Latest news with #JamesTalbot
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
From outbreaks to mass casualty events, Alberta's health system preps for G7 summit
Alberta's health system is being prepared for a variety of scenarios, including disease outbreaks and mass casualty incidents, ahead of the G7 leaders' summit in Kananaskis later this month. According to Alberta Health Services (AHS), which has been planning for the event since last year, 150 health personnel will be deployed to various sites in Calgary and the Bow Corridor to support the high profile event. World leaders will gather in Kananaskis from June 15 to 17 and thousands of delegates, journalists and others are expected to descend upon the Calgary region. "AHS has robust emergency response plans in place for all hospital sites for scenarios such as mass casualty incidents, food-borne illness, protests, wildfires or extreme weather events," an AHS spokesperson said in an email. "These plans include co-ordinating with the provincial government, Health Canada, local law enforcement and other partners as appropriate." "It's a very large operation," said Dr. James Talbot, a former chief medical officer of health for Alberta, who is not involved in planning this event but understands the logistics of public health based on his years in the top job. In addition to security planning for an event of of this scale, a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to prevent illness and injury and ensure the health system can respond quickly and appropriately if anything happens, said Talbot. "Getting all your ducks in a row, so that hopefully you don't have to use any of it — but if you do, that it goes seamlessly — is really a labour-intensive and time-intensive operation," said Talbot, whose tenure in the top job ended in 2015. He is now an adjunct professor at the University of Alberta's school of public health. Ensuring the health and safety of heads of state is a complicated process involving local, provincial, federal and international governments and agencies, according to Talbot. He expects ambulances, helicopters, hospitals and ICUs will likely be prepared and on standby. Doctors, nurses and other staff will be needed to work in emergency rooms, ICUs, labs and diagnostic testing. Equipment such as masks are likely being stockpiled along with a variety of drugs and blood supplies, he added. Some world leaders may bring along their own health and security personnel, Talbot said, and that can require a high degree of co-ordination. "For instance, the American president often travels with their own ICU staff, a portable operating room, their own diagnostic capacity and obviously might decide that they would prefer to have a president or member of the staff stabilized and then sent directly, as quickly as possible, to an American institution," said Talbot. "But that will not be true of all of the nations that participate." In the months leading up events such as this, many steps are taken to prevent health problems such as outbreaks of infectious diseases or food-borne illnesses, according to Talbot. That would include repeated water quality testing at the venues, ensuring catering services are hygienic and safe and staff are healthy, as well as inspections of mechanical HVAC systems to ensure they can handle air quality issues such as wildfire smoke, he said. According to AHS, the RCMP handles the summit's overall risk assessments, and the federal government is responsible for ensuring all arrangements for the event and all costs associated with protecting the health of heads of state. A federal government spokesperson said Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) are working with all levels of government along with private sector partners on health and safety efforts. "Health Canada and PHAC are taking precautionary steps to be ready, if called upon by the Province of Alberta, to help respond to a range of incidents, including an infectious disease outbreak, weather related emergencies, or an event causing mass casualties at the summit site or elsewhere," the spokesperson said in an email. "Federal support available includes a highly trained team of medical professionals who would be the first medical responders on the scene in the event of any medical incident." A stockpile of personal protective equipment, biomedical equipment and pharmaceuticals is available to provinces if they run out or their supplies are not immediately available, the department said. Similar preparations were made for previous large events, including the G7 leaders' summit in Charlevoix, Que., in 2018. "It's really good to be prepared. It's really good to be thinking about this. But I would say everyone on the front lines is just hopeful nothing happens," said Dr. Paul Parks, past-president of the Alberta Medical Association. Parks, who is also an emergency room doctor in Medicine Hat, said hospitals are already under strain. "We don't have a lot of give in the system and it will have major impacts if we had to absorb something significant." Meanwhile, AHS said the health system routinely supports large events and "the summit is not expected to have any effect on Albertans' ability to access health services."
