Flush out fake news, check politicians’ statements, find the real numbers: our Bureau of Investigation, based in Montreal, Quebec City and Ottawa, specializes in the art of establishing the facts. Every Saturday, our journalists and researchers present their findings to you to allow you to see more clearly in the news of the week.
THE STATEMENT
Last Tuesday, the leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec, Éric Duhaime, asked himself this question on Twitter: “The big question that remains unanswered: why is it only in Quebec, among the 10 Canadian provinces and the 50 Americans, where science dictates the maintenance of [masque] mandatory ? »
FACTS
Mr. Duhaime is right, but only in part. Quebec is the last state or province in North America to require the wearing of masks in all public places. Elsewhere, the mask remains necessary in certain places considered to be high risk.
According to recommendations from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), wearing a mask is necessary in prisons, homeless shelters, hospitals and long-term care centers. Several states require the mask in these contexts.
In Canada, it is always necessary to wear a mask on planes and trains. In most provinces, it remains mandatory for the time being in certain public places. For example, in Ontario and Alberta, it must be worn on public transport, health facilities and long-term care facilities.
– Philippe Langlois
The number of the week: $911 billion
That’s how much Canadian banks have paid into the coal, oil, gas and oil sands industry since 2016, according to the most recent report from Banking on Climate Chaos published on March 30. RBC is the Canadian bank that invests the most in fossil fuels and the fifth in the world in terms of financing. Next come Scotiabank, CIBC, TD and Bank of Montreal.
– Marie-Christine Trottier