COMMONS

Support us at commonspodcast.com Innis Ingram’s mother is his hero. But today, she’s living in one of the worst hit long-term care homes in Ontario. She has a terminal illness. Dozens and dozens of people around her have died, including her friend and roommate. And she’s had minimal human contact for three months. But even though he can’t be there with her, Innis is determined to get her the care she needs.   COMMONS: Pandemic is currently focusing on how COVID-19 is affecting long-term care in Canada. Featured in this episode: Innis Ingram, Nathan Stall   To learn more: “Ontario LTC whistle-blower saw many incidents of verbal abuse and forced feeding” by Jill Mahoney and Karen Howlett” in The Globe and Mail “It’s time to let families visit long-term care homes” by André Picard in The Globe and Mail “Some Ontario doctors, families worry rules for care home visits causing harm to residents” in CBC News   This episode is sponsored by Freshbooks Additional music from Audio Network “Western Shores” by Philipp Weigl, adaptedSupport COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support us at commonspodcast.com We take a break from our PANDEMIC season with an extended interview with Damian Abraham, a guest from our episode about Canada's wrestling dynasty, The Harts. Damian explains the art of juggling the real and the fake, wrestling's dying language and how Canadians helped build World Wrestling Entertainment. Damian Abraham is the host of Turned Out A Punk Podcast, the creator and host of The Wrestlers, and a member of Toronto hardcore band, Fucked Up.Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support us at commonspodcast.com Long-term care workers are in the vanguard in the war against COVID-19. They’re not the kinds of workers who get movies or TV shows made about them. In fact, their stories are rarely told. But not only are they battling heroically against this pandemic. They’re fighting for recognition and respect within a system built to marginalize them.  COMMONS: Pandemic is currently focusing on how COVID-19 is affecting long-term care in Canada.   Featured in this episode: Joadel Concepcion, Joanna Bulatao, Lisa Burke, Naomi Lightman, Zaid Noorsumar To learn more: “‘We are dropping like flies,’ says Ontario home care nurse” by Zaid Noorsumar in Rank and File “Fear and exhaustion: Working as a PSW in long-term care during the coronavirus” by Alanna Mitchell in Maclean’s “Comparing Care Regimes: Worker Characteristics and Wage Penalties in the Global Care Chain” by Naomi Lightman in Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society   This episode is sponsored by Freshbooks Additional music from Audio NetworkSupport COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

