned. He knew who might expect to inherit. And he made a conscious, rational choice. His delusions didn't affect that decision and so the will stood. That case still governs Canadian law on capacity today. A person is capable of making a will if, at the time of signing, they understand what a will is and what it does. They must also have a general understanding of what they own, who might reasonably expect to benefit from their estate, and they must not be under the influence of a delusion or mental illness that directly affects their decisions. Most importantly, they must not be under the influence of a delusion or mental illness that directly affects their decisions. It's a flexible, human test. It doesn't require legal fluency or mathematical precision. It requires comprehension and a free, rational intention. And yet many individuals with disabilities are denied the right to make a will before they even get the chance to demonstrate that understanding. 'We are not a priority': Disability advocates say lack of minister sends a message The problem lies not in the law, but in how it's applied. Too often, professionals mistake difference for deficiency. They see a diagnosis, or a non-traditional way of communicating, and assume the person isn't capable. That could be a non-speaking adult using a speech-generating device, or a person with cerebral palsy who communicates slowly, but thinks clearly. These are individuals who may meet all the legal requirements, but who are often excluded based on how they present. That's not caution. That's bias. The role of legal professionals isn't to screen people. It's to meet them where they are. That might mean slowing the pace, using visual explanations, involving trusted support people or arranging a formal capacity assessment. These aren't barriers – they're tools to ensure inclusion. It's also worth noting that not everyone with capacity needs a will. If a person holds all of their assets jointly, or utilizes beneficiary designations for assets such as RRSPs, pensions or life insurance policies, those assets may pass outside the will altogether. In some cases, letting the default rules of intestacy – the legal system that decides who inherits when someone dies without a will – apply may be entirely appropriate, so long as the person understands the implications and makes that choice freely. At its core, a will is about more than property. It's about autonomy. It's about being seen, being heard and leaving a mark. And that power belongs to anyone who meets the legal test, regardless of diagnosis, disability or how they communicate. In a country that prides itself on inclusion and human dignity, it's time we started acting on it. Max Shilleto is an estate planning lawyer and disability advocate in Vancouver.
CTV News
26 minutes ago
- CTV News
Special Air Quality Statement for London and Middlesex County
Thursday is off to a rainy start, with a cold front moving in and the possibility of thunderstorms. Thursday is off to a rainy start, with a cold front moving in and the possibility of thunderstorms. Due to wildfire smoke, Environment Canada has issued a Special Air Quality Statement for London and Middlesex County on Thursday, along with other areas of southwestern Ontario. Wildfire smoke is expected in the area today, and the possibility of ground level smoke continues into Friday. Poor air quality and reduced visibility is expected. Environment Canada recommends reducing outdoor activity, keeping windows and doors closed and using a good quality air filter in home ventilation systems. Conditions are expected to slowly improve overnight. Thursday is off to a rainy start, with a cold front moving in and the possibility of thunderstorms. By afternoon, some breaks of sunshine will start peeking through. 'We could still see some thunderstorms in through eastern Elgin County up until about a noon hour and southern Oxford County,' said CTV London Meteorologist Julie Atchison. Temperatures are cooler in the afternoon, especially along the shoreline of Lake Huron. 'If you're right along that lake, that cool northerly wind will keep those lake shore temperatures on the chillier side,' said Atchison. London, Kitchener and Mount Forest will see temperatures around 20 to 23 degrees. Friday brings warmer weather of 25 degrees, with a mix of sun and cloud. Here's a look at the rest of the forecast Thursday: A few showers ending near noon then cloudy with 40 per cent chance of showers. Risk of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon. Hazy late in the afternoon. Amount 10 to 15 mm. High 20. UV index 6 or high. Thursday night: Partly cloudy. Hazy. Low 10. Friday: A mix of sun and cloud. High 25. Saturday: A mix of sun and cloud. High 24. Sunday: A mix of sun and cloud. High 25. Monday: Cloudy with 60 per cent chance of showers. High 22. Tuesday: A mix of sun and cloud with 30 per cent chance of showers. High 21.
CTV News
26 minutes ago
- CTV News
B.C. fire crews set up sprinklers to defend buildings as blaze grows near Kelly Lake
Plumes of smoke from a wildfire, designated "G70422" by the B.C. Wildfire Service, are seen from the air near Tumbler Ridge, B.C., close to the Alberta-BC border, in a Wednesday, June 4, 2025, handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-BCWS, *MANDATORY CREDIT* The BC Wildfire Service says an out-of-control blaze that has triggered evacuation orders near Kelly Lake in the province's northeast is not currently threatening the community but is growing in its direction. The service says in an update Thursday morning that firefighters from several fire departments across the province are working alongside its crews to prepare sprinkler systems to defend buildings. It says people should not wait to see smoke or fire before they evacuate, noting Highway 52 East remains closed in both directions. The service says more than 100 personnel and 12 helicopters are assigned to the blaze, which spans almost 74 square kilometres as of 8:30 a.m. Thursday. The Kiskatinaw River fire is one of two 'wildfires of note,' the other being the Summit Lake fire, which spans about 26 square kilometres along the Alaska Highway west of Fort Nelson. There were just under 70 active wildfires across B.C. listed on the wildfire service website as of Thursday morning, more than 60 per cent of which are classified as burning out of control. This report by Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press, was first published June 5, 2025.
