Luke Gordon Field is trying to figure out how he can explain the concept of deadpan satire to an algorithm. He says he never thought in a million years that the need to explain a joke would transcend humans. But it’s a situation he […]
Author: canadianguy
Animal therapy program shows promise in Canadian prisons, study found – CTV News [2023-08-09]
A graduate student from the University of Saskatchewan (USask) is looking into what she describes as the transformative power of animal therapy programs at Canadian correctional facilities. Five years ago, Grace Rath, along with her black Labrador companion, Jager, volunteered in a therapy dog […]
Local hospital staff frequently deal with violent, aggressive patients, new numbers show – CBC News [2023-08-08]
She’s only been on the job for two years, but London registered nurse Lannie Seddon has already been punched in the head by a patient. She’s one of many hospital workers who face violence and aggression at work on a regular basis — something […]
How Heat Can Affect Your Mental Health – Psychology Today [2023-08-04]
As rising temperatures continue to break records this summer, it is important to remember that extreme heat affects not just our physical health but also our mental health. Elevated cortisol levels, induced by rising temperatures, can trigger stress responses, making individuals feel moody and […]
Suicide Most Common Cause of Death in People With Schizophrenia, Study Finds – Psych News Alert [2023-08-04]
Suicide is the most common cause of death in patients who have schizophrenia spectrum disorders, a study in Schizophrenia Bulletin has found. Marie Stefanie Kejser Starzer, M.D., of Copenhagen University Hospital and colleagues analyzed data from the OPUS I study, a randomized controlled trial […]
Ontario First Nation chief calls for more support amid opioid emergency – CTV News [2023-08-04]
One First Nation community in Ontario has officially declared a state of emergency due to an opioid crisis. “In the last five years we’ve had over 45 deaths, drug-related to the opioid crisis,” Chief Veronica Smith, of the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation in […]
What a Winnipeg drug treatment court means for the fight against drugs – Global News [2023-08-03]
For nearly two decades, a drug treatment court in Winnipeg has offered a way out of the cycle of drug abuse. Now. in a bid to support the court and its programs, the province and Justice Canada have signed a joint-five-year funding agreement. This […]
Mental health care access, electronic options, surgical backlogs: Report lays out health-care overhaul priorities – CTV News [2023-08-02]
The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) has released a new report, which lays out the key areas that governments need to focus on in order to improve struggling health-care systems. The report is the result of an agreement between the federal, provincial and […]
Half the population to have a mental health disorder by 75 – Science Daily [2023-07-31]
A global study co-led by researchers from The University of Queensland and Harvard Medical School has found one in two people will develop a mental health disorder in their lifetime. Professor John McGrath from UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, Professor Ronald Kessler from Harvard Medical […]
Hamilton lawyers struggle to get same-day access to clients in jail – CBC News [2023-08-01]
Hamilton lawyers say they’re struggling to get timely access to clients who are imprisoned in the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre. “It’s definitely not in the best interest of the inmates and the lawyers,” Asgar Manek, a local lawyer, told CBC Hamilton. “I have to stand […]
Sarnia, Ont. police delete tweet about woman’s shoplifting arrest following backlash – CTV News [2023-07-30]
Sarnia police have removed a Twitter post about a woman who was arrested for allegedly shoplifting food and cleaning supplies, acknowledging that it was “not in keeping” with their “internal and community expectations.” The tweet, which included a photo of the groceries in question, […]
Six alternatives to youth incarceration in Canada – rabble.ca [2023-07-27]
Evidence shows putting children behind bars leads to overall worse general adult health, higher recidivism rates and lower life expectancies. Despite this, Canada continues to jail youth by the tens of thousands each year. But a new report from the Sentencing Project presents six […]
Build and fund a drug rehab centre in London, mayor tells premier – CBC News [2023-07-25]
London should be the first city in Ontario to get any newly-built publicly-funded addiction rehab facilities, Mayor Josh Morgan says. “Treatment is health care, and so it’s not something the city can do. This is a fully provincial responsibility and only the province can […]
Sinéad O’Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U
Sinéad O’Connor, Irish singer and political activist, dead at 56 – CBC News [2023-07-26]
Sinéad O’Connor, the Irish singer who rose to fame in the 1990s with a hit recording of Prince’s Nothing Compares 2 U and became known for her outspoken political activism and mental health struggles, has died at 56. “It is with great sadness that […]
A new study finds a strong link between depression and dementia – CTV News [2023-07-24]
A diagnosis of depression in adulthood could more than double your risk of developing dementia in older age, according to a new study. The study, published Monday in the journal JAMA Neurology, used data from more than 1.4 million Danish citizens who were followed […]
Council endorses homeless hub plan, despite concerns about cost and capacity – CBC News [2023-07-24]
The City of London has moved a step closer to approving a multi-million dollar plan to open a series of neighbourhood service hubs intended to provide life-saving supports and pathways to housing for those suffering through an increasingly deadly homelessness crisis. The plan was […]
Kids who go hungry more likely to access care for mental health, substance use: Ontario study – CBC News [2023-07-24]
Toronto resident Rhonda Miller knows how difficult it can be to afford the basic necessities. The 52-year-old lives in an apartment with her daughter and two granddaughters, who are nine and six. Rising rent and food prices mean Miller has to sometimes choose between […]
Volunteering in late life may protect the brain against cognitive decline and dementia – Science Daily [2023-07-20]
Volunteering in late life is associated with better cognitive function — specifically, better executive function and episodic memory. Those are the findings of a new study from UC Davis Health presented today (July 20) at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2023 in Amsterdam. “We […]
U.S. father, son drove 2 days to Ontario just for ketchup chips – CTV News [2023-07-22]
An American father-son duo drove for two days in an old army Jeep just to buy ketchup chips in Canada last week. “We only crossed the border to buy the chips,” Rich Lieberman told CTV News Toronto on Saturday after buying 40 burgundy bags […]
Poilievre calls Niagara Falls home ‘tiny little shack,’ apologizes to tenant – CTV News [2023-07-21]
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he has apologized to a woman in Niagara Falls, Ont. for calling her home a “tiny little shack” in an attempt to illustrate high housing costs in the area. “Housing costs under (Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau have doubled, and […]
Brant County man swimming across Lake Ontario to raise awareness for mental health – CBC News [2023-07-20]
As he swims across Lake Ontario, swinging one arm over the other for 51 kilometres straight, Jason Kloss may seem alone — but he won’t be. His grandfather, Dick Kloss, and friend, Mike Kuipers, both of whom died during the pandemic, will be in […]
‘This is an investment’: City staff justify London, Ont. homeless hubs plan – Global News [2023-07-19]
City councillors will debate the much-talked-about hub implementation plan to address London’s growing homelessness crisis in a special committee meeting next week. A 46-page report details the steps taken so far, including community engagement, and what immediate steps are needed next, including a request […]
St. Thomas police dismantle homeless camp, frustrating some outreach workers – CBC News [2023-07-19]
St. Thomas has dismantled a well-established encampment where people had set up tents and built make-shift shelters, angering outreach workers who say the people there have nowhere else to go. “What typically happens is they have to see if there’s room in the shelter […]
Who was behind London’s big banana giveaway? Now we know. – CBC News [2023-07-19]
Months after spreading potassium and positivity across London, the man who gave out thousands of free bananas and sparked speculation from hundreds of Londoners has agreed to share his motivations. Tyler Lockhart, 21, says his generosity wasn’t inspired by a thirst for fame or […]