$5/month for-adree COMMONS by clicking here. Over the last two months, Nova Scotians have endured tragedy upon tragedy. The worst mass murder in modern Canadian history. A helicopter crash and the death of a Snowbirds’ pilot. And all the while, COVID-19 ravaged the biggest long-term care home in Atlantic Canada. COMMONS: Pandemic is currently focusing on how COVID-19 is affecting long-term care in Canada.   Featured in this episode: Jennifer Henderson (Halifax Examiner), Janice Keefe To learn more: “Nova Scotia's lives lost to the COVID-19 pandemic” by Taryn Grant, Cassidy Chisholm, Elizabeth Chiu and Alex Cooke in CBC Nova Scotia “The Northwood board has been expressing “grave concern” about double occupancy rooms for years” by Jennifer Henderson in the Halifax Examiner “Strang, union clash over COVID-19 concerns at Northwood” by John McPhee in The Chronicle Herald   This episode is sponsored by Wealthbar  Additional music from Audio Network “I Am a Man Who Will Fight for Your Honor” by Chris Zabriskie, adapted.Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here's where you can support us: commonspodcast.com Tracy Rowley lost her surrogate mother to COVID-19 in a long-term care facility. But she’s determined that Shirley Egerdeen doesn’t become just another statistic. Tracy’s suing the company that runs the home. But one of the strangest things in this story is exactly who owns them. COMMONS: Pandemic is currently focusing on how COVID-19 is affecting long-term care in Canada. Featured in this episode: Tracy Rowley, Sherina Harris (HuffPost Canada), Emma Paling (HuffPost Canada), Zaid Noorsumar  To learn more: “COVID-19 Has Killed 164 At Revera's Care Homes. Their Families Want Answers” by Emma Paling and Sherina Harris in HuffPost Canada “Is it Time to Care Yet?” by Zaid Noorsumar in Rank and File “It is time to forget the profits and fix long-term care” by Geoffrey Stevens in The Waterloo Region Record This episode is sponsored by Freshbooks and The Jerry Cans Additional music from Audio NetworkSupport COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over 1700 Ontarians have already been killed by COVID-19. And the vast majority of them died in long-term care. But if you live in a private, for-profit home, you’re much more likely to die from this virus. The for-profit long-term care industry is politically powerful and deeply entrenched. Is this their moment of reckoning? COMMONS: Pandemic is currently focusing on how COVID-19 is affecting long-term care in Canada. Featured in this episode: Sharleen Stewart (SEIU Healthcare), Natalie Mehra (Ontario Health Coalition) To learn more: “Party of Profits: Ontario Tories and the profit motive in long-term care” by Zaid Noorsumar in Rank and File “For-profit nursing homes have four times as many COVID-19 deaths as city-run homes, Star analysis finds” by Marco Chown Oved, Brendan Kennedy, Kenyon Wallace, Ed Tubb and Andrew Bailey in The Toronto Star “40 Ontario nursing homes with the highest rates of reported abuse” by Valérie Ouellet, Dexter Brown in CBC Marketplace This episode is sponsored by WealthBar This show was brought to you by our patrons. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter.  Additional music: I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: J Lang, Morusque “Clean Soul” by Kevin Macleod, adapted. Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The McKenzie Towne Continuing Care Centre has experienced the deadliest COVID-19 outbreak in Alberta. But some people say that their loved ones were killed by neglect at McKenzie Towne long before the pandemic even began. COMMONS: Pandemic is currently focusing on how COVID-19 is affecting long-term care in Canada. Featured in this episode: Breanne Sinclair, Shauna Parks To learn more: “'I'm numb': families beg for help as care home outbreak spreads” by Timm Bruch in CTV News Calgary “Grieving granddaughter exposes history of McKenzie Towne continuing care home by Jill Croteau in Global News “Nurses allege lack of cleaning and isolation contributed to deadly COVID-19 outbreak at Calgary care home” by Jennifer Lee in CBC News This episode is sponsored by Freshbooks This show was brought to you by our patrons. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter.    Additional music: “Unanswered Questions” and “Clean Soul” by Kevin Macleod and “I Am a Man Who Will Fight for Your Honor” by Chris Zabriskie, adapted. Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why did Commons drop everything and focus in on long-term care? Because the vast majority of deaths are happening in those homes. Because we should have known that was going to be the case, but we let it happen anyways. And because the level of suffering, isolation and trauma happening in long-term care today is almost too much for us to face up to. Featured in this episode: Nathan Stall, Jane Meadus This show was brought to you by our patrons. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter.  Additional music: “November”, “modum”, “Sunset”, and “Seeker” by Kai Engel, adapted. Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They were found abandoned in the facility. The conditions were described as “akin to a concentration camp.” Within two weeks, over thirty of them would be dead. The story of the Résidence Herron in Dorval, Quebec is a national shame — and a preview of the carnage still to come. COMMONS: Pandemic is currently focusing on how COVID-19 is affecting long-term care in Canada. Featured in this episode: Aaron Derfel (Montreal Gazette) To learn more: Public health, police find bodies, feces at Dorval seniors’ residence: sources in the Montreal Gazette by Aaron Derfel Records reveal chaos in the days before staff abandoned the Herron in the Montreal Gazette by Aaron Derfel Alleged neglect of seniors at residence in Dorval in CityNews Montreal by Alyssia Rubertucci   This show was brought to you by our patrons. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter.  This episode is sponsored by Wealthbar Additional music: “Clean Soul” by Kevin Macleod and “Seeker” by Kai Engel, adapted. “SUNBIRDS” by BOCrew (c) copyright 2012 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft: THEDEEPR / THECORNER / feat : FORENSIC /Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

COVID-19 has upended everything, and forced us to change plans. From here on out, COMMONS will be bringing you stories about the people and institutions most impacted by the pandemic. And first up is long-term care. If you or someone you know have any stories about Canada’s long-term care system, get in touch with us at arshy@canadalandshow.com.Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.