Toronto Star
3 days ago
- Toronto Star
Convicted former Catholic priest exposed by Spotlight investigation dies at 87
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — James Talbot, a former Catholic priest convicted of sexually assaulting boys in Maine and Massachusetts after he was exposed by the investigation that led to the movie 'Spotlight,' has died. He was 87. Talbot, a former Jesuit, appeared on a list provided by the religious order of northeastern Jesuits who faced credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. Talbot died on Feb. 28 at a hospice center in St. Louis, said Mike Gabriele, a spokesperson for Jesuits USA East.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Convicted former Catholic priest exposed by Spotlight investigation dies at 87
James Talbot, a former Catholic priest convicted of sexually assaulting boys in Maine and Massachusetts who was exposed by the investigation that led to the movie ' Spotlight,' has died. He was 87. Talbot, a former Jesuit, appeared on a list provided by the religious order of northeastern Jesuits who faced credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. Talbot died on Feb. 28 at a hospice center in St. Louis, said Mike Gabriele, a spokesperson for Jesuits USA East. Talbot was one of the subjects of an investigation into priest sex abuse by The Boston Globe that was later adapted into the 2015 movie 'Spotlight.' The investigation revealed widespread sexual abuse, and coverup of that abuse, within the Catholic Church. Jesuits USA East did not offer a comment about Talbot's death. He pleaded guilty in 2018 to gross sexual assault and unlawful sexual contact after charges that he sexually abused a 9-year-old boy at a Maine church in the 1990s. He was ordered to serve three years in prison for that conviction. Prior to the Maine conviction, Talbot spent six years in prison after pleading guilty to raping and sexually assaulting two students in Boston. He has settled lawsuits with more than a dozen victims in addition to the convictions. Talbot was a former teacher and athletic coach at Boston College High School from 1972 to 1980 who then transferred to Maine. He was at Cheverus High School in Portland, Maine, until 1998. Former Boston College High School student Jim Scanlan, 63, reported Talbot's abuse in Massachusetts. The Associated Press does not typically use the names of sexual assault victims without their consent, which Scanlan provided. His reports led to criminal charges against Talbot. Scanlan said he has reached out to other survivors of Talbot's abuse. He said he holds people in positions of power within the church accountable for allowing Talbot to continue committing abuse over many years. Scanlan said he has tried to move on from his own anger at Talbot, but it's a long process. 'The opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference,' Scanlan said. 'Maybe I just parked him away a long time ago, resolved I couldn't change what happened.' Jesuits USA East said Talbot had been residing at the Vianney Renewal Center in Dittmer, Missouri, prior to entering hospice care. The center cares for sexually abusive priests as well as providing other health care services.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Health
- Associated Press
Convicted former Catholic priest exposed by Spotlight investigation dies at 87
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — James Talbot, a former Catholic priest convicted of sexually assaulting boys in Maine and Massachusetts who was exposed by the investigation that led to the movie 'Spotlight,' has died. He was 87. Talbot, a former Jesuit, appeared on a list provided by the religious order of northeastern Jesuits who faced credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. Talbot died on Feb. 28 at a hospice center in St. Louis, said Mike Gabriele, a spokesperson for Jesuits USA East. Talbot was one of the subjects of an investigation into priest sex abuse by The Boston Globe that was later adapted into the 2015 movie 'Spotlight.' The investigation revealed widespread sexual abuse, and coverup of that abuse, within the Catholic Church. Jesuits USA East did not offer a comment about Talbot's death. He pleaded guilty in 2018 to gross sexual assault and unlawful sexual contact after charges that he sexually abused a 9-year-old boy at a Maine church in the 1990s. He was ordered to serve three years in prison for that conviction. Prior to the Maine conviction, Talbot spent six years in prison after pleading guilty to raping and sexually assaulting two students in Boston. He has settled lawsuits with more than a dozen victims in addition to the convictions. Talbot was a former teacher and athletic coach at Boston College High School from 1972 to 1980 who then transferred to Maine. He was at Cheverus High School in Portland, Maine, until 1998. Former Boston College High School student Jim Scanlan, 63, reported Talbot's abuse in Massachusetts. The Associated Press does not typically use the names of sexual assault victims without their consent, which Scanlan provided. His reports led to criminal charges against Talbot. Scanlan said he has reached out to other survivors of Talbot's abuse. He said he holds people in positions of power within the church accountable for allowing Talbot to continue committing abuse over many years. Scanlan said he has tried to move on from his own anger at Talbot, but it's a long process. 'The opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference,' Scanlan said. 'Maybe I just parked him away a long time ago, resolved I couldn't change what happened.' Jesuits USA East said Talbot had been residing at the Vianney Renewal Center in Dittmer, Missouri, prior to entering hospice care. The center cares for sexually abusive priests as well as providing other health care services.
Calgary Herald
17-05-2025
- Health
- Calgary Herald
Southern Alberta sees spike in measles cases
Article content The number of patients suffering from measles leaped by 29 cases in southern Alberta on Friday, a daily increase that is higher than what the entire U.S. experienced in a week. Article content Article content The rise brings the total number in Alberta to 438, most of which are concentrated in southern Alberta, where almost 300 people are down with the disease. The region is followed by the Central Zone with 91 confirmed cases, and Edmonton and Calgary, which have reported six and 11 cases, respectively. Article content Article content Outbreaks — defined as two or more linked cases — have now been reported in all health zones. Article content Article content Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 20 cases in the U.S. between May 4 and 11, and two cases between May 11 and 15. In contrast, 346 cases were reported in Canada from April 27 to May 3, compared to 45 in the U.S. in the same period. Article content The rate of measles is highest among children aged between under five to 17. More than 350 people suffering from the disease belong to the cohort. Article content Children under five are most at risk of serious complications, particularly babies who are aged six to 12 months, said Dr. James Talbot, public health physician and the province's former chief medical officer of health, in an interview last week. Article content Article content During a panel hosted by the Alberta Medical Association on May 8, he urged Albertan families to move quickly on getting themselves and their children vaccinated, citing three reasons. Article content Article content The first, he said, is that measles is widely known to be a highly contagious virus that spreads quickly. Secondly, he explained that because it often takes time for measles symptoms to show up, there are probably more cases of the infection in Alberta than those reported. Article content 'And thirdly, the percentage of kids unimmunized or partially immunized is very high in Alberta,' he said. Article content The panel followed days after a provincial update on May 5, wherein Adriana LaGrange, the province's health minister, and Dr. Sunil Sookram, Alberta's interim chief medical officer of health, confirmed that actions are being taken to expand the provincial response to the outbreak. Article content The most recent update arrives as Measles makes a comeback in the country, especially in Alberta, where immunization rates are among the lowest in the country. Article content Provincial data shows that only 71.6 per cent of seven-year-olds were fully vaccinated against the measles in 2024. Article content In the south zone, where the majority of the cases are concentrated, multiple communities show vaccination rates well below 50 per cent in 2024, including the County of Forty Mile (30.2 per cent), Lethbridge (46.7 per cent) and the Municipality of Taber (39.1 per cent).
